WIN A FREE NEW BOOK CONTEST

batts - how to use them for nuno felting

The first contest is here!

The question is:

How do you pick your colors and color combos when you plan out your nuno felt projects?

Answers due by May 29th in an email to:
nunofelt@earthlink.net

Winner will be notified by email on May 30th and your FREE NEW BOOK will be mailed to you on May 31.

(Please remember that the old book - Mini-Projects - goes out of print on May 31 - you can still get the print and digital editions until then, but it disappears on June 1.)

New Book - Now Available in Print & Kindle Digital Editions

Kindle Cover

Kindle Digital Edition*:
http://tiny.cc/x2bfxw

PRINT Edition on Amazon.com (at a discounted price):***
http://tiny.cc/lixmxw

buy direct in my online store
http://eneefabricdesign.etsy.com

Nuno Felting: NEW TOOLS, TIPS & SPECIAL TECHNIQUES

Create better, more intricate nuno felt faster!

Print Edition

TOPICS include:
Part 1:  Palm Washboard, Edge Tool, Felting Stone, Felting Mat
Part 2:  Tumbler & Shelf Liner Shortcuts, Rolling Machines
Part 3:  Color in Nuno Felting, Non-Wool Fibers, Using Cotton, Prefelts & Batts, What went wrong - my fibers fell off?!
Part 4:  How to make an Infinity Loop, add Ruffles, add Felt Lace, the Two Layer Technique, Mosaic Nuno Felt, add Prefelt Swirls
Part 5:  List of sources for supplies including fibers, tools and fabric

*NOTE:  The Kindle digital edition is readable on all Apple and Android devices including tablets and smartphones using free Kindle Reader software. 

***NOTE:  AVAILABLE IN ALL COUNTRIES THAT HAVE AN AMAZON-Books & Kindle site SO YOU CAN ORDER IT DIRECT AND PAY SHIPPING (for print) IN THAT COUNTRY.  Countries: UK, Canada, France, Brazil, Japan, Spain, Italy, Germany.

NEW BOOK REPLACES the old Mini-Projects Book - Update

new book!

NEW BOOK FROM NUNOFELTDESIGNS!

Nuno Felting: NEW TOOLS, TIPS & SPECIAL TECHNIQUES
Create better, more intricate nuno felt faster!

THE ORIGINAL MINI-PROJECTS BOOK WILL NO LONGER BE AVAILABLE AFTER MAY 31ST.  The projects included in that book have been updated and included in the NEW book along with dozens of the most popular blog posts in 2012 and 2013.

PLEASE don't hesitate to contact me if you have any questions about the new book nunofelt@earthlink.net

BOOKS by Nunofeltdesigns - NFT&T & NEW 2103 BOOK

NUNO FELTING TIPS & TRICKS - Second Edition

NFT&T has hundreds of secrets and tips for how to nuno felt better and faster using the newest and latest techniques and tools. It's so popular that it's now available in several bookstores and public libraries in the US and UK.   Available in print and digital editions.

TOPICS:
Best Silks for nuno felting with a list of types and weights
Cottons for nuno felting
How to dye your own fabrics with RIT and DYLON powdered dyes
Non-wool fibers and nuno felting
Using a microwave
Using a portable electric sander; detailed directions
How to "water" your nuno felt
Soaps for nuno felting
HOW AND WHEN TO MAKE HOLES & cut-outs
Learn how to make great EDGES and ENDS
Make "ROVING YARN" to create outlines & designs
What to look for when buying custom-dyed/mixed fibers online
Best throwing technique
Using the "ALL COLD WATER" method
TWO LAYER TECHNIQUE
Fix a "mistake" with needle felting
How to make NUNO FELTED CORDS & BEADS
plus many, many more!

PRINT EDITION on Amazon
http://tiny.cc/ro5jnw

or you can buy it from my online store at a discounted price
http://eneefabricdesign.etsy.com

KINDLE
http://tiny.cc/n3r4ew
_________________________________________________

Nuno Felting: NEW TOOLS, TIPS & SPECIAL TECHNIQUES

Create better, more intricate nuno felt faster!



Print COVER
 

TOPICS include:

Part 1: Palm Washboard, Edge Tool, Felting Stone, Felting Mat

Part 2: Tumbler & Shelf Liner Shortcuts, Rolling Machines

Part 3: Color in Nuno Felting, Non-Wool Fibers, Using Cotton, Prefelts & Batts, What went wrong - my fibers fell off?!

