Wet felting felt boots from wool for beginners with step-by-step description and photos. Master class for beginners: wool felting, clothes

Handicraft is a world of wonders and flights of fancy. There are many techniques and ways to create a masterpiece. Each master has his own favorite type of activity in this area, but there are hardly those who are indifferent to wool felting. Cute little animals, felted from soft material, instantly captivate hearts. They also inspire you to try your hand at working with wool and beyond.

For dry felting, natural unspun alpaca, camel or llama wool is used. Due to the special structure of the animal's hair, it becomes tangled, forming so-called tangles. It is this property that allows the scraps to be given a certain shape.

Felting, as felting is often called, is an interweaving of wool fibers to create a dense fabric structure. There are several felting techniques: dry felting, wet felting, nun-felt method and felting of knitted fabrics.

The most popular today is the dry method. It is quite simple and allows even novice hand makers to create real masterpieces. You don't need complicated tools for the job. The master's arsenal is simple and laconic.

Equipment for work

To dry felt wool, a beginner will only need a few tools. It is important to take into account that the work tool is very sharp, so it is better for children under 12 years of age to do needlework under adult supervision.

What you will need:

Scissors and other cutting objects are not needed for work. The wool is pliable, so it can be torn off by hand. In addition, a cut tuft loses its structure, while a torn tuft keeps the hairs intact.

Since the felting needle is quite dangerous, it is better to choose a radio as background noise when working. Being distracted by TV can cause you to cut your hands. Wounds caused by metal barbs take a very long time to heal.

Master class for beginners

The wool felting technique allows you to create real masterpieces. These are toys, brooches, and even appliqués on clothes. But in order to learn how to create beautiful things, you need to learn the basic points of working with a needle.

Before starting work, you should find a comfortable place with a flat surface. A desk or kitchen table is ideal.

It is recommended to learn how to felt wool by starting with simple shapes. For example, from a ball:

To get ahead of the readiness of the figure, press on it with your fingers. If the lump does not change its shape due to this, then it is felted enough.

To felt a flat part, a ball of wool is flattened on foam rubber and rolled onto a sponge, periodically turning it over to the other side. Felting flat elements can be compared to drawing on a sheet of paper: you can apply a design only on the front and back of it.

To give a flat element a certain shape, you can use paper patterns, to which the workpiece is periodically tried on during work.

Woolly good monster

Having become familiar with the dry felting technique, hand makers will definitely try to make felt toys with their own hands. For beginners, step-by-step master classes may seem simple, but working with a needle requires experience and dexterity, so you should understand that the first creations of a newly minted master will be far from masterpieces, but you should not give up. It’s better to try to dump a hero who will only benefit from absurdity. For example, a cute monster.

Any creative task begins with creating a sketch. The future hero is drawn on a sheet of paper, observing approximate proportions, but without going into small details.

When the sketch is ready, it is divided into main parts. In the case of a monster, the process is divided into creating the torso, limbs and decoration.

In the proposed example, the head and body of the monster smoothly flow into each other, so there is no point in laying them separately. If the sketch requires a clear and graceful neck, you can break up the diagram differently.

Torso and head

Work on the monster begins with the largest detail. To do this, pinch off a large ball of wool and roll it into a ball. You shouldn't make your debut work too miniature. Small parts are difficult to work with.

So, the body is rolled up. Now its outlines are beginning to form. Sticking a needle in, they make a small pear. To do this, as the ball narrows, more and more injections are made.

At the stage of forming the body, a flat surface is not as important as the density of the element. It is important to knock down the tight pear-shaped lump, in which there will be no cavities.

To form a small belly for the monster, a ball with fluffy edges is made from a small tuft of wool of the same color. Using a needle, roll it onto the pear, paying attention to the edges. The contour of the belly should not stand out.

To level the surface of the future body, the thinnest needles are used.

Preparation of symmetrical limbs

The limbs of the future hero must be the same, so they are rolled simultaneously from equal lumps of material. If you completely form one leg, it will be difficult to find the right amount of wool for the second.

