NUNOFELTdesigns Nancy Schwab, San Francisco

Mosaic Nuno Felt Technique - Intro

2012-01-27T03:30:00.000-08:00

mosaic silk layout

Mosaic Nuno Felt is a technique that has been around for a few years and has been revived by accomplished nuno felting fiberartisans by taking it to a new level.

Instead of creating an entire design using the Mosaic technique, they use it more sparingly on sections of the nuno felted fabric. You'll see what I mean....

Mosaic means the FABRIC is the basis of both the design and color - the fabric is the top layer of the design. In its simplest form, silk is cut into pieces and arranged like a collage, then fibers are laid out ON TOP of the pieces to nuno felt them together. (see photo)

I learned this method, repeated it twice and gave up. Not only did it take an incredible amount of time to arrange the silk pieces, it was a challenge to get them to stay in place and then lay out the fibers thin enough to call it "nuno felt" at the end.

Because I learned how to nuno felt before I learned how to felt, I have little patience for laying out fibers in 2-4 ultra-thin layers to cover every centimeter - I just never developed that talent. It drives me nuts!

Now that I'm seeing the Mosaic technique pop up as a "partial" design element, I've decided to try it again -- in a new way.

For the upcoming blog project, I'll show you how to make a small piece (9"x12") of Mosaic Nuno Felt then demonstrate a "partial" Mosaic design on a larger piece of nuno fabric.

It's just another technique that underlines what I've always said here --- nuno felting as a fiberart is constantly changing and getting more intricate and delightful the more you nuno felt!

Quick Links to all versions of Nuno Felting Tips & Tricks

2012-01-25T03:07:00.000-08:00

Softcover Book:
http://tinyurl.com/3zto8ef

Kindle
http://tinyurl.com/44xmk36

iPad/iPhone
http://tinyurl.com/3vl8zdt

Nook:
http://tinyurl.com/733a8sl

The Beauty of Bamboo plus more sanding tips

2012-01-23T16:48:00.000-08:00

Nuno Felt Infinity Scarf Aqua Bamboo

This close up view of a section of the dry Infinity Scarf created with 40/60 handpainted bamboo/merino from FatCatKnits brings out the true beauty of bamboo and all of its characteristics. The surface is dominated by the unique crimp/squiggles created by a high bamboo content when it's wet-felted on fabric --- you never get this kind of effect using all-wool fibers.

It's also very lightweight and a bit more fluffy (higher loft). Overall, the weight of this infinity scarf is approx. 25% less than a similar all-wool nuno felt scarf of same style and size. Bamboo is glossy but when it's mixed in this well with merino and then handpainted the gloss no longer dominates. Bamboo is as soft as if not more than fine merino wool.

I love the bamboo effect. Many of my customers prefer my high bamboo content designs because they love this effect and they can wear it every day of the year.

USING A SANDER WHEN YOU NUNO FELT
As I've said before, I wouldn't even attempt an Infinity Scarf without my sander -- it's just too much work to nuno felt the body by hand-rolling and do it all over again for the seam.

A lot of felters give up on nuno felting after trying it out because it just takes too much time and physical effort to get the fibers to stick and shrink 40%.

If you try out several of the wonderful non-wool fibers you add more time and effort to the process ---- these fibers take a lot more work no matter what!

With a sander, you are much more likely to enjoy the process and feel inspired to try out fibers and fabrics you might never have considered!

Sanding:
1. Replaces the manual Rolling Stage
2. Makes is easier to nuno felt non-wool fibers, multi-layer designs, and add features like fringe, "lacework" and other embellishments
3. Makes is easier to trim and reshape your designs throughout the process (just sand the new edges to seal them!)

You also get to see the entire SHRINKING PROCESS in a totally new way when you use a sander.

If you nuno felt, you know that EACH STEP in the process causes the fiber-on-fabric to shrink towards the final 40% total goal. When you unwrap your project, place it on a towel and start sanding, you'll see the nuno fabric shrink 10-15% right before your eyes!

PROJECT INFINITY SCARF POSTS WILL BE AVAILABLE HERE ONLY UNTIL 2/14/12.

the beauty of nuno felted bamboo!

Project Infinity Scarf - Finishing the Loop

2012-01-23T04:04:00.000-08:00

To finish the loop section of the Infinity Scarf, you'll need all the tools you used to make the main body of the scarf but switch over to a smaller piece of clear plastic to encase the loop section, it's just easier to work with.

bring the 2 ends together

Take your already-sanded scarf and bring the 2 ends (without fiber) together on top of the smaller piece of plastic, place it on top of the bubble-side up of your solar pool cover (or bubble wrap).