Part 4: How to make an Infinity Loop, add Ruffles, add Felt Lace, the Two Layer Technique, Mosaic Nuno Felt, add Prefelt Swirls

Part 5: List of sources for supplies including fibers, tools and fabric

Kindle COVER

Kindle Digital Edition*:

http://tiny.cc/x2bfxw

PRINT Edition on Amazon.com***:

http://tiny.cc/lixmxw
 

*NOTE: The Kindle digital edition is readable on all Apple and Android devices including tablets and smartphones using free Kindle Reader software.

***NOTE:  Available for purchase in both formats direct from all countries with an Amazon Book & Kindle sites.  If you are buying the print edition, you get a better shipping rate.  Countries:  UK, Canada, France, Brazil, Japan, Spain, Italy, Germany.

__________________________________________________

 

This book pictured here is no longer available for sale online.   I do have print copies available for sale, please see in my Etsy store.  Most of the projects in this book are now available in the NEW 2013 BOOK.   

contact me



 

Felted Vases & Bowls - What's the Best Stiffener to Use?

If you have made or plan to make felted shapes making them durable and/or usable often involves using a stiffener.  Felted shapes either need to be made with very thick walls or reinforced using additional products.

I like to make very thin felt bowls and vases including nuno felted shapes but they always need to be reinforced.  To this day I prefer Golden's GAC400 but also use the Elmer's Glue technique.  Both are detailed below.

GAC400

GAC400 is a milky-white acrylic medium available in art stores and from DickBlick.com online. 

It dries clear and is applied with a painter's brush mixed with 15-25% water to the inside of a completely-dry felt shape.  It takes about 2-3 hours to dry.  (Place in a sunny spot and it dries in 30 mins.)

I love using it because of it's convenience and easy clean up but it does alter the finished felt which is no longer 100% felt - that may prevent you from using it. 

It also has one big drawback and that is that it can leak through very thin felt shapes (like a nuno felted vase) which can create dark stains that ruin the outer surface. 

ELMER'S GLUE

Elmer's Glue is the better solution for felt shapes (especially nuno felted) that can't be painted on the inside because the opening is too small or the felted walls are too thin. 

It's messier to use but it might be the better stiffener for specific projects.

Mix it 1:1 with room temp water, mix to make sure the glue is completely dissolved.  Place in a bowl, place your completely-dry felted shape so it's covered by the water/glue solution and let it soak for 10 minutes.

Remove, squeeze out the excess, re-shape your vessel and set on a plastic or paper plate to dry - which can take several hours.  Check every few hours and pour off any excess liquid and flip over on its top half way through to make sure the bottom dries.

You can store the water/glue solution in a jar with a tight lid to use a second or third time before you have to mix a new batch. 

Elmer's Glue is better suited to very thin felted shapes because it doesn't lead to those dark spots when GAC leaks through to the outside layer and you can't tell when it's dry that any "stiffener" has been applied.  The fibers look and feel more natural.


GAC400 applied to inside

EXTRA TIP:

If you're using GAC400 and apply one coat, let it dry completely then pick up the shape and make sure it "stays in shape".  What I've learned making dozens of bowls over the past week is that it helps to add another layer of GAC400 to the bottom and around the rim (I only paint it on the inside) and let it dry completely again.  Don't be afraid to add as many layers as you need to to make your shape lasting and durable.



Solar Pool Cover - great buy great size

The new catalog arrived for PoolSupplies.com and their prices are just as good as last year for 4' x 8' 16 mil. Solar Pool Cover rectangular cuts for Blue (19.99) and Clear (24.99).

This is the perfect size for nuno felting; I cut mine in half and use the two for fabric based projects that are up to 22" wide and 90" long. 

Every 18 months I buy 2 (one of each color) so I can cut the second one up into strips and rectangles that are handy to use for all kinds of felting projects.

Blue is great if you are working on projects that use white and light colors (you can see the fibers and fabric edges better).  Clear is great for everything else.

http://www.poolsupplies.com/shop/covers/solar-covers/4-ft-x-8-ft-rectangular-solar-pool-covers

1-800-356-3025

SECRET:  These pool covers come with a big "seam" about 2/3rds up the 8-foot length that has no bubbles in it.  When I lay out a design it always ends up over this seam.  To make sure I have "bubbles side up" under my entire project I insert a cut-up piece of solar pool cover on top of this pesky seam (under my project) so that I have bubbles up during the essential and all-important Rubbing Stage.

Nuno Felt - How Long Does it Take?

UPDATED APRIL 2013

If you've been reading this blog on a regular basis you know that I add, change, and edit posts based on on what's new in nuno felting.  Many of the topics are in response to the search terms that readers use to find the blog. 

This is one of the most frequent: How Long Does it Take to Nuno Felt?

When I started several years ago nuno felting was a relatively unknown technique but I saw nuno felt scarves at a holiday craft show and went off on a quest to find out how to do it. Several months later Polly Stirling was in town for workshops and, without knowing she invented the technique, I was lucky enough to take a 2-day workshop right here in San Francisco.