Felt two identical pieces of wool. Periodically, the workpieces are turned over and compared in size.

The upper parts of the arms will be attached to the body, so there is no need to knock down the hair in these places. It should be fluffy and fleecy. The shape of the hands can be any. The master class suggests making long paws with large palms. The limbs are made from large locks of wool so that they are elastic and not “dried.”

After the outline is formed, the fingers are drawn. To do this, longitudinal grooves are made along the edges of the workpiece.

All small details are worked out at the preparation stage. Forming fingers and other indentations on the arms attached to the body will be very difficult. Therefore, before fitting the limbs, they are detailed as much as possible.

The finished arms and legs should be fluffy on top and dense at the ends. Then they begin to roll them to the body. To do this, they place the fluffy fur of the monster’s hands in the right place and begin to insert the needle, piercing it approximately to the middle of the body.

Gradually, the edges of the limbs will begin to merge with the main part. There should be no sharp transitions or joints.

Design of the character's face

To complete the craft, you need to choose a facial expression for it. The monster's face in the instructions is kind and mischievous. It was performed by attaching woolen eyes to the hero’s head, and also by embroidering the mouth with thread. You can use other techniques, as well as combine them.

Step-by-step design of the toy's face:

You can give any accessories to the monster. They are made from the same wool or other materials. How the craft will be decorated depends only on the imagination of the needlewoman.

If inaccuracies were made during work, you can hide them with a toy outfit. The same felting from wool will help you create a wardrobe for your character. The clothing is formed from thin sheets of felted wool. By pinning it over the entire surface, you can dress the toy in pants or a sweater. A crocheted suit will also work as clothing.

A toy with a secret filling

From felt you can create not only cute animals, but also other interesting crafts. But some toys are too bulky, so it will be difficult to make them from wool alone. Even if the needlewoman acquires a sufficient amount of material, it is possible that the needle simply will not pierce large parts to the required depth.

Therefore, to create three-dimensional crafts, the filling method is used. As a filler, you can use synthetic winterizer or foam blanks. Soft padding can be used to form any curves, but foam elements can only be wrapped in a woolen shell.

Working with fillers is as simple as regular dry felting. With the help of a needle, the pile becomes tangled, penetrating into the workpiece. The finished felted product resembles a whole woolen craft and does not give away its secret filling. At the same time, the weight of the toy will be small.

Wool in combination with polystyrene foam is often used to make Christmas tree decorations and other round things. You can purchase the blank at a craft store. The craftswoman will be able to decorate the finished craft using any technology - beads, patterns, rhinestones or artificial snow.

Felting wool will help you make unique Easter eggs and a felt chicken for the holiday. The nest for the composition can be made from real straw.

Felting is an activity that wins hearts. Therefore, you need to be extremely careful, because the first toy on the shelf is very insidious, because it will definitely “call” its comrades with it, and the hand-maker will wake up, having already created a whole zoo of cute woolen animals. And dry felting ideas for beginners will help him with this.

Felting is one of the oldest types of needlework. In the past it was known as spinning and weaving. It was used by nomads in Central Asia. It has been developed as a “hand-made” art since the middle of the last century. The secret of popularity lies in the ease of learning and the enormous breadth of possibilities. You can felt not only decorative toys, but also decorative items, and even clothes. Today in our review we will talk about the basic techniques of wool felting, and also conduct several master classes for beginners.

The basic principle of felting is to knead fluffy wool into a tight ball. For each type of crafts, different techniques are used. Let's look at them in more detail.

Dry felting: creating volume with your own hands

Felting or dry felting is the process of tangling fibers together using a notched needle. Wool is packed into a dense ball on a sponge or brush; this technique is used for making voluminous crafts. It is important to be as careful as possible when working so as not to get injured by the tip.

The tool is held perpendicular to the material. The main advantage of the technique is that any errors can be easily corrected by adding raw materials. The work begins with a thick needle, and during the process it is changed to a thinner one.

