Wool Felt is an amazing, versatile textile. It predates the spinning of yarn and the weaving of threads into fabric. Because it isn’t woven, it does not ravel and it holds its shape beautifully. Today, felt comes in a wide variety of textures and thicknesses and in every color of the rainbow. Pure wool felt is smooth, soft and sturdy all at the same time. For doll making I use 12 to 16 oz. per yard weight of wool felt.
Felt dates back to the 6000 BC with the earliest examples found on the Central Asian steppes. No one is sure how felt or the felting process was discovered. Some believe that nomadic tribes in central Asia noticed how sheep’s wool would mat and began to use the matted wool for the soles of shoes. The constant pressure from walking caused the wool to mat further creating a rough form of felt. Felt has been used continuously for centuries to make clothing, toys, hats, saddles and rugs. Many westerners are surprised to learn that felt is still used in central Asia to form the walls of homes called yurts. These homes are fully portable and can be erected or torn down in one day!
I discovered felt when I was in a fabric shop searching for fabrics to make cloth dolls. I saw bolts of felt and I was hooked. I purchased every shade of brown, beige, pink, peach and warm gold that I could get my hands on! I was in for a series of wonderful surprises in learning to use felt. I found that the felt stuffs very well resulting in a doll with a very smooth body – no lumps or bumps; felt also needle sculpts beautifully and, takes inks, fabric paint and make up in a wonderful way that produces a very lifelike look. Working with felt as doll skin is similar to working in porcelain with subtle textures and shadows that make the doll look real. I think you will love working with felt too!
Image courtesy on wikimedia
Mar 11, 2010, 06.19 AMby Sew4my3
Hmmm…. you have me curious about the history of this magic cloth called felt. I have often seen these bolts of fabric in the store but had no idea on how I would use it. I think I will buy some and experiment! Thanks for giving me one more reason to buy fabric!
Mar 11, 2010, 01.11 PMby Almatinka
:-) Boy, you made me think of home!!! I come originally from Kazakhstan, which is right smack in the middle of Central Asia and “yurtas” (the felt homes pictured above) were quite a frequent sight to me, not to mention felt hats, boots, cloths and decorations (toy camels, horses, etc. made out of felt are my favourites). Thank you for bringing those memories!!!
Mar 11, 2010, 05.09 PMby will.james
i did felt making at college, i love working with felt but i hate making it