Match up the 2 ends to make an even seam and push the rest of the scarf out of the way. You want to make sure you don't have any puckers or folds in the seam area and the 2-3 inches on either side.

overlap the 2 silk ends without fiber

line up the top and bottom edges of your silk

Have your mini roving rope ready to pull wisps of fiber to cover the FIRST SIDE OF THE SILK SEAM. You can either mimic the fiber-layout design you have already used or create a new design to highlight this area - up to you.

BE SURE:

1. to cover the entire seam so it can't be seen once it's nuno felted, but......

2. don't be tempted to load on the fibers in a thicker layer than you did in the rest of the scarf --- it will make the seam heavier once it's nuno felted and will look "uneven" when you finish the scarf.

cover the 1st seam with dry fibers

Once you've covered the first side of the seam, cover with window screen, wet-down, remove screen, cover with plastic, flip over to the other side of the seam. Repeat by placing dry fibers on the other side of the seam, repeat the wet-down, cover with plastic.

Spend several minutes rubbing the seamed area encased in plastic. Since you are forcing the fibers through TWO LAYERS OF SILK at the seam, spend more time on the Rubbing Stage than you did with the main body of the scarf.

Remove the plastic completely, place the seamed area of the scarf on a dry towel and SAND BOTH SIDES using the same sanding technique - several passes both perpendicular and vertical. (If you don't use a sander, you'll need to take the seamed area and repeat the same rolling process you used for the rest of the scarf, double the time and double the effort!)

sand the seam area on both sides

You now have an infinity loop!

While your scarf is damp and before you throw and agitate to finish up the nuno felting process, this is the perfect time to inspect all the edges of your loop and trim any excess areas. (You can sand the cut areas to seal them or just leave them alone because the edges will seal when you throw the scarf.)

OPTION - Roll your damp, sanded infinity scarf: This topic is already covered in the Chapter on Sanding in Nuno Felting Tips & Tricks, but I highly recommend you roll your scarf before you throw.

1. place your loop on the smooth side of your solar pool cover

2. since it's just damp, spritz both sides of the loop with clean, soapy water to saturate

3. roll 100 times vertically, fold in half, turn 45 degrees to the side, roll 100 times.

Proceed to throwing and agitation.

FINISHED MEASUREMENTS: The recommended starting measurements for the silk scarf base is 55" long by 8-11" wide. I used a piece of hand-dyed 4.5 silk gauze 55" by 9". The finished measurement of this Infinity Scarf (pictured below) is 42" around, 21" from neckline to the bottom of the loop, and 7.5" wide.

throwing and agitation done! still-wet infinity loop

For tips on Throwing, Water Temps (I use the All-Cold-Water method) and Agitation, all those topics are covered in Nuno Felting Tips & Tricks.

TOMORROW:

I'll review what's so special about bamboo with a closer look at the finished surface of this infinity scarf. I'll also list the many advantages of using a portable electric sander for most nuno felting projects.

Project Infinity Scarf - Finishing the Main Body of the Scarf

2012-01-22T03:50:00.000-08:00

Please note that the photos don't represent the true colors of the fibers and silk in this Project; I've exaggerated the contrast to make the steps more visible in these posts.

To create your Infinity Scarf, you need to nuno felt the main body of the scarf and take it completely through the Sanding Stage to prepare it for joining the ends to make a loop.

scarf after first wet-down

Once you've completed the Rubbing Stage, remove the scarf from the plastic, place on a dry clean towel and begin using your sander. The entire process of sanding is covered in detail in Nuno Felting Tips & Tricks. The photos here illustrate how you need to make several "passes" over BOTH SIDES of your wet nuno felted fabric with the sander. (Please note that using a sander REPLACES the need to do most of the rolling in solar pool cover/bubble wrap!)

sand perpendicular to the length of the scarf

sand vertical along the length of the scarf

When you've finished sanding the main body of the scarf, the nuno fabric will be damp and easy to work with. NEXT: Join the ends and make a seam for your loop, cover with fibers, wet-down and sand.

ISSUES: Before we go on to the next step, you may have already noticed that BAMBOO can be a bit "fussy" when it comes to "sticking" to your silk at the same rate that merino wool does. When you're sanding, you may find that the BAMBOO fibers dry out & often pull away from the silk! Don't despair - it's easily fixed!

Even if you increased the time and effort in the Rubbing Stage to make sure this high non-wool content migrates through your silk base, there are going to be areas of the fiber that happen to have a lot more non-wool (here it's bamboo) content, and those sections are just more tempermental.

Have your spritz bottle with clean soapy water handy. Set the sander aside and spray to wet those sections of bamboo that pull away while sanding. If you placed a dry towel under your nuno fabric, it will absorb any excess moisture. Wait a minute, then sand that section - it should stick. If it doesn't, repeat until it sticks. (It also helps if you spritz it, turn it over and sand it from the other side!)

after sanding, start getting your ends ready to make your seam

Project Infinity Scarf - Handpainted, Mixed-Fiber Roving

2012-01-21T11:58:00.000-08:00

The best way to start off on your adventure with these special fibers is to buy them machine-carded as I did from FatCatKnits.com. This post is an expansion of several chapters in Nuno Felting Tips & Tricks about choosing the best fibers online - not all dyers do it this well! This bamboo/merino mix is a fabulous example of the best handpainted & mixed fibers for the money.