Basics of wet felting

Wet felting is performed using a soap solution. The principle of operation is as follows.

1. Pour hot water over the soap shavings, stir and leave for 2 hours to dissolve and thicken the composition.
2. Spread an oilcloth on the table and place gauze on it.
3. Place the base on gauze, then the background and wool according to a pre-planned pattern.
4. Sprinkle everything with water, then cover with nylon and moisten with soapy water. Blot excess moisture with a napkin.
5. Now you can start felting the picture: the wool is rubbed and compacted by hand.

Expanding possibilities with mixed felting

Often, combined or mixed felting is used to make crafts. For example, for toys, the ears are made using wet felting, and the body is made using a dry method.

Felting for the lazy in the washing machine

Felting in a washing machine is also called wet felting for the lazy. This is the simplest method of stuffing, but only natural raw materials are suitable for it.

1. Products crocheted or knitted from wool should be packed in a nylon, pillowcase or mesh bag and placed in a drum.
2. Additionally, the machine needs to be loaded with any items; washed jeans or old towels will do.
3. Add powder for colored laundry; conditioners cannot be used.
4. Run a delicate wash at a temperature of 40ºC, spin and double rinse. You cannot turn on the special mode for wool.
5. Remove the product from the machine, shape it and lay it out to dry on a horizontal surface.

Important! In the washing machine, wool shrinks by about 30%.

Unique wool felting workshops for beginners

A step-by-step study of felting techniques will allow you to make any thing with your own hands, from toys to complex items of clothing and paintings.

We create toys with our own hands together with the children.

Let's start learning about this fascinating process by making toys. You can use absolutely any wool for this work. It’s a must to involve children in the creative process. Perhaps this will become a new hobby for them.

Advice! In places where parts are planned to be joined, the wool should be loose.

Adorable chicken

To make a cute chicken we will need:

• felting needles of different sizes;
• wool in natural, white, pink, beige and yellow shades;
• Toothbrush;
• pastel of different colors.

Let's get to work.

Illustration	Description of action
	Tear strips of wool, lay them perpendicular to each other, then roll them inward on all sides to form a tight ball.
	Place the lump on a thick fabric and felt the wool with the point of a needle, driving the fibers in with quick movements. Periodically fold the edges towards the center.
	You should end up with an egg-shaped piece.
	Tear a few more strips with your hands, wrap them around the workpiece and drive them in with a needle.
	Tear and lay the yellow wool perpendicularly, wrap the workpiece and felt the fibers, but not tightly. They should fluff up a little.
	Fill the wings with a tail of white wool, then beat yellow wool into them.
	Make paws from beige wool, and make a comb from pink wool.
	Felt eyes from a small amount of snow-white wool.
	Assembling the chicken: compact the lower part with a needle, attach snow-white felt and a comb to the head, and drive them into the base.
	Secure the eyes, wings, tail and paws with a thin needle.
	Glue the eyes, tint with pastels and brush with a toothbrush.

A couple of sheep

To make a sheep we will need:

• wool in beige, brown and orange colors;
• black beads for eyes;
• black marker;
• scarf yarn.

Sequencing.

1. Roll the wool into an L shape, then felt it with a needle.
2. For the cheeks, add a little yarn and felt.
3. Sew in the eyes, secure the thread in the neck area.
4. The nose and mouth can be drawn with a marker.
5. Roll the body into a droplet shape and felt it with a thick needle.
6. Felt the legs, leaving the ends fluffy.
7. Felt felt boots from brown wool with a thick needle, and roll them onto the legs with a thin needle. Then, the legs - to the body, in the area of ​​​​the hips and legs, add a little wool and felt it.
8. Similarly to the legs, felt smaller arms, form orange mittens on them and felt them to the body.
9. Make triangle-shaped ears from beige wool, leaving the tip fluffed.
10. Place the ears to the head.
11. Knit a bright scarf.
12. You definitely need to make a girlfriend or friend for the sheep.