That was it and I was off and running...but oh boy has nuno felting changed! and the more of you who work at it, the better the technique gets because all those creative minds working for better nuno felting have discovered and shared better and faster ways to do it!

When I think back to the days when it took up to 6 hours to create a completed piece and had nightmares about rolling things stuck inside solar pool cover until my arms fell off.....all that has changed dramatically and so much for the better!

If you use a portable electric sander and choose good quality fabric and wool fibers and use the right tools, you can finish most nuno felt projects in ONE HOUR.

sanding an infinity loop main body

Once you learn the basics and have success (which includes learning how to lay out your fibers, colors and designs plus variations in base fabrics) you can try other shortcuts including the TUMBLER method in your washer/dryer or try out the DRAWER LINER shortcut or use a FELT ROLLING MACHINE...or purchase one of the new WOOD TOOLS (they speed up the felting process) that have recently come to market...and who knows what other great tricks will pop up and gain popularity.

Most of my projects and designs take one hour to complete because I use a sander. (How to use a sander is included in NFT&T Second Edition.)

More complicated designs take 1.5-2 hours depending on how many techniques I use which can include the 2-Layer Method, Mosaic Nuno Felt Insets, adding fringe and/or felt lace, adding holes and cutouts and other tricks of the trade.

Nuno felting is so completely different today and, thanks to the creative contributions of fiber artisans and engineers around the world, it is getting easier to do -- which means it will continue to change, improve, expand and get more creative and better for those of us who love to nuno felt!

NEW TOOLS in addition to using a sander:
The new Palm Washboard from Heartfelt Silks (available direct and in their Etsy store) is one new tool that I've added to all my projects.  I use it during the last 5 minutes of the Rolling Stage.  For more info the full details on using a Palm Washboard will be included in the new book. 

sealing up the seam of an infinity loop

TIP: If you can take a nuno felt workshop it's really the best way to get started. The long list of steps, tools and supplies can be intimidating, but once you get the basics down, you're on the way to a very enjoyable fiber art. Most of the tools, supplies, fibers and fabrics (including how to use a sander) are detailed in Nuno Felting Tips & Tricks - Second Edition. You will get much more use out of the book once you have learned how to make basic nuno felt and start to familiarize yourself with what you need to do it with the best (and also most economical) tools you can find.

ADVICE:
If you're going to continue with nuno felting as a creative endeavor I recommend you use a sander.  At least get a Palm Washboard.  You'll enjoy it so much more if you aren't exhausted after completing a project.   If you're already an avid nuno felter your creative abilities will soar once you learn that you can add so much more to your projects and designs because you have the energy and inspiration to do just that!

Finishing Techiques - Stretch & Shape

When I find a new felting supplies source, meet a new felter, or get another great email from a blog fan I pick up all kinds of minutia about felting and nuno felting, remember it (somehow!) and often add it to my technique. And then wonder what took me so long to use that tip or trick because it leads to better nuno felting.

 

One of my latest sources for great tips is Treetops Colors Harmonies (http://treetopscolors.com.au) and their Felting Tips section that is full of very useful ideas on how to improve your felting and nuno felting techniques including this gem:

 

STRETCH AND SHAPE YOUR NUNO FELTED FABRIC

"Always stretch your work in the fulling stage. Inbetween tossing pull the piece in all directions trying to stretch it back to size. This will give the felt better drape and encourages the fulling process."

I probably learned how to do this a long time ago and not only forgot about it, I never really knew how important and significant stretching is!

If you're making a wearable like a scarf, wrap or garment the final "drape" of the nuno felted fabric is important because it looks better, wears better and shows off the special and unique qualities of this fascinating fiber art.

HOW AND WHEN TO STRETCH

All of this is done after you throw your nuno felted fabric:

1. Throw your fabric at least 25 times on a textured surface on one side, open it up, fold it up again with the other side exposed, throw another 25 times

2. Straighten out and flatten your fabric and pull out all the edges and ends

3. Dunk in soapy water so it's completely soaked through

(a) use cold water if you are using the All Cold Water Method***

(b) use warm to very hot water if you are using the heat-it-up method (which I rarely use anymore)

4. Toss your very wet fabric back on the textured surface, press down and rub it in all 4 directions (top, bottom, left, right) - this is known as Agitation

5. Pick up the fabric and pull it gently in one direction all along the length, then gently pull all along the width (this is STRETCHING)

It makes a huge difference! It even makes your ruffles "more ruffle-y."

There are times when you don't want to stretch your fabric and I learned the hard way that if you add embellishments under and/or over your fibers when you create your designs, you might "dislodge" these elements if you stretch it during the final stages.