The braided roving is fluffy and soft. You can easily see the bamboo fibers throughout the roving rope (more white than color because bamboo doesn't absorb as much dye as merino wool) so it's well-mixed, well-carded and beautifully handpainted.

UNBRAIDED

Open and unloop the braid (all good handpainted roving comes in a braid).

This roving has three basic colors plus white - and the 3 colors vary from light to dark. Green, aqua and yellow accented with white, much of which is white bamboo.

Most variegated, handpainted roving (also referred to as spiral-dyed) has at least 3 colors.

Because the colors repeat themselves all along the four ounce length, you don't want to just PULL YOUR WISPS to layout your design from ONLY ONE END of the roving rope (as you would with all-one-color roving).

To make sure you disperse your colors throughout your design, the best thing to do is to PULL OFF a section of the entire roving rope about 1/2" to 1" in diameter so you lay out the fibers in the same color variation (make a "mini" roving rope). By doing it with only a small portion of the entire length of the handpainted roving rope, you also have more control over where you put your colors.

shows the high quality of this handpainted fiber

shows how easy it is to pull off wisps from the roving rope

For this Project, I am going to let the fibers and the silk scarf base aqua color speak for themselves --- a SIMPLE layout along the length of the silk scarf base in only one direction - lengthwise.

shows initial layout of fibers on edge

This photo shows the layout of the dry fibers, pulled in wisps, at one end of the silk base for the Infinity Scarf. As you can see, I left a couple of inches WITHOUT fiber at this end (do the same for the other end) because these two uncovered ends will be OVERLAPPED about an inch to join the scarf together to MAKE THE LOOP once the Rubbing Stage and Sanding Stage are completed.

Each side needs to be laid out in the design/color array of your choice, covered with window screen, wet-down, remove window screen, cover with plastic, flip over and repeat. You can now proceed to the Rubbing Stage while the scarf & fiber is encased completely in plastic.

You'll need to cover BOTH SIDES of the silk scarf base with fiber to make your Infinity Scarf. (You don't have to but it sure looks and wears better if you nuno felt both sides.)

TIPS:
1. Extend your fibers beyond the lengthwise edges about 1/4" to 1/2" off the silk; it makes a cleaner and stronger all-fiber edge. (After wetting-down, you can "clean up" the edges with your fingers or use a ruler to push them into an even line.)
2. You can place your fibers in the same positions on both sides of the silk or VARY THE LAYOUT --- completely up to you. I like to vary it because it makes the scarf so versatile, it will look one way on one side, and completely different on the other when you turn it inside-out. Fabulous!!!

STEPS AND STAGES: All of the steps I have adapted for my own use over the years are already covered in detail in Nuno Felting Tips & Tricks. Your own method may be much more effective for the way you like to work. This Project is meant to illustrate how to buy and use mixed, handpainted fibers and how to make that into an Infinity Loop design.

Please note that you need to INCREASE THE TIME you spend on the Rubbing Stage because it takes a lot more effort to make the HIGH BAMBOO FIBER CONTENT migrate through your silk base fabric. (I'll tell you more about some of the problems you may encounter with this high-non-wool bamboo content.)

TOMORROW: Tomorrow's post will review SANDING (with photos) and move on to show you how to: (1) join the two ends to make the seam for your loop (2) cover and wet-down this seam and (3) sand the seam and FINISH your Infinity Loop!

If you don't use a sander, prepare yourself for double the work! You have to nuno felt the scarf 3/4 done and then DO THE SAME all over again for the seam, meaning you have to nuno felt the scarf twice! If you use a sander, it's only takes a few extra minutes to make a looped scarf!

Project Infinity Scarf - Supplies

2012-01-19T17:35:00.000-08:00

bamboo/merino handpainted roving with silk

You'll need up to 2 oz of mixed-fiber roving with either bamboo/merino or tencel/merino or even silk/merino.

Of course you can use any wool fibers you have on hand, but the purpose of this Project is to show what you need to do when you add non-wool fibers to your nuno felt designs.

The 100% silk base for the Infinity Scarf (one loop) is 55" long by 8"-11" wide. I'm using 4.5m silk gauze. (I recommend you use from 3m to 5m but no heavier.)

There will be an overlap of at least one inch when you join the two silk ends together to form your Loop.

The project which starts this weekend will be broken up into stages to show what's so different and interesting about working with mixed-fiber rovings (handpainted) and why I am such a fan of these beauties.