Meet the guest from the Ice Age, baby mammoth Tolya

To make a guest from the Ice Age we will need:

• ivory and pink wool;
• three needles: No. 36, No. 38 and with reverse tooth;
• black beads for eyes and glue;
• sponge;
• cosmetics or pastel for tinting.

Step-by-step master class.

1. Make a drop-shaped body out of pink wool and felt it tightly. Leave the junction with the head untouched for now.
2. Shape the head in the same way and attach it to the body.
3. Wrap the workpiece in white wool and felt it tightly. The pink tint should not bleed through.
4. Felt small parts: legs, trunk, tail and ears, roll them onto the workpiece, and also use a needle to make indentations for the eyes.
5. Tint the muzzle and glue the eyes.
6. Go over the entire body and head, except for small parts and cheeks, with a needle with a reverse tooth, giving the baby mammoth a beautiful edge in the form of pink wool.

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Luxury designer souvenirs

Wool souvenirs are a wonderful gift, and if they are also festively decorated, they will make a lasting impression.

Felt boots-whisperers

It has long been believed in Rus' that if you hang whispering felt boots outside the house above the front door before sunrise, and put a coin inside one and wheat grains inside the other, prosperity and wealth will come to the house. And in order for the wish to come true faster, it needs to be whispered into felt boots before the ceremony.

Therefore, whispering felt boots are an excellent souvenir gift with meaning. Today they are worn as a keychain or bag pendant. At our master class we will make them using wet felting technology.

For work we will need:

• wool;
• soap;
• spray bottle with hot water;
• bubble wrap;
• tulle.

Let's get to work.

Illustration	Description of action
	Make a pattern of felt boots according to your size. You can use a laminate underlay or similar material for it.
	Place the film with the bubbles on top and place the pattern on it. Moisten with a spray bottle, lay the wool on top perpendicular to each other and moisten with water only where the pattern is.
	Cover with film. Press the wetted area with your hands.
	Turn over, open the film, moisten the workpiece. Wrap the wool over the felt boots, pressing gently.
	Tear the wool and lay it on the workpiece, first across, then lengthwise. Moisten with water only where the pattern is. Cover with film and press the wetted area with your hands. Repeat all steps 2 more times.
	Lay tulle on the table, place the workpiece on top and cover with tulle. Moisten thoroughly with water and coat well with soap on both sides.
	Using massaging movements, felt the wool on both sides.
	The workpiece should acquire a dense structure.
	Rinse under hot water, cut in half, remove the template, form a volume with your fingers and place to dry. Ready felt boots are decorated with ribbons, beads or braid.

Easter eggs

Using the dry felting technique you can make voluminous souvenirs. But the needle will not pierce a large thickness, so many needlewomen use padding polystyrene or polystyrene foam filling. They are simply wrapped in wool and secured with a needle. On the eve of Easter, make several Easter eggs that can be placed in a basket and decorated with straw.

Decorative stand for hot food

When working with wool, a needlewoman can be creative. To do this, she does not need samples or step-by-step master classes at all. When she has mastered making simple crafts, it’s time to move on to more complex compositions. There are no restrictions here. You can make intricate patterns, combine shades and make magnificent interior souvenirs.

Brooch in the shape of a flower

Decoration in the form of a flower can be attached to clothes, on a bag, and can also be used as interior decor. For work we will need:

• wool of burgundy, white, yellow, black, as well as several green shades;
• water and detergent.

Let's get to work.

Illustration	Description of action
	Tear the wool into fragments and form a pattern.
	Moisten the flower generously with water.
	Using smoothing movements using detergent, rub the fine pattern into the base until the parts stop peeling off.
	Gradually the pressure should be increased. After the design is secured, turn the brooch over and felt the reverse side. As you work, you can add wool to the design.
	After work, rinse the flower under running water and dry with a towel.
	Use a needle and thread to make folds on the reverse side.
	Use your hands to bulge the petals and place them on the battery to dry.
	Make leaves in the same way. After drying, sew the parts together. Sew on the clasp.
	The flower will be a wonderful decoration for clothes.
	The brooch can also be worn on a hat.

