What techniques do you use for making felt?

Answer 1

I learned to make felt by first carding my wool, then separating it into 3-4 pieces to put in layers. Put your layers onto something that you can roll up that will give you friction (I used bamboo placemats, but you could probably use something else. I know someone who uses window screen). Put all of this into some sort of tub, because you'll make a mess. Bathtubs work well. Then I created a soap solution (you don't need to be specific, but you don't need much soap. Dish soap works well, but you can experiment) and used my hands to splash it on the wool, just enough to get it wet. Roll up your placemat with the wool inside and essentially beat it for awhile. You can use a sort of kneading motion or pick it up and work at it, but you want to create stress on the fibers. Do this for a bit, then unroll the placemat, flip over the felt, and repeat. Use your best judgment as to when you are done--the end result should be about 30% smaller, and you shouldn't be able to pull the wool apart anymore. Rinse out the soap, work it a few more times, then rinse it again and hang it to dry.