Wool Felt is a non-woven textile. There is no thread or weaving involved in production. It originates as wool roving and by adding heat, moisture and agitation, the roving compacts and matts together tightly to form what we refer to as pure wool felt.
Wool felt blends are also made using the process described above but with a combination of wool fibers and those from another material. The most common combination is wool and rayon, a non-synthetic man-made fiber derived from wood pulp. Rayon's properties are similar to those of cotton and linen, making it an excellent choice for wool blends.
Felted Wool is a woven textile. There is thread and weaving involved. Like wool felt, it originates as wool roving, but the roving is spun into thread after being cleaned and carded. This thread is then woven into wool cloth, which is washed in hot water and dried on high heat to emulate the “add heat, moisture and agitation” process used to make wool felt. This process turns wool fabric into felted wool.
Felted wool contracts into a thicker 'puffier' texture than the original cloth. This puffiness translates into “soft and fluffy,” which is why we love it! The results you achieve when felting wool will vary depending on the weave of the fabric, the wool content (whether or not it is 100% pure wool) and wash/dry temperatures.
Wool roving is also spun into yarn, which is used for knitting wool sweaters and accessories such as scarves and mittens. You can “felt” these knitted items as well but regardless of your wash/dry temperatures, they will not compact as tightly as wool fabric woven from thread. Wool yarn is considerably thicker than wool thread and knitting is much less taut than weaving. Homemade felt from a knitted garment has a much looser, bulkier texture and is more likely to fray.
Each of these two textiles are dreamy to work with. I love wool felt because it is soft yet strong and durable for making softies. It is available in a myriad of rich, vibrant colors that are lightfast and uniform throughout. It doesn't fray or pill and hand-sews like butter.
Felted wool offers endless possibilities when it comes to color and is available in richly textured patterns and plaids. It is fabulous for soft appliqué projects and making softie clothes with a hint of drape.
Happy Sewing!
Annette
Felt is a man-made fabric, created from natural fibers. Man-made fabrics are generally woven; however, felt differs in this sense. So, what is felt exactly? A Felted fabrics is created from fibers being compressed and matted. Together heat, moisture and a lot of pressure is what presses and creates the fabric. It can take a lot of work, but the result is a very dense fabric consisting of permanently interlocked fibers.
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Felt is typically composed of wool or other natural raw materials, which generally produces the highest quality yet softest fabric. Wool also matts very easily, making it ideal for this fuzzy fabric. However, adding synthetic fibers into the mix (such as polyester or acrylic) can improve the product depending on its intended use. Adding a percentage of synthetic fibers can increase felts durability for certain crafts or industrial use, and can also increase pliability. A common fiber sometimes added to wool is rayon, which when added removes the prickly feeling that pure wool can often have against the skin. Meaning that a synthetic mix is the best of both worlds!
As mentioned, the process of creating felt can be pretty labor intensive, involving various steps of blending the fibers, matting the material, shrinking and steam-pressing. However, the most straightforward method is simply to apply heat and moisture which causes the mix of fibers to merge and blend together. You can even do this yourself at home to any wool or knitted products – pop it in the washing machine for a process known as ‘felting’ or ‘fulling’ – the same thing that happens when you accidentally shrink that woollen jumper!
Wool felt is one of the oldest textiles. The location of its origin is debated, with many cultures having their own origin legends for the process. However, it is thought to have been created over 5000 years ago in Asia. The method is still practiced by Nomadic peoples in Asia to make tents, rugs and clothing. This includes traditional yurts and more tourist oriented items such as decorative slippers. One commonly told origin story is that during the Middle Ages, men lined their sandals with wool for comfort. Over time, the fibers in the wool interlocked and felted as a result of the moisture, warmth and recurring pressure from being walked on.
There are a few types of felt readily available to work with, alongside needlefelt which you can create yourself.
This is the oldest form of felt (or fabric at all) known to man, it even predates knitting and weaving techniques. It’s the most common type, which uses wool fibers or a blend of wool and synthetic fibers compressed using heat and moisture, causing the fabrics to interlock. It can be cheap to make, and also made in a range of thicknesses which achieve a high density.
In the case of needed felt, a blend of wool,synthetic fibers or 100% wool are again interlocked but this time by a machine rather than naturally. Machines that contain thousands of needles interlock the fibers to produce this softer, less dense type of felt fabric which is often used for crafts or cushioning.
Wool or a wool blend are directly woven and blended into cloth to make woven felt. Then, moisture and pressure are applied. This makes the fibers naturally interlock, as with pressed felt. This incredibly durable fabric is ideal for musical instruments and door seals, and has a much lower maximum thickness than needled or pressed felt.
So, what is felt used for? Felt has a huge range of uses, depending on the type you’re using and the quality of the wool. Wool has different textures ranging from silky to coarse, which ultimately effects the felt you create with it. Felt has an incredibly unique texture and qualities, and can be made from a wide range of materials which is quite unusual in a fabric. Needled felt is very soft making it perfect for crafts, whereas wool blends are light and breathable but still keep you toasty during the Winter months; making them perfect for knitwear. Pure wool felt is a natural insulator and very resilient to wear and tear, as well as being strong and able to absorb moisture. This means it is great for home furnishings as well as decorative items.
Felt has an incredibly unique texture and qualities, and can be made from a wide range of materials which is quite unusual in a fabric. Needled felt is very soft making it perfect for crafts, whereas wool blends are light and breathable but still keep you toasty during the Winter months; making them perfect for knitwear. Pure wool felt is a natural insulator and very resilient to wear and tear, as well as being strong and able to absorb moisture. This means it is great for home furnishings as well as decorative items.
After exploring the question of ‘what is felt?’ why not trying our swatch pack and feel and discover felt and other fabrics?
