A Historical Overview

Felt making has been around for thousands of years. Felt is one of the earliest known forms of textiles. The life style of the early felt makers were nomadic. Felt first started being made in the Central Asia area. Felt has been found in grave sites dating to 5800-5700 B.C. from the Neolithic people of Catal Huyuk.1) In 2300 BC. Chinese warriors were using felt shields, and wearing felted clothing and shoes.2) Presumably they learned the craft of felting from the nomadic tribes of Central Asia. There are extraordinary finds from the Altai Highlands of Siberia, Asia, from the Pazyryk burial site dating from between 600-200 B.C. Many felted objects were found, including: wall hangings, boots and stockings, pillows, saddle blankets, cloaks, three dimensional sculptures,(which are stuffed with horse hair), parts of tents, the list goes on and on.3) The felting techniques were quite advanced and still used today. A large wall hanging found at the site, contain several felting techniques including: appliqué, mosaic and inlay techniques as well as embroidery, including both wool fibers and metal embroidery. The appliqué was done by cutting out shapes form one piece of felt and sewing in onto another larger piece of felt. The mosaic technique involves cutting out shapes out of two felted pieces and using both parts to make a positive and negative image, which is then appliquéd next to each other. Inlaying involves partially felting pieces and then cutting out shapes and applying them to layers of carded wool, which is not felted.The two are then felted together. More precise lines can be achieved. Inlaying can also be done using pieces of different colored wool that is not felted on top of the layers of wool. These two inlay techniques were sometimes combined on the same piece. The felt objects were also decorated with: leather pieces, gold foil on leather, fur, horse hair, wood, bone, feathers and shells. The felt was dyed a variety of bright colors, using various natural resources available to them. The clothing of the Altai people had been decorated with pieces of felt, skins and leathers.

Many other sites have been found of felted objects. In Mongolia, dating to the first century, carpets decorated with felt appliqué have been found. These felt appliqué rugs have been quilted with swirling designs. Other felted finds from this site reveal a pointed cap, and women’s shoes. In ancient Japan, the Emperors palaces contain treasures chambers in which objects are stored. In these chambers over thirty felted, patterned rugs were found. These rugs are totally made of felt with elaborate inlaid designs of dyed wool. In the Viking site of Hedeby, felted masks were found. One of the masks is in the form of a sheep head or possibly a bear head, the other mask resembles a calf. Other small fragments of felt have also been found.

The majority of the designs on felt are mythological animals as well as floral type patterns and common animals. Some commonly used designs include, horses, deer, griffins, lions, and butterflies. The felting process does not lend itself to very detailed designs. These designs were appliquéd on the main piece and/or embroidered to outline the creature or pattern. Some of the pieces have inlay colored wool to compose the design. Designs may be painted or printed on to completed felt as well.

Felt was an important part of nomadic life. Their tents, called yurts or gers, were covered in felt. The floors were covered with felt carpets. wooden trunks likewise were covered in felt, as were saddle blankets for the horses and camels. Felt was generally not used as clothing. felt has the ability to stretch and mold, and has excellent insulating properties. This makes felt ideal for saddle covers, blankets, hats, footwear and water-proof cloaks.

What is Felt?

Felt is made from wool. wool is the only fiber that can be felted. Other fibers can be added to the wool, but the primary fiber must be wool. Wool fibers are covered with small scales, which open up and hook together in the felting process. Felting occurs when the wool has been moistened with hot, soapy water and then rubbed together. The wool also shrinks in the process and forms a tight material called felt.

The Felting Process

The first thing to do is obtain the wool. The best wool to use for felting which are readily avaliable according to Inger Evers book, are from Merino, Romney, Corriedale or Marsham sheep.4)Anne Belgrave’s book goes on to add; Polworth, Icelandic, Falkland, Gotland, Blue-faced Leicester, Cheviot, Welsh mules and Merino crosses.5)

If you can get raw wool, it will have to washed and then carded. The nomadic people use two flexible sticks held in each hand and then “beat” the raw wool. This both loosens any dirt and fluffs the fibers. Other people have used bow carders to card the wool; these resemble a bow of a musical instrument. The modern hand carders are similar in shape as those used in medieval times. If you have access to a modern drum carder that may also be used.

