Felting delights

I think I’ve found my calling. Give me some roving and a needle and I’m off.

Back in April I went to a felting workshop and had a lovely evening sculpting wool. I came home with a little felted rabbit and, on Easter morning, hid it in the tulips for Miya to find. I’d had so much fun that I meant to try it again, but it just kept slipping my mind.

But as I’m part of organizing a big silent auction for Nov 1, I contacted the woman who offered the workshop to ask if she’d be willing to donate a felted item or a felting kit. She generously did and when I picked it up, I also bought one of her kits to make crazy owls.

I had Miya with me at the time, and one the way home we stopped at a lovely wool store where I chatted about felting with the woman working there. I asked if she knew how to do wet-felting – something I’d heard about but never tried. She told me that basically it involved rubbing wool under warm soapy water under the fibers bind together – something even a child can do.

My daughter loves playing with water and soap, so this seemed like the perfect craft. We bought some more wool and came home with our loot. Before long we were wet felting away and Miya loved it. We made three little balls that night –even continuing the felting during her bath that night.

Since that was so easy and fun, after she was in bed I took out a needle and made a little owl. He’s a bit wacky looking, but has grown on me.

There was enough roving (bundles of wool fibre that has not been spun into yarn) for two owls, but I made a penguin instead.







Today we were back at the wool store so I could pick up some white, red and grey – and tonight I made a little Santa.

Felting basically involves sculpting wool by stabbing it with a little needle – a very satisfying motion and the results are amazingly quick. I’m even trying to convince V to give it a whirl....