Supply List

Whisper Felting

Lily Kerns, Instructor

     
Felted geode and lacy brooch

SUPPLIES

You can do all of the felting EITHER by hand or with a machine, but Lily recommends that a hand tool will work better on some of the more delicate operations.

The Clover needle holder, brush and claw tool

Clover makes a useful group of tools for hand felting but other brands will work 

• felting tool (needle holder)
• pack of extra needles, size 40 (fine), 38 (medium) or 36 (for heavier fabrics)
• brush, large size (recommended) or 2" or thicker piece of very dense foam 
• at least one extra set of felting needles, preferably in size 40 or 42 (smallest).  Be sure to get the needles recommended for your hand tool or machine.
• tray or large cookie sheet if you will be working in your lap

Optional:

• Clover claw (used to fuzz, comb, or hold)
• Clover pen holder (used for small details)
• small carder or pair of pet brushes with wire bristles
• felting machine
• sewing machine with fancy stitches
• large eyed needles for yarn

Materials

Start with what you have available and add more types as you can.  Check with friends who sew, knit friends, spin or weave for scraps and leftovers.  Important: If you will have a limited amount of fibers and yarns, try to keep them somewhat related in color (for example, landscape, seasonal or floral colors), but varied in value and texture. 

Roving

Roving: small amounts of wool roving.  Black, white and intense colors, if possible.  These will probably be available wherever you find the felting tools or at yarn shops.  You may want to purchase a bag of assorted colors.  One ounce of fiber will probably fill a pint size bag.  A quarter ounce will be a small handful.

Optional: other types of fibers such as silk, soy, bamboo, corn

Yarns: Small amounts of as many colors and types as you can gather.  The softer and fluffier the yarn, the better it will felt.  Novelty yarns and ribbon types used for knitting can be used.  Thick, loosely spun or textured yarns will be more useful, but regular knitting worsted can also be used.  Check for single skeins or discontinued yarns at marked down prices.

Fabrics: Small amounts of as many types and weights as you can gather.  If purchasing fancy fabrics, 1/8 yard will be enough to experiment with.  If possible, your collection should include:

felt: either craft felt or wool felt quilting cottons quilting flannels sheers of various types loosely woven fabrics such as cheesecloth, scrim and burlap wool fabrics velvet or panne velvet

brocades lace denim silk and silk ribbons nylon stockings or tights with too many runs to be wearable Interfacings of different weights and types battings of different weights and types

Water soluble stabilizers: The best kind is the ones with a texture, not the paper or clear smooth types.

Misty Fuse: white, black and Ultraviolet if possible

For more information about felting, try these links:

• www.tryourdesigns.com/FreeTutorials.htm
• www.outbackfibers.com/index.htm

There are many sources for felting tools and supplies.  If you have materials available locally, start with them.  If you need to order online, here are some sources to start with.

• http://members.peak.org/~Spark/FineFiberPressFeltEquip.htm
• www.tryourdesigns.com/

OUTLINE

Lesson One: Getting Started

In this lesson, you will

• look at a brief history of felting
• become familiar with basic hand and machine tools
• explore a variety of basic materials 
• be introduced to wet felting, nuno felting and dry felting (machine and needle felting)
• plan for record keeping and organizing samples

Lesson Two: Using Roving and Yarn

In this lesson, we will experiment with

• using both yarn and roving to create felted fabric employing a variety of techniques
• making felted lines and shapes as desired
• modifying color by mixing fibers
• creating custom yarns without learning to spin

Project: Seascape

Lesson Three: Felting Fabrics and Fibers

This lesson, we will play with

• background fabrics
• felting fabric to fabric
• creating texture with fabric
• using fabric for pattern and color 
• various combinations of fiber, yarn and fabric

Project: Landscape

Lesson Four: Practical Felting

This lesson is about using the felting techniques and materials you have been playing with and we will share tips for making a

• crazy quilt or mosaic felted fabric from portions of your collected samples
• floral border or block using line and shape techniques 
• felted geode pin, pendant or button
• resist-felted object (wet or dry felting project)
• scarf or other accessories

You may check the Class Supply Glossary in the Library for generic descriptions of products that may be sold under various names in different countries. 

If you have trouble finding your supplies locally in the US, many of our items are available online at Batiks Etcetera & Sew What Fabrics.  International students can check our Class Supply Sources.