Felt Faction

material: Elina’s dyed prefelts 150g wool/m2
Please note that if you are using some other than this material, you have to make a sample piece in order to find out the shrinkage and other qualities!

The traditional felt lace is made of fleece not prefelt. You separate even, thin layers of fleece, then tear even triangles out of the layers and wind them in 45 degree angle into bars and build a crisscross of the bars (one under one over –techique)

Poor man’s feltlace is a variation which I have modified of the felt lace oroginated by Alexander Pilin.

Making the felt lace of fleece, it takes suprising amount of wool and time. Poor man’s version is a shortcut to happiness. The work is much faster and easier, yet you will have beautiful felt lace if you remember to felt carefully and thoroughly.

1.Cut out strips you need of prefelt. The strips should be 2,5 – 3 cms wide. You must use them doubled in order to get the crisscross firm. You can either needle two strips of the same width together into one thicker strip or you can cut the top strip thinner (about 1cm) and of different colour; you are able to get the support and decoration at the same time.
2.Build the crisscross (one under one over); this way you get both sides equally nice.
3.Needle the crisscross using needles like coarse, basic and pro.
4.Needle all joints very carefully. Do not let any seems showing. If the needling is not done thoroughly, the joints can open when felted.
5.Cut the end tips of the bars into triangle shape. If you prefer you may also leave them square. I prefer to leave the thinner strip to the side of the crisscross, not the the end of the bars.
6.Lay the bambu mat/a towel under the crisscross and start to felt the ends of the bars between your hands. Use very warm water and plenty of soap. If you have a bambu mat, you can rub and roll the ends of the bars against the mat
7.Wet the whole work with soapy water, set a see-through plastic on top of the crisscross and pour some soapy water on th eplastic. Felt the lace through the plastic for a while, then remove the plastic and start to roll the work inside the towel.

Roll the work from every 4 directions. Keep your work warm. Felt your work carefully using “one hand under the other on top” –technique. Felt also the joints from each side in order to get the sides beautiful and even (not wavy and fluffy). Pull an djerk the end tips of the bars and shape them even and elegant.

The finished feltlace is tight, durable and beautiful. Rinse the work with hot and cold water. Squeeze extra water out. Mold the lace into its final shape before you let it dry.
        
Poor man’s feltlace is beautiful as a piece decoration but it also makes an attractive addition to accessories (e.g. scarves, vests etc) and interior decorations.

The more end tips and holes you have in your crisscross, the more work you have to put into the felting. Start with a smaller crisscross. The end result is rewarding although making feltlace is hard for your hands.

Happy felting!

Building the felt lace

FELT LACE IN SCARFS