Marilyn, here is a summary of the instructions from Gladchenko's master class:
Shrinkage is comparatively small: a layout for example of 215 by 92 cm, the finished product 164 by 61cm.
It is difficult to predict how much wool is needed: ready made stole weighs 125 grams: there are about 100-105 grams of wool, the rest is the fabric and decor.
Choice of materials.
Losely woven (Margilan) silk is of different quality. To get a high-quality holes it is better to use delicate silk. How to distinguish it? Rub the silk a little between your fingers tissue. If the fibers are displaced by simple touch - this is what we need!
Wool: use merino 18 mic . Do not mix different wools in a single product wool even wool from different manufacturers.
Decors: Silk squares ( "handkerchiefs"), "caps", Mulberry silk, Toussah, muga, viscose fibers.
Laying wool: pull out very thin tufts of wool and lay it in different directions so that they overlap Wool. I use dyed wool merino 18 md Italian production. Do not combine in a single product wool from different manufacturers and even different species of animals.
Decors. Silk: squares ( "handkerchiefs"), "caps", Mulberry silk, Toussaint, muga,
Viscose - the more colors, the better.
Laying wool: pull out very thin tufts of wool and lay them in different directions so as to ensure even shrinkage
However, the thicker the layout, the better the contours will be retained. Thin layout will result in more blurred shapes. She advises that you ckeck if the table shines through dry spread out. The table should barely shine through. To spot thin areas use torch light and check and add more wool of necessary.
The main thing is that the thickness ofthe layout is uniform and the fibers intersect at different angles. The surface area of prefelt should be equal to the area of the future product It may happen that you run out of the material and need to make more prefelt (cut out economically).
Decor: cover the whole surface with silk hankies. Stretch them, especially in places where they are thick. Lay them down of wetted wool. Handkerchiefs actually look matt on the finished product, so to bring more lustre, use viscose fibers first and silk fibers of different colour on top.
Here you need to look at the pictures to see how she makes prefelt: she is using sander - first at low speed and then five soconds with higher speed. Next you hang your prefelt and let it dry.
You need to out shapes using very sharp scissors. The size of elements should not be less than 15 mm as well as the distance between elements i.e. not less than 15 mm Spread silk fabric on table and sprinkle with soapy water so that it does not move. Place elements on top.
Further on she is using sander again to fix the shapes and later a lot of rolling on a roll.
I hope this will help, especially if you looks at the pictures.