Wool Felt is a non-woven textile. There is no thread or weaving involved in production. It originates as wool roving and by adding heat, moisture and agitation, the roving compacts and matts together tightly to form what we refer to as pure wool felt.
Wool felt blends are also made using the process described above but with a combination of wool fibers and those from another material. The most common combination is wool and rayon, a non-synthetic man-made fiber derived from wood pulp. Rayon's properties are similar to those of cotton and linen, making it an excellent choice for wool blends.
Felted Wool is a woven textile. There is thread and weaving involved. Like wool felt, it originates as wool roving, but the roving is spun into thread after being cleaned and carded. This thread is then woven into wool cloth, which is washed in hot water and dried on high heat to emulate the “add heat, moisture and agitation” process used to make wool felt. This process turns wool fabric into felted wool.
Felted wool contracts into a thicker 'puffier' texture than the original cloth. This puffiness translates into “soft and fluffy,” which is why we love it! The results you achieve when felting wool will vary depending on the weave of the fabric, the wool content (whether or not it is 100% pure wool) and wash/dry temperatures.
Wool roving is also spun into yarn, which is used for knitting wool sweaters and accessories such as scarves and mittens. You can “felt” these knitted items as well but regardless of your wash/dry temperatures, they will not compact as tightly as wool fabric woven from thread. Wool yarn is considerably thicker than wool thread and knitting is much less taut than weaving. Homemade felt from a knitted garment has a much looser, bulkier texture and is more likely to fray.
Each of these two textiles are dreamy to work with. I love wool felt because it is soft yet strong and durable for making softies. It is available in a myriad of rich, vibrant colors that are lightfast and uniform throughout. It doesn't fray or pill and hand-sews like butter.
Felted wool offers endless possibilities when it comes to color and is available in richly textured patterns and plaids. It is fabulous for soft appliqué projects and making softie clothes with a hint of drape.
Happy Sewing!
Annette
Felt is a man-made fabric, created from natural fibers. Man-made fabrics are generally woven; however, felt differs in this sense. So, what is felt exactly? A Felted fabrics is created from fibers being compressed and matted. Together heat, moisture and a lot of pressure is what presses and creates the fabric. It can take a lot of work, but the result is a very dense fabric consisting of permanently interlocked fibers.
Felt is typically composed of wool or other natural raw materials, which generally produces the highest quality yet softest fabric. Wool also matts very easily, making it ideal for this fuzzy fabric. However, adding synthetic fibers into the mix (such as polyester or acrylic) can improve the product depending on its intended use. Adding a percentage of synthetic fibers can increase felts durability for certain crafts or industrial use, and can also increase pliability. A common fiber sometimes added to wool is rayon, which when added removes the prickly feeling that pure wool can often have against the skin. Meaning that a synthetic mix is the best of both worlds!
As mentioned, the process of creating felt can be pretty labor intensive, involving various steps of blending the fibers, matting the material, shrinking and steam-pressing. However, the most straightforward method is simply to apply heat and moisture which causes the mix of fibers to merge and blend together. You can even do this yourself at home to any wool or knitted products – pop it in the washing machine for a process known as ‘felting’ or ‘fulling’ – the same thing that happens when you accidentally shrink that woollen jumper!
Wool felt is one of the oldest textiles. The location of its origin is debated, with many cultures having their own origin legends for the process. However, it is thought to have been created over 5000 years ago in Asia. The method is still practiced by Nomadic peoples in Asia to make tents, rugs and clothing. This includes traditional yurts and more tourist oriented items such as decorative slippers. One commonly told origin story is that during the Middle Ages, men lined their sandals with wool for comfort. Over time, the fibers in the wool interlocked and felted as a result of the moisture, warmth and recurring pressure from being walked on.
There are a few types of felt readily available to work with, alongside needlefelt which you can create yourself.
This is the oldest form of felt (or fabric at all) known to man, it even predates knitting and weaving techniques. It’s the most common type, which uses wool fibers or a blend of wool and synthetic fibers compressed using heat and moisture, causing the fabrics to interlock. It can be cheap to make, and also made in a range of thicknesses which achieve a high density.
In the case of needed felt, a blend of wool,synthetic fibers or 100% wool are again interlocked but this time by a machine rather than naturally. Machines that contain thousands of needles interlock the fibers to produce this softer, less dense type of felt fabric which is often used for crafts or cushioning.
Wool or a wool blend are directly woven and blended into cloth to make woven felt. Then, moisture and pressure are applied. This makes the fibers naturally interlock, as with pressed felt. This incredibly durable fabric is ideal for musical instruments and door seals, and has a much lower maximum thickness than needled or pressed felt.
So, what is felt used for? Felt has a huge range of uses, depending on the type you’re using and the quality of the wool. Wool has different textures ranging from silky to coarse, which ultimately effects the felt you create with it. Felt has an incredibly unique texture and qualities, and can be made from a wide range of materials which is quite unusual in a fabric. Needled felt is very soft making it perfect for crafts, whereas wool blends are light and breathable but still keep you toasty during the Winter months; making them perfect for knitwear. Pure wool felt is a natural insulator and very resilient to wear and tear, as well as being strong and able to absorb moisture. This means it is great for home furnishings as well as decorative items.
Felt has an incredibly unique texture and qualities, and can be made from a wide range of materials which is quite unusual in a fabric. Needled felt is very soft making it perfect for crafts, whereas wool blends are light and breathable but still keep you toasty during the Winter months; making them perfect for knitwear. Pure wool felt is a natural insulator and very resilient to wear and tear, as well as being strong and able to absorb moisture. This means it is great for home furnishings as well as decorative items.
After exploring the question of ‘what is felt?’ why not trying our swatch pack and feel and discover felt and other fabrics?