Stylish rainbow beads

Using felting you can make a luxurious collection of beads. Both dry felting and wet felting are suitable for this.

7 decorations in 5 minutes

The main advantage of needlework using the dry felting technique is that decorations are made in just 5-10 minutes. By spending about an hour, you will completely update your collection for the season or prepare a luxurious gift for a friend. We offer several simple master classes on creating festive earrings, brooches, rings, beads and hairpins:

Conclusion

Now you see that using the felting technique you can make not only felt boots, but also luxurious designer items and real works of art. Young mothers are happy to wear sling beads made of wool, which children like so much. There are a lot of creative ideas.

We hope that thanks to our master classes and recommendations you will discover a new type of creativity. Like and subscribe to our magazine. And be sure to share your work in the comments.

Finally, we offer a review of another craft: a fluffy owl brooch.

Handicrafts such as wool felting are becoming more popular and do not lose their relevance. This is a very ancient way to create unique and beautiful things with your own hands; it is also called felting. Let's look at how to do wool felting step by step for beginners.

Before we completely immerse ourselves in creativity, let's find out what felting and wool felting is? This is a method of manufacturing from flat to voluminous by interweaving fibers.

Why does wool roll and create beautiful products? The fact is that natural wool has the same structure as split human hair. But if in the latter case, a person may develop tangles, then wool allows making crafts by felting.

Felting can also be done using cashmere, angora or mohair. Using such a base and special tools you can get: toys, clothes, shoes and even carpets. The fibers are intertwined in different ways.
Below we will look at such types of felting as dry and wet. Let's look at the tools that are used in these techniques.

The first and most important thing you will need for your work is special needles. They differ from ordinary needles in that there are special notches at their ends, which push the hairs through, and the hair gets tangled. The needles are resilient, but often break, especially if they are not handled properly.

Needles are distinguished:

The choice of needle depends on your convenience. Experienced people advise starting with star-shaped needles and, after gaining initial experience, stopping at tools with a complex cross-section. Each master uses his own set of needles, and there are no identical preferences, so you will have to make the choice personally.

(Felt backing and sponge)

When felting wool for beginners, you will also need a mat or, in other words, a backing. In order not to hurt your finger or break the needle on the workbench, you need backings. You can buy all this only in specialized stores or in craft supplies.

You can stop at:

These are the basic tools that beginners will need. Now let's move on to the minor ones:

1. Holders. They fit over needles and help simplify the felting process, especially when making flat parts.
   The holders are designed for different numbers of needles. You can purchase anywhere from a plastic to a wooden holder at a craft store, but if you want to save money, make your own from wood cork.
2. Machine for felting (felting). After gaining experience in felting, you may find such a machine very convenient. It is used to make reliefs on toys.
   
3. Carder (or comb for fluff). This is a familiar pet comb that can be purchased at a pet supply store. Use a comb to fluff the wool and mix colors.
   
4. Thimbles. They should definitely be used if you decide to do this type of needlework for the first time. Due to the sharpness of the needles, it is almost impossible to avoid injury without thimbles. They will also come in handy for those who have overly sensitive hands.
5. Molds. You can use anything from cooking molds to homemade molds here. They are useful for creating neat and flat applications.

This list is complemented by all the usual tools and materials, such as glue, scissors and sewing needles.

Dry felting

We became familiar with the necessary tools. Now let's look at felting methods, starting with dry felting. It should be noted that this principle of felting appeared much later than wet felting, however, now it is very popular.

The site draws your attention to the fact that making toys from wool using dry felting will be a difficult process for beginners, and children should not be trusted with such work. If you are distracted, you can get injured, because the needles severely tear the skin.

It is better to use L-shaped needles. They are easy to purchase in craft stores. Consider the principle of dry felting:

That's the whole principle of dry felting.