It may open a whole new world of nuno felt designs, oh so seasonal, that will inspire you to keep nuno felting!

Project Infinity Scarf - Preparation

2012-01-18T05:51:00.000-08:00

Handpainted Roving Braids from FatCatKnits.com

My hand-dyed mixed-fiber roving has arrived! Bamboo/Merino (the aqua on left) and Tencel/Merino (the other 2 roving braids) in lovely color combinations.....took over a week to get to me, which always tests my patience.

Over the weekend I'll start the Infinity Scarf Project and post pix for you as it goes along.

The fibers are from FatCatKnits.com. Ginny started selling on Etsy and still has a store on that site but it's best to go to her main store site for access to all her terrific fibers, colors, and fiber combinations!

Handpainted/dyed rovings are available in a number of select colorways based on fiber content which includes all-merino, 40/60 bamboo/merino and 50/50 tencel/merino (and much much more).

The prices for handpainted/dyed rovings are close to double that for one-color commercial merino rovings or $18 for 4 oz. braids. Shipping takes a week or more.

If you haven't used mixed-fiber rovings before, pick one bamboo/merino and one tencel/merino so you can try out these non-wool fibers for yourself. Please note that they take LONGER to nuno felt because you are felting a fiber with a high content of NON-WOOL fibers.

If you spend 30% more time in the first few stages of nuno felting, you will be successful. Increase the time you spend on the initial Rubbing Stage and double up on the time spent using a portable electric sander and you will be happy with the results.

NOTE: When working with a high non-wool content (anything above 20%) I recommend you work with a sander (or expect to triple the number of rolls immediately after the first Rubbing Stage).

More About Icelandic Wool for Making Felted Shapes

2012-01-14T08:23:00.000-08:00

Icelandic Wool Vase

I've been recommending Icelandic Wool to make feleted vessels and shapes in blog posts. Recent searches for new sources to buy this wonderful fiber are popping up all over!

Lots of details and products are available here:

http://www.frelsifarm.com/storefront.htm

Short Fiber Merino - a new US source

2012-01-09T03:20:00.000-08:00

cobalt blue

One of the greatest benefits of having published a book about nuno felting is that now I hear from lots of nuno felters who write to me to ask for more information about supplies, dyeing tips and generously share their own tips for better nuno felting. It's wonderful!

I just heard about a US source for Short Fiber Merino - New England Felting Supply - and this is how they describe it on the site:
...the merino wool is chopped short in the batt preparation, it's simply the fastest felting wool we know of. And because the short fibers result in a tight, super-smooth 17 micron finish, it's the wool of choice for experienced designers and felt jewelry makers who dislike "hairy jewelry syndrome".

They offer 33 colors for $14.00 per 4 oz. which is 40% more expensive than commercial merino wool roving.

I've just placed my first order so I'll be able to share my own experience using it - and I'm very excited to try out a few new designs swimming around in my head. Until now, it's been impossible to find a US supplier of Short Fiber Merino which is already very popular in Europe but is just catching on here.

You'll love the color selection - it's similar to what's available when you search for the more expensive Australian Merino Rovings.

There are so many wonderful sections and lots of info on the site, you'll want to spend some time looking around:

http://feltingsupply.com

Other Than Wool Fibers for Nuno Felting

2012-01-04T01:36:00.000-08:00

50/50 Tencel/Merino handpainted

The start of a new year is a great time to re-assess, re-think, and try some new ideas for your nuno felting projects.

If you create to sell, then you are certainly working at a slower pace. If you plan to give your own gifts for Valentine's Day, now is the time to try something completely different.

I'm scouting for a particular color combo based on some lovely Caribbean Blue silk I got from a friend who dyes her own fabrics like I do --- definitely a "summer color" that cries out for a bamboo/merino or tencel/merino mix.

Etsy.com is currently the only marketplace that still has a few great shops that sell handpainted and spiral-dyed mixed rovings with these 2 non-wool fibers that are wonderful for nuno felting.

They're expensive, so you may want to order just 1 or 2 4-oz. lots (pick colors that immediately appeal to you) and plan projects centered on the color combos.

Nuno Felting Tips & Tricks has chapters on Non-Wool Fibers and Choosing Colors plus a chapter on what to look for when you buy handpainted rovings online.

Here are a few tips on using Tencel and Bamboo/Merino rovings:

1. Mixed, hand-dyed rovings usually have at least 3 colors so you have lots of options for choosing the color of your base fabric. Each color will result in a different effect.
2. Tencel and Bamboo do not felt and do not shrink on their own -- they felt and shrink when added to wool. Therefore your nuno felt project using these mixes will shrink a lot less than 40% from start to finish.
3. Using a lighter fabric (3m or 3.5m silk) may give you better results.
4. You'll get a color effect that's always lighter when you use handpainted Tencel or Bamboo - that's because these fibers do not absorb color the same way all-wool fibers do. The dyes rarely saturate the entire fiber, so you often get a lot of white highlights but this can be the most fascinating result when you work with non-wool fibers.

