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Post by lauraann on Jun 12, 2014 13:14:16 GMT
I couldn't figure out how to post a picture in my reply to my previous thread, so I had to start another one! Ann, thanks for the translation. It's amazing how many different words are used in the same language (American English & British English) to describe things. I'm not saying that my vessels are too hairy--I realize that my choice of wool in many cases causes the fuzziness. I haven't tried anything 100% merino yet, that's on my plate for this weekend. Here is another vessel, it was made with I believe norwegian wool inside and blue merino outside, with some cheesecloth and other fabrics as embellishment.  From this frontal view, it looks ok, but from the side, this is what I was talking about--the texture is lumpy, not smooth.  Is this just something that happens? I stuffed it quite full with plastic grocery bags while it was drying, so I know it was supported. It just seemed to develop these ridges. Attachments:
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Post by Frances on Jun 12, 2014 16:19:41 GMT
the ridges give it character and dimension - I would be very pleased with them.
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Post by halay on Jun 12, 2014 16:36:50 GMT
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Post by Pandagirl on Jun 12, 2014 18:31:11 GMT
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Post by lauraann on Jun 12, 2014 19:16:05 GMT
Ok, so maybe I'm just being too critical of my own work! I've never actually seen anything felted in person besides the things I've made, as I don't know ANYONE near me who has even heard of felting. I love reading all the felting tips from the forum, so many things I didn't know and so many simple tools I can make. I'm not going to spend over $20 for a roller, so I'll have to look at Goodwill, too. But I will look at a hardware store and I might be able to pick up a small piece of textured plexiglass pretty cheap.
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Post by MTRuth on Jun 12, 2014 20:20:48 GMT
I like the textures too but it may be from the shape of your resist that you are getting these as well. Try different shapes of resists to see what works best. Also, when you're fulling, you should stretch the felt as well. This helps with shaping and avoiding fissures/wrinkles.
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Post by lauraann on Jun 12, 2014 21:53:49 GMT
Ok, thanks for the advice, Ruth. I'll keep at it until I figure it all out..
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Post by Shepherdess on Jun 13, 2014 0:33:26 GMT
Ruth beet me to it , I was going to say you can stretch it. Even now if you want you can wet it again and work with it some more. I use a starburst Tupperware lid for felting. I get them at garage sales and second hand stores. You can use all sorts of household things to shape and stretch your felt. Oatmeal stirring sticks, wooden spoons, after a while you start to look at things and see how they might work for felting.  |
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Post by luvswool and dyestuff on Jun 13, 2014 0:49:00 GMT
Your vessels look terrific, very sturdy looking as well. For fulling, I use a wooden foot massager and several different rolling pins, including a Norwegian lefse roller.
I bought both USED on ebay for less than $20 each. Works grew!
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Post by zed on Jun 13, 2014 10:23:48 GMT
Maybe from what you've seen you have a preconceived idea of what felt should look like. Many factors could be involved, the resist you used, how you laid out your layers, the combinations of wools/wools and fibres, how you felted, how you fulled. You should keep notes as you felt so you can 'correct' anything which you don't like, or recreate a similar look if you want. People pay a lot of money to learn how to get surface effects like the ones on your vessels! |
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Post by lauraann on Jun 13, 2014 15:53:08 GMT
Zed, you are so right. Every picture on pinterest I see of felted vessels show them with perfectly smooth surfaces, not a wrinkle in sight. If I saw them in real life, they probably would look very different. My biggest problem with doing this on my own is not getting any tactile feedback, just visual. I guess I'll just keep at it, because I really like them and like making them.
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Post by luvswool and dyestuff on Jun 13, 2014 17:15:40 GMT
Laura Ann, Since you have been very successful with the vessels, can you offer any tips for felting/fulling the seams without "lumps?" Also, how many layers of roving do you normally use?
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Post by lauraann on Jun 13, 2014 19:39:51 GMT
Cathy, I guess I avoid lumps on the sides by really pulling the folded over pieces of roving, making sure they're tight as I go along. And I think I'm using four layers on each side, sometimes I lose count as I'm working. That's one of the reasons I've been using two different kinds of wool, so I can keep track of my layers as I go along.
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Post by lyn on Jun 13, 2014 20:31:48 GMT
Some thoughts:
I wonder if using two kinds of wool on the same vessel contributes to the ridges - maybe there are different rates of felting causing drawing in?
Smooth vessels are achievable (if that's what you want but remember that texture is beautiful too).
I have only achieved smooth vessels with merino wool.
Hot water in the early stages of felting can promote lumpiness as can rough handling - felting takes longer with tepid water and gentle working, but the result is smooth felt.
When the resist is first removed, there will be areas of wrinkling/ridging where the wool was folded over the edge of the resist. Deal with these straight away. Lather your hands well with soap, then put one hand under the felt, and use soapy fingers on the top to gently massage the felt to eradicate the wrinkles.
If you have a narrow opening, you can use the back of the bowl of a tablespoon, instead of your hand, for your fingers to massage against.
If possible, do most of the massaging on the inside of the vessel.
Work carefully/evenly and don't screw the felt up - keep it in the shape you want. When the vessel is almost fulled, you can get rough - but still don't screw the felt up - you can put one hand inside the vessel and smack your other hand against it for instance.
Always keep plenty of soapy lather on your hands to prevent abrading the surface of the felt.
When you rinse your vessel, keep it in shape when you immerse it. Let the water drain away naturally.
If you have fulled your vessel to the max, you won't need to stuff it to keep the shape.
p.s. I keep a track of the layers using a pencil and paper - it gets a bit soggy but it does the job.
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Post by lauraann on Jun 14, 2014 0:28:16 GMT
Thanks, Lyn, for all the pointers. I think I may be too rough with the felt, especially after I remove the resist. And I haven't been 100% careful when rinsing, either. If it wasn't so late now, I'd start making another one tonight. And I'm glad I'm not the only one who has trouble keeping track of the layers as I'm working--my mind seems to wander...
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