Wet Felt
While I had the hot water, soap, and pan out on Saturday and because I was already making a mess, I decided to try some ordinary wet felt. I used the same fiber as for the handspun knitted felt and put pieces of the batts in the pan at to make two layers at 90 degree angles to each other. I didn't follow any particular pattern or set of instructions, but I approximated from memory what I've read on a dozen different websites and seen on a couple videos.
I think the batts felted more quickly and with less effort than the knit fabric. They also made a less even felt -- although I'm sure technique and experience have a lot to do with the lack of evenness. I first worked the felt with my hands, the beat it with the potato masher, then worked it with my hands, then the potato masher until the felt seemed quite solid. At that point, I put it in the washer with the second washing of the knit felt and then put it in the dryer. The traditional wet felt piece shrunk more in the washer/dryer than the knit piece did.
The wet felted piece is thicker and stiffer than the knit piece and much less even. It is, however, at least as solid and possibly less fuzzy.
Wet felting is clearly a faster method than spinning the fiber, knitting the piece, and then felting the knit fabric. I think the stiffness of the wet felted piece is an advantage for the sole of the slipper, but it might be too stiff for the uppers. The way I see it, if the felt is so tight as to be that stiff, then it probably will make an extremely durable slipper sole. I'd like the top of the slipper to be more flexible.
The knitted felt is more uniform and more flexible. I don't know if the flexibility is due to the slightly thinner fabric or a difference in the way the fabric is felted.
The next step -- ripping some seams to create a pattern.
I think the batts felted more quickly and with less effort than the knit fabric. They also made a less even felt -- although I'm sure technique and experience have a lot to do with the lack of evenness. I first worked the felt with my hands, the beat it with the potato masher, then worked it with my hands, then the potato masher until the felt seemed quite solid. At that point, I put it in the washer with the second washing of the knit felt and then put it in the dryer. The traditional wet felt piece shrunk more in the washer/dryer than the knit piece did.
The wet felted piece is thicker and stiffer than the knit piece and much less even. It is, however, at least as solid and possibly less fuzzy.
Wet felting is clearly a faster method than spinning the fiber, knitting the piece, and then felting the knit fabric. I think the stiffness of the wet felted piece is an advantage for the sole of the slipper, but it might be too stiff for the uppers. The way I see it, if the felt is so tight as to be that stiff, then it probably will make an extremely durable slipper sole. I'd like the top of the slipper to be more flexible.
The knitted felt is more uniform and more flexible. I don't know if the flexibility is due to the slightly thinner fabric or a difference in the way the fabric is felted.
The next step -- ripping some seams to create a pattern.
posted by Upper Alpacas | 6:49 PM
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