When I find just what I'm looking for, I'll take you through a nuno felt design from start to finish so you can see for yourself that using Tencel and Bamboo may be the inspiration you need to continue nuno felting.

Nuno Felting Tips & Tricks for the iPad, Nook, Kindle & Softcover Edition

2011-12-24T09:35:00.000-08:00

Nuno Felting Tips & Tricks

Softcover book:
http://tinyurl.com/3zto8ef

NOOK eBook:
http://tinyurl.com/733a8sl

Kindle:
http://tinyurl.com/44xmk36

iBook from iTunes for the iPad, Pod and Phone:
http://tinyurl.com/3vl8zdt

EPUB eBook for your PC, laptop or tablet:

http://tinyurl.com/3zto8ef

Tencel

2011-12-12T01:44:00.000-08:00

tencel & merino

Tencel:
Tencel is the registered trade name for Lyocell, which is a biodegradable fiber/fabric made from wood pulp cellulose. It was developed in the 90's and mimics most of the same characteristics of Rayon without the wrinkling!

Since Tencel is very difficult to dye, you'll find colored Tencel in custom fiber mixes from small producers on many of the marketplace sites that still offer these wonderful products.

I started using Tencel in my nuno felt designs because I was intrigued by what it does when it's wet-felted. It has a "crimp" and distinct squiggly effect that goes beyond Bamboo. It also has a different hand when it's felted.

Most of the mixes I've used are 40-50% Tencel carded with merino wool, spiral-dyed.

Like any other non-wool fiber, Tencel has the same characteristics. It needs to be felted with wool and it shrinks along with the wool because it does not felt by itself.

It also produces a more translucent and "high loft" effect similar to Bamboo but more dramatic. If you compare the 2 fibers next to each other Tencel looks "more dry" than Bamboo and tends to dominate the look of the felted surface.

I love the look plus Tencel is perfectly suited for nuno felted designs intended for the warmer months of the year. (You'll see what I mean when you try out a tencel/merino mix for yourself.)

center fiber is hand-dyed tencel/merino

Be prepared because Tencel takes a lot longer to nuno felt even when it's machine-carded with wool!

NOOK Book - Nuno Felting Tips & Tricks now available in the B&N Bookstore!

2011-12-06T18:03:00.000-08:00

now a Nook eBook

The book is finally available for the Nook:

http://tinyurl.com/733a8sl

The more BAMBOO, the better!

2011-11-29T03:19:00.000-08:00

fiberlady.com

Many nuno felters use non-wool fibers to add interest to their designs - silk is the most popular choice - but for some reason silk fibers have never appealed to me or provided enough of a textural contrast. I don't even like drum-carded merino/silk mixes because the final extra-glossy surface tends to dominate the whole look of the nuno felted fabric when it's done.

Since I like all things bamboo, I discovered unspun, hand-colored bamboo fibers when I was looking for an alternative to silk and have been using bamboo for years. It has a gloss and shine that is similar to silk fibers but has an interesting effect when it's wet-felted that silk can't imitate.

Bamboo produces a very distinct & lovely "squiggle" when it's wet-felted/nuno felted which can be made even more dramatic by placing the bamboo on the top of your dry fiber layout (anchored with wisps of wool, of course).

When I mix bamboo and merino (or other 100% wool fibers) it produces an ultra-light, almost transparent effect depending on how much bamboo I incorporate.

If you're trying it out for the first time, buy a mix that's 60/40 merino/bamboo and plan to spend 30% more time during each stage of the nuno felting process to make sure your fibers migrate through your base fabric.

I often mix my fibers with hand-carders - if you read that chapter in Nuno Felting Tips & Tricks, it describes how to use this tool to mix bamboo into your fibers before you lay out your design --- I guarantee that you will love the results!

Hands down, the best source for white, black and dyed bamboo is:
http://fiberlady.com

You'll get primo quality, stunning colors and you can buy as little as 1 ounce! I recommend that you order at least 1 ounce of black and white bamboo as well because you will certainly find a use for them in your projects.

If you order from Fiberlady, please tell them I sent you to their online store.

Icelandic Wool Makes Wonderful Felted Shapes

2011-11-24T10:56:00.000-08:00

To prepare for a bunch of craft shows starting next week, I had break out the Icelandic Wool Roving to start making felted vessels and luminaries.

This set uses the Baby Gertie as the shape-making resist so the pots are only 5" by 4".

I've made a lot of felted shapes and vessels and it's such a joy to use Icelandic Wool that I recommend you try it - it felts with cold water and soap in a matter of minutes.

