wet felting help please!

[robinsonkatja]

Hello all, I am so glad to have found this forum! I have a question about my first wet felting project. I made a base layer of white wool (2 layers thick), then did 2-3 layers of blue, then added a layer of various colors to form my "painting." When I completed the fulling, the white fibers had migrated through to the top and really muted all the vibrant colors I had made the picture with. Is there a way to prevent this? I know I could have done the base layer darker, but then the dark layers would have migrated through and dulled the colors too. DId I full it too long? I went back after it had dried and needle felted over the whole picture to get the colors back the way I wanted them, but needless to say I feel I did the same project twice and would rather get it right in one try next time. ANy suggestions would be appreciated. Thanks!Katharina

[zed]

Hi Katharina, I think you've worked it out really well, it could be any or a combination of all those. If your felt doesn't have to be super felted for something like a placemat, and won't be handled, just felt it/full it as much as it needs. It's hard to stop migration though, that's how felt works. Can I ask how come you're doing so many layers? Having so many layers could be one cause of why you have to felt/full so much.

I try to match my underneath layers up with what I'm going to do on the top. It does take a little bit more work, but it's worth it. As long as your colours are roughly what they'll be on top it will help.

This is the front of one of mine


stripey felt front by zedster01, on Flickr

and the back


stripey felt back by zedster01, on Flickr

[robinsonkatja]

I am not sure why I did so many layers, I think the book I was following recommended 4 layers, so I used that as a base, then started painting. Love your placemat, I hadn't thought of doing those! I see what you mean about keep the base colors roughly the same. I will try that next time and full less. I have only done the one wet felt so far, so I don't have a feel for when something is done yet. Guess I'd better do more! Thank you for the reply, Katharina

[Shepherdess]

If you use black for the bottom layers it doesn't dull the colours the same as with does. You can also try shaving your picture at the end. It won't cure the whole problem but it does help. I do this to bring the silk back up. it disappears sometimes and after I give it a shave there it is again. You just use a disposable razor like you would shave your legs with. I will also plug Roth's book if you are looking for a good one its Called the Complete Photo Guide to Felting.www.amazon.com/Complete-Photo-Guide-Felting/dp/158923698X Lyn and Annie at Rosiepink also has a great ebook on felting www.rosiepink.typepad.co.uk/

And by the way, welcome to the forum.

[lyn]

Either the 'painting' was fulled too far or perhaps the layers were too thin.

I usually make four layers with a partial fifth layer for a 'painting' and I use white for the first two layers for economy.

I never full a 'painting' completely - it's not necessary - and I stop when I feel that the felt is holding together well enough for the purpose.

I've just taken two of my 'paintings' out into the daylight and carefully inspected the surfaces of them - the white base layers don't show through. On the top of one of the paintings is some quite dark fabric nuno felted on, and the only fibres that show through on top of the fabric are the colours from the top two layers - no white.

Have you considered making some small samples to see how the wool behaves? Perhaps experiment with the thicknesses of layers or the amount of felting/fulling.

Above all, have fun with your felting and in no time at all a lot of it becomes instinctive.

[MTRuth]

Welcome Katharina! It looks like you've gotten a lot of good advice. My best advice is to do small samples (as Lyn suggests) of various layers, colors etc. so you see how they will behave. It only takes a short time to do a sample and it really helps you to learn what happens with various methods of layout, wool etc. Then when you are doing a bigger project, you will already know what happens (generally) and how it all felts together.

[Shepherdess]

Yes, I should have asked what wool you where using. different wools behave differently.

[zed]

I kept thinking about different wools too. Some are just wiry and poke out all over the place