Wet felting from wool

This is the first method of processing wool, which appeared even before drying. If you want to use wet felting from wool, you should know about its principles:

• the material is soaked in a soap solution (it must be hot);
• the wool is rubbed in different directions; it is better to use a felting machine for this;
• felt is obtained in this way.

Before creating products, keep in mind that after drying, the wool will shrink by 30 percent.

And now a little more about the process:

1. We determine what size material we need. Let's separate it. We lay several layers of wool on the film.
   We place each subsequent layer perpendicularly. On the latter we apply the intended pattern from individual fragments of wool of a different color.
   
2. Add soap to warm water. We wet the material with the solution and cover it with film on top. We smooth the surface with our hands.
   
3. For density, the workpiece can be wrapped with a bamboo napkin or mesh. To remove excess liquid, the workpiece can be additionally wrapped in a towel.
4. As the product dries, it will shrink. Rinse the resulting fabric in warm water and leave until completely dry.
   

Jewelry, clothes, bags and even carpets are made in a similar way.

How to felt wool toys for beginners

Let's look at some simple examples of felting crafts using the wet and dry method. Let's start with the simplest thing, making slippers using the wet felting technique. We will need:

• unspun wool;
• soap;
• template (pattern);
• water;
• net;
• bamboo rug;
• yarn;
• needle;
• knitting needles

When making slippers, it is better to use a template. The template can be made on a medium-thick laminate.

Let's start making:

1. We lay out the wool in two layers and rub it thoroughly. You need to lay out layers lengthwise and crosswise. Cover the material with a net and water it with soapy water. Press with your hands and smooth out. We try not to move the fur.
   
2. We remove the mesh so that the material does not fall on it. Then smooth it out with your hands. Get rid of excess liquid. Apply two more layers and repeat the work again. Make sure there are the same number of layers. It is better to write down each new addition.
   
3. We need to cover the template with wool on both sides. We wipe the material, cut it and take out the template.
   
4. We design the heel and toe of the slippers. We place the product in a bamboo mat and begin to carefully roll out the product, at least 50 times, while pressing firmly on it.
   
5. We put the slippers on the last, trim the edges and give it shape. All that remains is to decorate the slippers, in our case this is embroidery and elastic at the top of the product.

Making cats using dry felting

To make toys from wool, dry felting is the best option for beginners. Let's look at the method using the example of a cute cat. You need to prepare:

• wool;
• needles;
• padding polyester;
• threads;
• acrylic paints;
• pastel;
• polymer clay;
• brush.

Ready? Then let's start:

1. We take a padding polyester and use a needle to form a figurine in the shape of an egg.
   Fluff the selected wool of the desired color and apply it to the padding polyester. We begin to felt the material using a large needle. We stick the needle as deep as possible, thus compacting the ball from different sides. It turns out to be a torso with a head.
2. Next, we will make blanks for the paws. We use padding polyester and wool. We pierce the material until the paws become loose. We roll the legs onto the previously obtained figure and give them shape. We fix everything together with a needle.
   
3. Let's work in the muzzle area. Let's add a little wool here and increase the volume for the eyes. Let's form a triangular plane for the nose. We form cheeks from two separate pieces of wool and roll them. We do the chin in a similar way.
   
4. Let's sand with a small needle. From a separate piece of material we make a tail for the cat. We attach it to the body.
5. We make eyes from polymer clay. You already know how it happens. Glue the eyes to the cat. We work on the smile, then add the bridge of the nose and a small orange nose.
6. Let's move on to the final stage. We need to make felting of two identical triangles - these will be the ears. We attach them to the cat's head. Use acrylic paint to paint the eyes and lightly tint the toy.

Ready. You can make many different animals this way:

Felt (English) – [noun] felt, felt; [verb] to felt wool, to knock down felt

I think, first of all, it wouldn’t hurt to find out the answer to the most important question - why does wool fall off? It's all in its structure! Remember, not so long ago there was an advertisement on TV for a shampoo that made your hair smooth and silky? Then they showed the ugly split ends in close-up. So, sheep's wool in normal condition looks about the same =)

Comparison of human hair and sheep wool. Are there many differences?