It's also easy to shape, add fibers to strengthen the opening, cover thin spots or holes, and needle felt to add dimension once you've completed the wet-felted base.

Icelandic Wool is more readily available in the US than it was 2-3 years ago. The commercial fiber sources still don't carry it, but you can usually find small farmers who sell washed and carded Icelandic in its natural colors (includes off-white, light and dark grey, and light and dark brown).

It's one of those "fool-proof" fibers for making felted vessels because, really, even if you don't know what you're doing when you start, it's so easy that you will want to continue to experiment with Icelandic.

For these precious little pots I hand-carded light and dark grey Icelandic with bright green colonial wool and teal merino to spice up the final colors. (The pots are finished off with GAC400 fabric stiffener painted on the inside once they're dry.)

There's something very comforting about the all natural look of felted Icelandic!

MORE about making felted shapes and vessels AND using fabric stiffeners in: Nuno Felting Tips & Tricks
http://tinyurl.com/44xmk36

Nuno Felted Cords and Beads

2011-11-13T03:50:00.000-08:00

If you've already made felted cords, you can easily turn them into nuno felted cords by adding fabric to your fibers as you roll and felt.

Details on how to make them is covered in my book.

I started making NUNO FELTED BEADS because it was impossible to find simple, large-holed beads to embellish my finished nuno felted cords.

NUNO FELTED BEADS are created using the same cord making method. To create beads with holes (for stringing) form your fibers and fabric around a bamboo skewer (8-10" long) chopstick or thin plastic tubing available from jewelry supply sites.

You can make your bead-tube as long as you want and cut it into individual beads.

I found that once the beads are cut, they need to be sanded and trimmed to remove any rough edges. Always soak in a vinegar rinse to remove residual soap. Remember to dry your beads by stringing them back on your original shaping tool.

You can embellish your beads further with hand embroidery or beading -- the sky's the limit!

NOTE: There are several methods for creating felted beads some of which may be a lot easier than my method! It's a lot of detail work, very time consuming, and requires countless steps from start to finish. Use your microwave and sander to speed up the process - all of that is covered in Making Nuno Felted Cords in Nuno Felting Tips & Tricks.

Infinity Nuno Felt Scarves

2011-11-05T18:08:00.000-07:00

Honeypot

One of my delightful customers loves infinity scarves and asked me to make one. This is where my "overthinking" comes into play because I have the terrible habit of figuring out in my head how to make something with 20 steps when all it needs is 10.
Eventually, I figure out it's a lot easier done to just do it.

Infinity Scarves are the looped scarves that are one piece that you just throw on and forget about. Perfect for felt and nuno felt.

These are the basic steps to make a loop that's 20" total length (that means the loop is 40" around). You can make it any length, but if you're going to pick a long one, make sure you can loop it around your own head twice.

Your fabric base for 40" should be 52" long - it'll shrink 10" lengthwise plus 2" for your overlap. Pick a width and plan for 2" to 5" shrinkage depending on how you layer your fibers on both sides.

I recommend you felt both sides of the fabric and completely cover all the edges because it will just look and feel better as a loop.

Leave 2" on each end of your fabric without any fibers at all - you'll use this to overlap your fabric when you join them to make a loop.

Lay out your design on both sides of the fabric and take it all the way through the sanding step. Essential because you want to make sure your fibers have migrated through and are firmly attached.

You have lots of options here because you can either continue with the same fiber layout and design you have or use this "loop section" to create a focus area. For example, on a black and white infinity design, you can make the overlap area all black with a cutout design, or an all-white lattice design -- you get the idea.

After sanding***, your nuno fabric is just damp and easy to work with.

Match up your fabric ends (overlap as needed) and arrange the rest of the loop away from this area so you can work on it.

Cover with fibers, wet, press, rub, sand - the whole routine - both sides. Make sure you cover the seams of your overlapped fabric so they don't show in the final design.

Trim the edges if they need it and sand those edges to seal them.

Throw, agitate and do your finishing steps, and you'll have an infinity nuno felted scarf!

NOTE: Nuno felt is perfectly suited to the infinity style because you can double the loop-length for a double wrap. You can pull, twist and loop like you would a knitted scarf and get it to look just the way you want it to look when you wear it.

infinity loop

***If you follow the detailed directions for using a portable electric sander in my book Nuno Felting Tips & Tricks, it makes a huge difference when you place a dry towel under your wet nuno fabric to do your sanding. Not only does it soak up extra water, it helps gently agitate the fabric and fibers as you sand.

I wouldn't even attempt this without my handy dandy sander!

Another Felting Machine Made in Felting Heaven!

2011-11-01T04:25:00.000-07:00

Thanks to a note from one of my favorite nuno felt scarf customers, there's a new felting rolling machine on the market from the Netherlands called the GROOVi which looks like it can make felted rugs for an entire house in 2 days then knock out a few winter coats for the family!

