Felt (it) up

Felt (it) up
Youll have a ball with this sweet springtime project
Story & photos by Xylia Buros

April showers may bring May flowers, but spherical accessories seem way fresher than floral brooches this season. Learn how to make your own felt balls with fiber artist Nad Thitadilaka of nFelt (nfelt.com). They are fun and easy to make, look charming bunched together in a bowl or vase, and serve double-duty when finished with a brooch pin. Use the felting techniques below to experiment with your own designs  try making balls in different sizes, uniquely shaped objects, or even long felt scarves.

MATERIALS NEEDED
" small amount of merino wool fleece (in different colors A and B)
" hand soap or dish detergent
" rubber gloves
" any size bowl filled with hot water
" sharp knife
" brooch pin

Step 1 SHAPING THE FLEECE

Wool fleece comes shaped into a fluffy rope. Gently tug the end of the rope to pull out strands of fleece. Scrunch up some fleece in color A into a 2-inch ball. Then, pull out pieces of fleece in color B and start wrapping over the wool ball. Place each layer in a different direction so the color B fleece completely covers the color A fleece. Keep wrapping the wool until it is three times the size you want your felt ball to be. The sphere will be light and transparent like cotton candy.

Comments

[Mauigerbil]

Nice hair, whoever that is! ;D

[Mauigerbil]

Double Rainboom..... What's with the colors...? Is this a dream.............?

[Feltyfriend]

You can get the wool fleece online lots of places I buy mine from American felt and craft, www.feltandcraft.com I have been happy with it and it felts beautifully but lots of other places sell it just google wool roving.

[iq_abyss]

Felt is fun, but as of yet it is utterly lacking in LEDs (why, I don't know).--Could other shapes be possible? (perhaps a fuzzy companion cube).--Where do I get the wool flece?

[mercury]

I don't think I'd ever wear the brooch, but some of the pieces in the other pics look pretty interesting. I bet they'd make cool curtain embellishments, too... Or maybe a whole beaded curtain-type thing :-)