Because of this “layering,” human hair can even form tangles and “fall off.” But what is not good for our hair is good for felting. It is this structure of sheep wool that allows you to create wonderful toys, clothes, felt boots, carpets and much more.

Naturally, not only sheep’s wool is suitable for felting. You can use alpaca, camel, llama and yak wool, as well as cashmere, anagora and mohair.

Who wants a sheep? =)

Felting (felting, felting) is the process of creating various products from unspun wool by interlocking and interweaving its fibers in various ways.

There are many different types of felting - dry felting, wet felting, nuno felting, knit felting. Below I will discuss the main techniques.

Basic dry felting techniques for beginners

First of all, let's get acquainted with the technique of dry felting wool. Although it appeared much later than wet felting, it is currently gaining more and more popularity. With a regular needle you can create truly unique creations! Here, take a look at works of famous masters

I want to warn you that this type of creativity is not suitable for children under 10 years old and those who like to create while watching TV (although I do this). If you are too distracted, you can pierce your finger right through - the needles are very sharp, and the notches are good at tearing the skin.

I will briefly describe the process:

The wool layout is soaked in a hot soapy solution, then ironed and rubbed in different directions, gradually increasing the pressure. To facilitate work in the initial stages, a vibratory grinder is often used. You get a canvas - felt.

Advice. When making patterns for the desired product, keep in mind that when wet felting, the wool will shrink by 30-40 percent

Wet felting technique

This step-by-step description of the wet felting technique will help beginners understand (and, I hope, motivate to try and enjoy) the process =)

You will need:

• unspun wool,
• bubble wrap,
• bamboo napkin,
• soap,
• warm water.

1. Separate identical shreds of wool about 8 centimeters long from the woolen tape. Place them on bubble wrap in one direction, slightly overlapping each other. Similarly, we lay out 3-4 layers, the wool fibers in each of which are perpendicular to the previous one.
   
   
2. The last layer can be applied with a pattern made from scraps of woolen thread, scraps of wool, etc.
   
   
3. Prepare a soap solution. To do this, dissolve soap in warm water (there is a special soap for wet felting, which is gentle on the skin of your hands, but you can also use baby soap, liquid soap, or even dishwashing detergent) - whatever you have on hand. We wet our workpiece and cover it with a net or bubble wrap.
   
   
   Using soft circular movements, stroke the fur in all directions. Gradually increase the pressure. This stage can be completed when individual fibers no longer separate from our fabric.
4. Place the workpiece along with the film on a bamboo napkin and roll it into a tight roll. We wrap this structure in a towel - this will help remove excess water. We ride back and forth a hundred times. Then we unfold it, turn the canvas 90 degrees and make a roll again.
   
   
5. When falling, the canvas will decrease by 25-30 percent. Rinse the finished canvas in warm water and leave to dry. Do not wring - just squeeze slightly to remove some of the water.
   

Carpets, paintings, clothes, bags, jewelry and accessories are made this way.
Visually about wet felting:

Felting in the washing machine

One of the techniques for wet felting wool is felting in a washing machine. It requires almost no physical effort and can be done in two ways:

1. Using a deboning mold
   Volumetric forms are covered with wool, fixed with nylon and sent to the washing machine.

Cute Easter gift - wool eggs felted in a washing machine

• Felting knitted items
  Currently, you can find special yarn for felting on sale. Using a crochet hook or knitting needles, you knit a product that is 30 percent larger than required (to know the exact shrinkage, a test sample is felted and the compression in width and length is calculated from it) and either sent to the washing machine or felted by hand. Looks very interesting, doesn't it? And it’s easier than wet felting, in my opinion.

Felting is for the laziest. I tied it into the washing machine;)

That's all!