It's intriguing, please go have a look for yourself:
http://www.groovi.nl/felting%20machines.html

As I said in a earlier post about these production felting machines, it took several years before small US manufacturers started making them (see http://feltcrafts.com/) at a lower price.***

The time, effort and heavy manual labor you spend making felt and nuno felt can get to the point where I am sure you (like me) dream up machines that will do it all for you!

What I like about rolling machines is that the fibers and fabric still need to be designed and prepared so it doesn't diminish the skills and talents you need to create felt and nuno felt.

***there isn't a US supplier for the GROOVi, you'll need to contact the company for more info.

If you've bought a felting rolling machine or ordered one from abroad, I've love to hear your story.

eBook Editions of Nuno Felting Tips & Tricks

2011-10-29T02:10:00.000-07:00

Nuno Felting Tips & Tricks is available as an EBOOK updated with lots of new posts on felting vessels and cords, using Gerties and more..

Those of you who have been following my blog for the last 2 years know there are literally hundreds of nuno felting secrets, tips & tricks that are no longer available here -- they were moved to my Softcover Edition on Lulu.com.

That book is NOW AVAILABLE AS A EBOOK; for the Kindle $9.99, iPad/iPhone $12.95 [same price for the EPUB edition], and for the Nook $11.95

The Kindle Edition
http://tinyurl.com/44xmk36

The EPUB Edition
EPUB's can be viewed on any device that uses free viewing software Adobe Digital Editions. You can purchase the book and get the free software on the same page here:
http://tinyurl.com/3aqevqd

The iPad, iPhone, iPod Edtion
Available at the iTunes Bookstore.
http://tinyurl.com/3vl8zdt

OR you can click on the link to the iTunes Bookstore right on the Lulu page here:
http://tinyurl.com/3aqevqd

For the NOOK
http://tinyurl.com/733a8sl

DETAILS ABOUT THE NEW EBOOK VERSION:
*all posts on making felted vessels and shapes
*needle felting & nuno felting
*info on using fabric stiffeners when making felted shapes
*how to work with Gertie resists
*how to make nuno felted cords
*and more

Topics include:
Picking the best fibers and fabric
Dyeing your own silk with Rit and Dylon
Using a microwave
Using a portable electric sander - detailed directions
How to make holes and cut-outs
Soaps for nuno felting
Get the most out of your solar pool cover
Learn how to make great edges and ends
Learn how to make roving "yarn"
What to look for when buying fibers online
Best throwing technique
Using the "all cold water" method
Ruffles - the hot new trend
Nuno felting with Cotton Voile
Using non-wool fibers in your designs
How to hand card your own custom fiber-mixes
plus many, many more

Using Gerties as Resists for Making Felted Vessels and Shapes

2011-10-26T07:53:00.000-07:00

nuno felted bowls

Wet-felting resists are templates that you make from water-resistant materials (eg plastic bubble wrap) to act as a shape-making form for felted vessels and shapes.

Gertie Balls are inflatable balls that come in several sizes from baby to mondo (4" baby size is already inflated) available in most toy stores and online.

Gerties were adopted by felters as soon as they came on the market because they are cheap and have a fabulous sticky surface -- by design Gerties are throw-balls with a great grip!

Hat makers, bag makers, every felter I know replaced their very expensive model-molds with Gerties.

You can also use all sizes to create wonderful all-fiber, paper-thin and nuno felted vessels and shapes.

Gerties let you stick on fibers and fabrics with minimal effort - even better if you spritz your layers with soapy water as you form your shapes!

Nuno Felting Tips & Tricks has 2 Chapters on felted shapes - one on using Gerties, and another on using fabric stiffeners to make your thin felted shapes more durable.

Softcover Edition - Nuno Felting Tips & Tricks - NEW EDITION

2011-10-15T06:32:00.000-07:00

Nuno Felting Tips & Tricks Softcover Edition has the same new information included in all the eBook versions!

The New Updated Softbook has added:
*all recent posts on making felted vessels and shapes
*needle felting & nuno felting
*info on using fabric stiffeners when making felted shapes
*how to work with Gertie resist
*how to make nuno felted cords

TOPICS IN THE BOOK INCLUDE:
Picking the best fibers and fabric
Dyeing your own silk with Rit and Dylon
Using a microwave
Using a portable electric sander - detailed directions
How to make holes and cut-outs
Soaps for nuno felting
Get the most out of your solar pool cover
Learn how to make great edges and ends
Learn how to make roving "yarn"
What to look for when buying fibers online
Best throwing technique
Using the "all cold water" method
Ruffles - the hot new trend
Nuno felting with Cotton Voile
Using non-wool fibers in your designs
How to hand card your own custom fiber-mixes
plus many, many more!

