The Amazing Versatility of Wool Felt
Barb Anderson

Defined Tag: Wool Felt.

Wool felt is simply wool which has been 'felted'--agitated in a certain way with hot water and soap--to make a thick, dense mat of fabric which can then be used in almost any application, from making clothes and costumes to insulating things to making children's toys. It is, in fact, the reason why ordinary wool should never be washed in the washing machine or dried in a dryer or, indeed, even hand washed in warm or hot water. Wool, when heated and agitated, tense to mat together into this dense material, and, in fact, washing wool in the washing machine in hot water would probably turn your beautiful, fluffy angora sweater into felt. We may be tempted to think of wool felt as simply the material which those Sunday School figures we used to play with are made out of, but, in fact, felt has applications in clothings, toys, insulation, and even fashion. Felt is, if nothing else, incredibly, amazingly versatile. You can use it to make vests and caps and even little baby booties. Or, if you prefer, wool felt can be added between two layers of softer, more delicate fabric, to give insulation and shape to the fabric while still maintaining the original appearance of the other fabric.

You can, amazingly enough, make felt in your own kitchen, if you can get ahold of the necessary fleeces or wool. There are several good resources online which will give you clear, complete, and sometimes illustrated instructions for making it. But whether you make it or buy it, one thing is certain; wool felt is useful for more things than you can possibly imagine.

In the end, wool felt is a useful and versatile tool, well worth keeping on hand. Because it was made with heat, it is slightly more heat resistant than ordinary wool, and can therefore be used in ways you would never dream of using unfelted wool; as a potholder, for example, or in a rug in front of a fireplace. And, of course, it can also be used to make children's toys and those delightful felt board figures of Sunday School.

Barb Anderson has edited or written numerous articles for family-oriented ezines and sites on the worldwide web. Barb is Editor of the Power Learning Tips and Tricks newsletter, which is available at:
http://MastermindLearningSystem.com.