Saturday, December 18, 2010

Felting

Since Lloyd's getting three Alpacas I thought I should learn how to do something with their fleece when we get some, so today I went on a felting course down at Naturally Alpacas ( it's where we're getting the alpacas from)  It was great! 
Now, I have never ever done this before so I am a complete beginner. I am also very cack handed when I try something for the first time. I always put it down to being left handed but maybe that's just an excuse! Anyway, as part of the morning we were given a bag of beige y fleece, and lot of different bags of trimmings. I thought the amount of bits we were given was extremely generous ~  it was way more than enough to make something and still have a lot left over to take home. We were given the choice of making a sampler or a scarf. The four of us on the course all went for the scarf option as we wanted to take home something we could use.

The actual technique we learned today was pretty straightforward, however what you need is practice ( or what I most certainly need!) to make nice edges and a uniform thickness and just general experience to know what will work. I'm really pleased with what I made today and also really surprised by how the 'things' you need to do felting are all totally inexpensive. Like a piece of net curtain from an op shop, bubble wrap, a broom handle, an old milk bottle, soap flakes, a towel and a long table - that's it! Then of course you need your fibres. But there's nothing technical, like you need for some other crafts. It's really good.

 these were from one of the bags of fibres we were given


 this is after 2 layers of alpaca fleece were laid out then the patterns laid out on top. It looks quite thick at this stage 


 then you sprinkle some soap flakes on it then wrap it up in the netting and wet it with fairly hot water and squish it flat


 After that a bit of rolling is in order!

Then there's some more rolling and some washing and some throwing around! In the end you have a scarf! Amazing!



I loved it. There's another course on how to do the felting with fabric attached, so I've booked myself on to that one too. I bought a couple of bags of white alpaca fleece because I spied a lovely wrap that Christine ( the lady who owns the place with her husband ) had made that I loved and I want to try and make something like it - when I say like I obviously mean like in colour only!

8 comments:

  1. I've always wanted to learn how to felt. Show us more as you learn.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Isn't it fun? I just love felting, you never seem to stop learning. There is always a new challange or project in your head.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Cool! Beautiful scarf and the process sounds quite straightforward.

    ReplyDelete
  4. We also visited an Alpaca farm once and saw a demo on felting and it was so interesting!

    ReplyDelete
  5. Funnily enough, I have been wanting to do something too with felting. I have had something in my head that I wanted to make and your photos have given me the information I needed!

    ReplyDelete
  6. Alan and Penny10:55 pm

    Good morning, Laura,

    I don't know if you can receive replies to your great blogs, but I live in hopes, so here goes!!

    I think you're amazing! Is there nothing you can turn your hands to?! Felting looks lovely. If your next day course is when we're with you, may I come too? Just to look really, I don't know of any Alpacas locally! There are some Llamas near Menston (where Neil and Jo used to live) but I'm not sure if their fleece is suitable.

    ReplyDelete
  7. Your scarf is lovely! So glad you stopped by, and very happy to find you and your blogs! How wonderful (I'm following both now - can't wait to backtrack and catch up!). I'll also be watching for that donkey ;) -Tammy

    ReplyDelete
  8. Felting has been on my learn to do list for a long time. You made a beautiful scarf.

    ReplyDelete

I love it when you leave me comments, it lets me know there are folk out there reading my ramblings! Thank you, I appreciate them loads and loads
Laura x