You can now browse and buy the book and eBook on Lulu.com***

***The NEW, updated Lulu Softcover edition has:
-a new and complete Table of Contents
-larger pictures and larger print

Wonderful, Versatile Alpaca

2011-10-12T10:23:00.000-07:00

natural alpaca

If you love to experiment with fibers and would like to try other than 100% wool (includes merino, colonial, polwarth, bfl, etc.) you are likely to enjoy nuno felting with Alpaca available in several natural shades from white, light tan, all the way to dark chocolate brown.

Alpaca fibers are as soft if not softer than merino and felts up as wonderfully as all-wool. It also has a lovely gloss when it's finished.

Alpaca is a well-known alternative for those who love the look and feel of wool but can't wear it close to the skin. Called a "wool allergy" it's really a reaction to the natural oils in wool which does cause discomfort for those with sensitive skin.

Those who can't wear wool can easily wear Alpaca.

The only drawback is that it's a long-length fiber with a definite "hairy" look when it's felted -- and it sheds for the first 9-10 wearings. (All Alpaca garments shed at the beginning of wear.)

I buy my Alpaca fibers from AlpacaDirect.com but there are literally thousands of sites, farmers, and Alpaca enthusiasts who will recommend their favorite sources for this versatile fiber. Fiber fans, knitters, and Alpaca farmers are a lively, active, and engaged community who readily share their love for everything-Alpaca.

Google "alpaca nuno felt" and you'll find lots of new tips & tricks for nuno felting that are both innovative and inspiring!

Prefelts (aka felt that isn't finished felting)!

2011-10-04T18:34:00.000-07:00

Outback Fibers Prefelt Sheets

Prefelts are pieces of felt that are 75% done. The fibers are wet felted and/or needle felted and meshed together enough that they can be picked up, shaped and cut-- but they must be felted another 25% to make them wearable and durable.

You can make your own prefelts by wet felting (fast with a portable sander!), needle felting, use a Felt Rolling Machine or buy them in various sizes.

Outback Fibers has a great selection (theirs are needle felted). Several other felters make and sell them in every size from 9"x9" squares to 80"x30" sheets.

When buying Prefelts, make sure the product details specify that they are "partially felted" and contain mostly wool fibers. This is important because only partially felted wool will still have enough flexibility in it for the fibers to migrate through your fabric base for nuno felting.

Outback Fibers gives great tips and ideas about how to use their Prefelted Sheets with illustrations of fabulous felted jackets and coats. The great advantage of Prefelted Sheets is that they are all one thickness - essential when making garments.

If you like geometrics or love to make designs with distinct shapes and sharp color definition, prefelts are the way to go.

My famous "Leaf Motif" nuno scarves with up to 36 felted leaves woven into the design are made with my own prefelts whipped out in a flash with a portable sander. (Yes, it's a lot of extra planning and work, but well worth the effort.)

I usually create prefelts that have a 60/40 mix of merino and bamboo or merino and silk, or all 3 fibers.

Once I cut the prefelt into the shapes I want for my designs, they are much more interesting if they include a unique fiber-texture in addition to the rest of the fibers used in the nuno felted fabric. (The more you look, the more you see!)

INSIDER TIP: You can enhance the "stickability" of prefelted sheets by adding a thin layer of dry fibers in your layout between the sheet and your fabric. If you've seen the new trend in nuno felting where the felt is lightly anchored to the base fabric in "waves" in a 3-dimensional effect, this is a clever way to use prefelted sheets in nuno felted designs.

Nuno Felting & Portable Electric Sanders

2011-09-23T03:56:00.000-07:00

The question I get asked most is how to use a portable electric sander for nuno felting. Several new books on this fiberart mention sanders but few give detailed instructions. So many felters use this tool today that it's just one of many that we can't live without!

Few books talk about WHY - why use a portable electric sander?

Because it knocks out a huge chunk of the time and tremendous effort it takes to create nuno felt.

It eliminates the need to roll your nuno felting project many hundreds of times at the beginning of the process - BUT MUCH MORE IMPORTANTLY - it helps you improve your designs! In fact, the more you use a sander, the more ways you will find to use it for:
1. finishing edges and ends
2. sealing edges and ends after you trim & shape
3. make prefelts fast & easy

My EBOOK and Lulu Softcover Book Nuno Felting Tips & Tricks both have a detailed section on just how to use a sander when you nuno felt. If you use this method, you'll use your sander for every project!

I can't live without my current fave, the Black & Decker 1/3rd sheet vibrating plate - priced under $30 from several sources including home improvement stores and online.

It's light and easy to handle, has a easy-to-reach On/Off switch, and has a tolerable noise level. In fact, I just replaced my 2 year old worn out model with a new one, same model, same great performance!