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Never Felt Better
Listed under: Trend Report
Published: Wednesday, April 02, 2008
Sarah Tremelling of Blooming Felt reveals why more people are using felt to make beautiful modern accessories
There has definitely been a rise in the popularity of felting. I've only been involved in the craft for about 18 months or so, but even in that short time I've noticed it become extremely popular. It's not just wet felting; people are experimenting with needle felting and fulling, whereby you can felt knitted and crocheted products by shrinking them in the washing machine – whether that's intentional or not!
It's an easy craft to get into. Wet felting is a bit messy and it's a lot of hard work! Needle felting (where carded wool is matted using a felting needle on a spongy base) really seems to have taken off. All you need for this is a high density foam pad, some wool roving and a needle, so it's not expensive. The variety of things you can make by experimenting is fantastic.
There are a lot of people who are traditionally knitters who have started going down the route of knitting bags, for example, and popping them in the washing machine to turn them into felt. I think they're doing this because it's a more funky way of knitting. By matting it altogether, it isn't obviously knitted and you can get some really lovely effects, especially if you're using different colours or types of wool.
The colours used in felting seem to follow fashion. This year I've noticed that everything is very bright and pastel shades aren't figuring anywhere near as much as they have in the past. People are buying lots of brighter, almost jewel-like colours.
Felt balls are popular. People are using them on bags, scarves, or as beads in jewellery making. I had a customer the other day who bought a selection because he was making bunting and wanted to intersperse them along it.
I think people traditionally used needle felting just for embellishment purposes and they would make pictures out of it. But now I know people that make miniature people, animals, fruit and veg. Some of the finished items I've seen on websites are just amazing!
Sarah Tremelling is a designer and the owner of Blooming Felt, an online store selling handmade felt accessories and supplies.
It's an easy craft to get into. Wet felting is a bit messy and it's a lot of hard work! Needle felting (where carded wool is matted using a felting needle on a spongy base) really seems to have taken off. All you need for this is a high density foam pad, some wool roving and a needle, so it's not expensive. The variety of things you can make by experimenting is fantastic.
There are a lot of people who are traditionally knitters who have started going down the route of knitting bags, for example, and popping them in the washing machine to turn them into felt. I think they're doing this because it's a more funky way of knitting. By matting it altogether, it isn't obviously knitted and you can get some really lovely effects, especially if you're using different colours or types of wool.
The colours used in felting seem to follow fashion. This year I've noticed that everything is very bright and pastel shades aren't figuring anywhere near as much as they have in the past. People are buying lots of brighter, almost jewel-like colours.
Felt balls are popular. People are using them on bags, scarves, or as beads in jewellery making. I had a customer the other day who bought a selection because he was making bunting and wanted to intersperse them along it.
I think people traditionally used needle felting just for embellishment purposes and they would make pictures out of it. But now I know people that make miniature people, animals, fruit and veg. Some of the finished items I've seen on websites are just amazing!
Sarah Tremelling is a designer and the owner of Blooming Felt, an online store selling handmade felt accessories and supplies.
