Felting tools

[Shepherdess]

I thought there was a post about this but maybe I am remembering wrong. either way I can't find it. Clasheen by Nicola Brown. has new tools but they are very expensive. I found some a lot cheaper. these are in the states but Other sites had some. I searched swedish rolling pin. fantes.com/rolling-pins.html about half way down the page there are some different ones.

[pamd]

Interesting, Ann. Now I have to go to Clasheen by Nicola Brown to see what it is I am looking for. lol

[Shepherdess]

Its a nobly rolling pin.

[pamd]

I found it, on both sites. Quite a difference in price. Very interesting.

[lyn]

I'd be interested to hear if anyone has had any success with a knobbly rolling pin.
I first saw a felter working with one on youtube a few years ago. She makes huge round wall hangings. She must be very strong as the hangings are also very thick and probably weigh as much as a small child.

I don't have a knobbly rolling pin, but about a year ago I was working on a large picture and I wanted to add pre-felt shapes after I'd started to work the background.
So I figured that a bit of pressure was needed to get the pre-felt to start sinking into the background.

So I got out my marble rolling pin. Now, this is a serious piece of kitchen equipment and not for the weak wristed.

I thought the weight might do it. But I was tired and careless and managed to drop the pin off the edge of the table. It narrowly missed my foot (phew!) but dented my floor and I now have a marble rolling pin with one handle at a jaunty angle!

p.s. for anyone this side of the pond, Wingham Wool sell a ridged rolling pin - not quite the same I know - has anyone tried one?
www.winghamwoolwork.co.uk/eqp_flt_equipment.php

[Shepherdess]

I bet that was Karoliina Arvilommi. They have a felting machine too. rod.4felts.com/machine.htm The one they have on their site now is more modern looking. The one I saw before was loud and noisy and didn't just go round but seemed to band it too. He said it was imitating the nomads dragging the felt behind a horse.
This is the one I want to build. I am still looking for a tube.

felting machine 2 by Shepherdessann, on Flickr

felting machine 1 by Shepherdessann, on Flickr

[karen]

Whoa Ann thats huge and look like part of a rocket lol i wonder if your local council will have old large pipes hanging around that you could use ?

[Shepherdess]

I have a freind that works for the water department in a near by town that is keeping his eye out for one. Not sure what else might work.

[zed]

I don't understand how they can work and not tear up your felt (the rolling pins). I'm not at all surprised they're cheaper elsewhere, I nearly fell off my chair when I first saw the price.

I refuse to buy anything from Wingham, they were incredibly rude to me a few years ago and tried to rip off one of our felting friends Kate (feltfieltrofilc) and she was really upset by them.

I used to curse my Dad for inheriting his fat hands and sausage fingers, but I realised the other day, it's probably why I can felt so quickly and don't have to roll for hours, so I don't mind so much now

[Shepherdess]

I think because they aren't rubbing but rolling they don't wear the surface.I always wonder about people using a wash boards. rubbing like crazy to harden. When I tried that it really abraded the surface in just a few stokes.

[MTRuth]

I have used a hard plastic rolling pin with stick up decor that was initially made to roll out fondant for cake making. It worked great for hardening up hat brims. It doesn't abrade the felt at all. I also use a wash board and rub really hard on things that need to be really firm. But I don't use it until the felt is nearly completely fulled so it's already hard and less likely to abrade the surface. I'm not sure why you want to spend all that money on "felting" tools when there are much less expensive options if you just look around your kitchen or in the hardware store.

[Shepherdess]

I saw some of those at the craft sore the other day. some of the patterns look like they would be great. sure made me not so impressed with fancy cakes.

[zed]

I have a felting board for things like bags, pouches, pods and vessels, which need to be thicker and felted harder, but it's rounded so no snags