The carded wool at this point can be dyed. Commercial or natural dyes can be used. Make sure the commercial dye can be used with wool. Dyeing can also be done after the project is felted, if using one color or a variation of that color. Already carded and dyed wool can be bought, eliminating the carding and dyeing step.

The next step is to lay out a reed/cane mat on a table or on the ground. Remove about 6 inches of the carded wool and lay on the mat. Keep taking about 6 inches of carded wool and overlap layers of this wool to the desired size. (Remember to make this larger than the completed size as the shape will shrink as it is felted.) Continue to overlap wool as you go. This will need to done with a least 3 layers on top of each other (more layers for boots). The first layer all in one direction and the next layer at 90 degrees from the first layer, and the third the same direction as the first. At this point you may add designs either in carded wool or not fully felted wool cut to form shapes.

Cover these layers with either a flexible screen material or netted fabric material. Neither of which should have very large holes, as the wool will get caught in the holes.

Take hot soapy water. (As hot as you can stand) Use a soap containing saponified oils. I use Dr. Bonner’s liquid soap, which is pure-castile soap. Pour a small amount of the soapy hot water into the center of the covered wool. Gently work the water to the outer edges, add more water as needed. Hot water helps in the felting process. At this point the wool will look like it has grown a bit. After the felting process is done it will have shrunk. Felting can also be done with no soap, just hot water.

Once the whole area is wet, begin to gently rub in a circular motion around entire piece. Try to keep the circles going from outside towards the center. Continue to do this for a while. Gently at first and then faster and rougher as the wool starts to come together. Gently lift the screening and check to see if felting process is taking place. Gently pull up fibers to see they are coming together. There should be little bit of fibers coming up at this point, but the mass should stay together.

The next step is called “fulling”. Remove the netting material and roll up felt in the reed mat. Gently squeeze out excess water. (Do not wring out) Roll the outer mat in some sort of cloth. The cloth will make it easier to roll. Begin to roll mat. This can be done with your hands, forearms or feet(while sitting). The nomadic people took these rolls and tied them to horses and then dragged the rolls along the ground. “Fulling”, can also be done by leaving the netting material on top and leaving the felt flat, placing the felt on the ground and stomping on it. Fulling can also be done on a washboard. While fulling is taking place there is still time to tug and reshape felt, as needed, but only a little bit. It is also advisable to unroll mat and reposition felt 90 degrees and also flipping felt over. More uniformity will be achieved. Adding more hot water will also aid in the felting process.

After this process the felt will have shrunk and the fibers can no longer be pulled up. Congratulations you have achieved felt!

Bibliography and Suggested Reading:

Belgrave, Anne. How to Make Felt. Search Press, 1995.

Evers, Inge. Felt-Making Techniques and Projects. Lark Books, 1987.

Harris, Jennifer. Textiles 5,000 Years. The Trustees of the British Museum, 1993

Haskins, John f. The Pazyryk felt Screen and the Barbarian Captivity of TS’AI WEN-CHI. The Museum of Far Eastern Antiquities, Stockholm, bulletin # 35, 1963.

Rudenko,Sergei I. Frozen Tombs of Siberia, The Pazyryk Burials of Iron Age Horsemen. University of California Press, 1970.

Sjoberg, Gunilla Paetau. New Directions for Felt an Ancient Craft. Interweave Press, 1996.

Spark, Patricia. Scandinavian-Style Feltmaking, A Three Dimensional Approach to Hats, Boots, Mittens and Other Useful Objects. Patricia Spark (Shuttle Craft Books), 1992.