Using Polyester Batting in Wet Felting

[Frances]

This is a small clutch that will hold a mobile phone a couple of credit cards and some cash. The roving is felted to polyester batting
to provide some cushioning to the clutch in case it is dropped with the phone inside. Thinking of adding a wristlet/strap – any suggestions?

feltingandfiberstudio.files.wordpress.com/2016/09/3ugapvr1nrrnqabbptld.jpg


Polyester Quilt batting approximately ¼ inch thick cut into an 9” x 12” rectangle

Layer roving as you normally would on both sides of the batting. Gently wet with soap and water. Place plastic canvas or plastic drawer liner over and felt as you normally would. The batting is very loosely woven so it felts well. 

After felting size 8 ½ x 11

Placed a “pocket” on felt made of upholstery fabric painted with ‘Fray Check’* to stiffen fabric and keep it from raveling/fraying. The pocket was attached the felt using heat fusible tape**.

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I intentionally did not trim the piece after it was felted because I liked the random shape and did not want it to look manufactured.

I am going to try using the batting to create a bumpy surface. (Roving, batting cut in a shape, covered with roving then felted)

Since we are limited to only 3 photos I posted the ones I thought most useful.

*Fray Check - found in craft stores & used to seal fabric edges
** Fusible Tape – Stitch Witchary is one Brand

[Frances]

This is my first attempt at a Thread - hope it worked!

[halay]

Hello Frances and welcome to this forum. Hey, this is a very nice clutch and an interesting idea. I would never think of using polyester batting for felting. If you have more ideas to share, please post them here.

[Pandagirl]

Hi Frances. The clutch turned out nice. Like Halay, I wouldn't have thought the polyester would felt. I leaned something new! Thanks. Yes definitely post more of your projects.

[luvswool and dyestuff]

Hi Frances, Great colors in your clutch--really bold! Had no idea you could felt with polyester, but I guess you made it work. Looking forward to seeing more of your projects with felt.

[Shepherdess]

Really nice little clutch. Your first post is a good one. If you really want to share more pictures you can always add them in a reply to the first post.

[Frances]

Thanks for the comments - I think the wool felts to the batting because it is fabricated in loose layers that could possibly pulled apart. Keep in mind that this is not foam. It comes preformed in different densities and may be sold by the yard or in a "craft size" package. I believe that there are also pillow forms made of of the same polyester. 

There is also the fiberfill that is loose and used to stuff pillows, toys, etc. which I am going to try using to give texture such as placing silk selvages under the roving would do.

I took my first class in Nuno felting January 14 of this year where I made a scarf (a small bit of it can be seen in my profile picture). 
Since then I have made another scarf, a hat cover, a more sheer scarf and a book cover. 

I will post those - I used nylon tulle as the base for the more sheer scarf and felted in pieces of a polyester scarf in the book cover.

Attachments:

[carole aka craftywoman]

what a great idea to use batting, I've run out of pre felt and did think of batting, then I thought I've never seen anyone else use it so maybe it doesn't work - voila it does, thanks :-)

[zed]

I've had a piece of batting (cut from the inside of a duvet/quilt) waiting to try for ages! I'm so glad it works.
The clutch looks great, Frances

I've used plastic fibre to get 'bumpy' texture for Ruth's texture Challenge:
feltingandfiberstudio.com/2012/01/19/surface-texture-challenge/

Since using plastic fibre, I've saved the polyester nepps from inside pillows, any hollowfill fibre and polyester batting.

I did try the plastic under silk too, that was interesting.

[Shepherdess]

I think your right the wool migrates into the batting and grabs hold of it the way nuno felt works.

[Pandagirl]

That's the wonderful thing about felting -- there are no real rules. We keep trying new things and learn what works and what doesn't. Discovery is half the fun! And even if something doesn't quite work the way we thought it might we're challenged to find a way to use it.

[MTRuth]

Welcome Frances - good idea with the batting. I am sure it adds the padding that you needed but you didn't have to use as much wool. I've always found that I have the most fun with experimentation and trying out new ideas. Can't wait to see what else you come up with.

[koffipot]

Welcome Frances. I have a bagful of batting scraps from quilting projects. I usually use them as stuffing, but what a great idea to add bulk to small felting projects and be more miserly with the wool fibre!

I'll be giving that a try.

[koffipot]

Update, won't be trying very much at all for a while. I put my back out yesterday, I'm 30 years younger in my head and my body doesn't keep up!

[Pandagirl]

I'm so sorry hear that Judith. Back problems are not fun. I had spinal fusion surgery last April and still have restrictions. I hope it's nothing serious. Please stay in touch and perhaps share some of your completed projects with us if you can manage at the computer. Get well soon!