So, we looked at the basic techniques of felting wool - a very interesting creative process. If you are a beginner felter and there are some points you don’t understand, don’t hesitate to ask questions!

Don't be afraid to experiment!

Felting wool is a very ancient craft that has recently become fashionable among craftsmen. Woolen needlework, more often called felting or felting, has many techniques that allow you to create clothes, accessories, toys, jewelry and even shoes. Mastering this technique is not difficult, you just have to watch a few training master classes and examples of finished work. Inspiration for new achievements is guaranteed! In our article you will learn all the main nuances of felting and understand what it is!

If a beginner is wondering about felting and does not understand what it is, then he will have to learn many nuances of this type of needlework. There are two felting techniques, but the materials for them are the same - wet and dry felting. One of the advantages of such a pastime is not only the extraordinary beauty of the products, but also the very low cost of materials. What does a beginner need?

We select the necessary materials and tools for the work

Wool. Merino wool is most often used for such work. It is very soft and thin, is not used for spinning, feels well and provides a wide range of colors. For large-scale work, it is best to purchase material in bulk from online sites.

Felting needle. They are very reminiscent of small knives with special notches and spikes on the blades. They are convenient for catching strands of wool and rolling them together. There are many types of such needles. The most popular type is “star”. It has 4 edges with notches resembling a star pattern.

Polyethylene film with pimples. It will serve as a mat on which the work process will take place. This material is convenient because it is inexpensive, can be used repeatedly and wool does not stick to it.

Soap. Previously, you used a simple bar of baby soap, but now you can simply buy a liquid substitute. It dissolves easily and requires less material costs.

Small enough set for a beginner. With it you can not only change the appearance of many outdated things, but also create new ones. Thus, on the world's catwalks models shine in felted items, complemented with beads and rhinestones.

Among other things, wool makes wonderful toys and interior decorations. You just have to look at the charming animals created by craftsmen using the felting technique to be inspired for new creations!

If photographs and descriptions do not help in mastering a new type of needlework, then it is worth watching a video master class on the felting technique to see with your own eyes the whole process of work.

We study the technique of working with felting, what it is

A soap solution is prepared. If bar soap is used, rub it and pour a couple of liters of boiling water over it. Then, when the soap shavings dissolve, the solution is infused for an hour. After this, it can be used for felting.

The film is spread out. All layers of wool are placed on top of it. The first one is basic. It will be the background and basis of the product. Important: the strands must be thin, otherwise the wool will not mat well and you will not get a strong felt fabric. The pattern is formed by crossing wool fibers. The finished product will be 3-4 times thinner than the laid wool.

Now the wool can be carefully sprayed with water from a spray bottle. Don't move or rub it yet - it will ruin the pattern. Only after complete wetness can a soap solution be applied. Having distributed it evenly, the future product is covered with a second layer of film. Having soaped it a little for convenience, we begin felting. First you need to do this carefully and slowly. When the wool “grabs”, you can begin active rubbing. Movements should be directed in different directions for the best effect.

Scarves, slippers, and mittens are most often made using this technique. The final material obtained by wet felting has a high density, due to which it can even become the basis for a new bag. In the photo, such things look very stylish and unique.

If the craftswoman doesn’t like getting wet, then you can try your hand at dry felting. In this case, you can practice creating a simple three-dimensional figure.

The basis will be a simple foam sponge, which, in order to save money, can be replaced with padding polyester. Wool is folded onto it, and with the help of special games it falls around the base. You need to start with the largest needles, changing them to smaller ones as you work. This will make it possible to work out the shape of the product. You can’t hit him too hard, as the needles are very sharp and can easily hurt you. If in some place the product turns out to be uneven, then you can simply felt a little wool and even out the contour.

This simple felting master class for beginners will allow anyone to learn wool felting. Products using this technique can be given as gifts to family and friends, used to decorate the interior, and even dressed. Without a doubt, no one will remain indifferent after seeing such woolen masterpieces!

Video master classes on the topic of the article