felting question...

[Silver Ether]

what!!! felted beads .. . ithink ihave drifted into another dimension....

Yes definitely! I love felted beads! Go Crowsashes

Silver Ether now I know this is really a stupid question, but, was your bowl bowl-shaped before you felted it? Or were you felting it to shape it?

(++ Red that is lovely!)

Felting to shape as the bothersome link told me ... and me not happy and no its not a stupid question ... :)

[red]

i always make a bowl shape to start with, then felt it, and mould it (often to a slightly different bowl shape)

[Silver Ether]

Thats what I have just done Red you see while i was following the instructions yesterday ... my mind was thinking ... this is illogical!!!!

But I did as I was being told after all this person has experience and I dont So crochet a little bowl out of my head and just felted it and now it moulded onto the bottom a a tumbler and being left to dry ... at least this time it looks promising and has more chance of working ... I will let you know.

[snapdragon]

I likes beads

snapdragon random anyold bead recipe:-

pair of old pop sox, a smooth stick, and some rubber bands.
put one sock over stick
construct wool-fluff into beads around sock on stick
cover with other sock
tie in between with little hairbands/rubber bands or string
gently remove stick (tighten string if using) and tie off the end with another band
whack in washing machine
voila !

[Silver Ether]

Done it ... this little bowl isn't felted as much as the doily as I thought I would see it it worked so next time more agitating will take place ...




The wool is jacobs and corridale that I spun and plyed together...

[red]

excellent!

[Susie]

That looks great! Well done! (And handspun wool as well, very impressive)

Those first instructions don't sound very good. I bet there are confused felters all over the world looking at their flat felted doilies wondering why it doesn't look like a bowl

[yvette]

Bowl looks nice - just a thought, if you blast with steam from a steam iron when it has dried over the bowl/glass/whatever, and then leave to dry again, it should help to keep the shape (like they do for felted hats). Just run the iron over it lightly while it is still on the mould.
How I hate it when the instructions leave you stranded....!

[Silver Ether]

Well I tugged it to bits an put it out side do hopefully the birds will make beds with it.... the doily that is ...

Well I have had several attemps at this felting of little bowls, some wont felt ... not entirley sure so have tried different thickness of wool all my own spun stuff... and different hooks and I think I am on the way ..... I decide to felt by hand as in the machine its not very good anyway being a front loader and it gets me embarressed at the water being used and the leccy ...

I did come up with a way to make it a little easier... I have a plastic tub with a screw on lid .. that can take very hot water so into it I put a little of granny soap flakes and hot water to dissolve add tennis ball and bowl to be felted add some more hot water and shake. You can always put on some music and dance at the same time ... if you have the urge as the water cools I tip some out and top up with hot again ... if you do this PLEASE becarful that you don't scald yourself ... take all precautions to make sure its safe.



made pretty

[red]

nice

i find either being annoyed at someone, or a play etc on the radio help with the felting process

[Silver Ether]

lol ... in that case I should have so many felted items it would be mad ....

[Silver Ether]

Have just felted a little bag its still wet but the reason I am here is undyed wool felts so much better and quickly than dyed.
This one is natural blue faced sheepy... its soo soft to work with.

[snapdragon]

thats lovely I never thought of the difference between dyed and undyed

[snapdragon]

..... I decide to felt by hand as in the machine its not very good anyway being a front loader and it gets me embarressed at the water being used and the leccy ...

I just put them in the wash with towels

[red]

thats lovely I never thought of the difference between dyed and undyed

actually i dont have any trouble felting my own dyed wool. perhaps commerically dyed is treated somehow?

this one felted ok
- and its home dyed