Felting

Felting is a kind of hand-made that is based on working with wool, its felting. The clothes and accessories, voluminous toys, decorative panels, patterns on felt or other fabric are created with the help of felting.



At first the felting technique was an applied craft and later with the spread of fashion on handmade it turned into a popular hobby. However, despite the popularity felting can’t be considered a simple and available type of handmade: it takes a lot of patience and effort to create a high-quality felting product. Moreover, the main material for felting is quite expensive natural wool (only it has the ability to be felt).

There are two types of felting - dry (also called filting) and wet.

The special needles are used for filting - the wool is pierced with it many times, the fibers are felting, clinging to the ticks on the needle and entangling with each other. Using dry felting techniques, voluminous products are created, for example, toys, jewelry and also the patterns are made on the woolen products.



Wet felting is an ancient technique traditional for many nations. Felting is made with the help of soap or other leaching solution. The material is rolled with hands on a rigid corrugated surface - modern artisans use carpet, rubber or bamboo mats, bubble packaging as a substrate. Wet felting is suitable for creating flat products - felt cloth, panels, clothes, shoes, accessories.



Not long ago the hybrid technology appeared - noonofelting. It allows you to apply a pattern on silk with the help of wet felting and it is used to make accessories and clothes.



For felting sheep′s wool is more often used - usually merinos, less often - camel or Angora goat wool. The sets of multicolored wool for felting in a wide range can be found in the art shops and in the online handicrafts shops. The needles for filting are also sold there.

Those who are seriously interested in the technology and want to industrialize the felting products, should think about the independent painting of wool: this will help to save on material.

The additional consumables may also be required for the design of felted products - they should be chosen individually, depending on the products you are dealing with. The eyes, socks, hinges for the toys and dolls; various accessories for jewelry; beads, trimmings of beautiful fabrics, ribbons, sequins will also be useful for decoration.


History

In general, felting can be considered one of the most ancient handmade techniques - it developed together with the spread of animal husbandry about 8000 years ago. Obviously, felt was the second material for making clothes (after animal skins) that man discovered.

Felting developed in parallel among different nations around the world, in the 16th century the felt manufacturing workshops appeared, later the process was mechanized: in the 19th century machines for felting and presses appeared. Though the development of the textile industry and the appearance of new types of fabric pushed felt production back to the periphery.

Artistic felting developed from folk crafts, the technique acquired its modern format at the turn of the 20th and 21st centuries.

Learning

In fact, any handmade technique can be mastered on your own, but not always the trial and error method justifies itself. In case of felting, it is better to learn with the help of master classes, at least video lessons. It will allow catching the main nuances of working with wool, the main techniques different from each other - depending on the products. Working blindly the beginner risks spoiling the material that cannot be reused in case of defective work.



Expenses and income

The cost of wool for felting is up to 30 hryvnias per 50 grams (Australian or European merinos, New Zealand cardoches). These can be the packages both of the same color and the sets of different colors. The needles for dry felting cost about 12-13 hryvnia, the craftsman may need several needles of different diameter.

Felted products are willingly bought and they are quite expensive - especially if these are clothes or shoes (valenki) made of natural wool. Though in order to make good money on serious things, you will need to devote the maximum of your time to this. For those who want to make felting a source of extra income, it is better to make little things - to create jewelry (coat felted brooches, necklaces made of felted beads are popular) or small toys.

Sure as in any other kind of handmade the level of income will depend on the quality of the products for sale. Moreover, it is always important to find your niche and to attract a potential client with the originality - otherwise there is a risk to be lost among the same type craftsmen.