For example, if you have added commercial or handmade yarn under or over your dry fiber layout that yarn is never as flexible as your loose fibers ----- if you stretch it, you may pull the yarn right off the fibers and fabric you worked so hard to felt into your fabric base. (I've made this mistake a lot more than once, yikes!)

Another way to think about it - if your embellishment(s) doesn't have a lot of textural "give" and flexibility it's not going to be flexible during stretching.

***Throwing, Agitation and the All Cold Water Method are covered in detail in Nuno Felting Tips & Tricks - Second Edition.  These are all basic techniques that you should learn and adapt as you need to fit your own skill level; you may not use them for every project but the more you nuno felt, the better you learn what works best for your creative process.

Finishing Techniques - Wrapped Edges

There are several methods for finishing off your edges and one of my favorite is the Wrap Technique.  It's one of the best ways to get a "crisp" straight edge and a perfect solution for fabric that frays easily like Cotton Harem Cloth.  It can also soften the edges and make a wearable more wearable.


wrapped edge on 50/50 merino/tencel

It's easy to do - it just takes more time up front.  The directions are for a one-fiber-sided design:
1.  Extend the layout of your fibers at least 1" off the edges (and ends if you choose)
2.  Wet down the fibers on fabric, remove all excess water
3.  Fold over your plastic sheeting and encase the project, flip over, remove plastic on other side
4.  Use your fingers or a 12-18" ruler to lift up the extended fibers and fold them over onto the fabric, press firmly OR
5.  Use the plastic to fold over the edge all in one go
6.  Make sure all your edges are covered with fibers - add more if you need to, wet down, press
7.  Cover the project again with plastic, flip over to the fiber side
8.  Use your hands or a Felting Stone to lightly rub the edges for a minute or two to make sure the wrapped edges are firmly pressed into the underside.
9.  Complete the Rubbing Stage and pay extra attention to the wrapped edges.

Your wrapped edges may or may not "show" in the final design - it all depends on the color of your fibers and base fabric.  In the example shown here the wrapped edges melt into the dark silk so that it looks like a natural result of the nuno felting process.

On other designs, the wrapped edge may be more prominent but you can play that up by varying the design of the fabric layout on the underside.  For example, you could create thin lines of fiber that extend into lines or swirls which will make the wrapped edge look like a deliberate design technique. 

Making Cobweb Felt

Great tutorial from Carolyn at GreenwoodFiberworks for all of the wonderful blog readers who have emailed me to ask about How to Make Cobweb Felt.  It's the best demo I've seen.  (Cobweb Felt is all felt, there is no fabric.)

I've used this techique several times but when using more than 20% non-wool fibers, rolling the design 50 times on one side and then 50 on the other was not sufficient to create felt.  With mixed fibers, I had to roll 150 on each side and then use a portable sander on both sides before throwing to full the felt.  (You don't have to use a sander at all, but I think it makes the finished felt a lot more durable.)

Carolyn uses two layers of window screen in the video but I only use one and wrap the wetted down fibers in plastic when I turn it over and roll it.  I also don't use my hands to rub the fibers like she does...when I do that, the fibers roll off and pill right through the screen.  Instead, I use a wadded up clean plastic bag for several minutes then switch to 4-5 minutes with my Felting Stone. 

NOTE:  I've purchased several handpainted/dyed rovings from GreenwoodFiberworks and loved every single one of them.  The fibers are in perfect nuno-felting condition and the colors are incredible...

This tutorial shows that handpainted rovings (mixed or not) can be felted in a flash without the need to think about color combos because it's already done!

You can also use this same layout technique ON FABRIC to get an "open weave" effect or use it on sections of your nuno felt layout to create the look in targeted areas.  It works really well on 100% cotton fabrics too. 

WHAT FIBERS ARE BEST FOR COBWEB FELT?

The best fibers to use for making cobweb felt are those that are easy to spread apart into a very thin layer and still stay "attached".

I personally prefer mixed fiber roving because it is easier to pull apart into a thin layer. 



BFL, merino & bamboo cobweb felt (no fabric base)

If you have roving in stock, sit in a comfortable chair and work on a sample  Take 8-10", pull out the outer sides, then pull at the center, turn over, repeat until the fibers are as thin as you can get them but still attached.  If you're pulling apart a long length (eg 86") it can take up to an hour to finish but once you're done, the layout and felting  can be done in a flash.  (I do all of my fiber-preparation sitting down-it's so much easier!  If you are spreading out your fibers correctly, it will stay intact enough that you can work on it for 10 mins., put down, return to finish when you can.)


Hand Carding Project - One of my MUST HAVE TOOLS

get materials ready

UPDATE May 2013:  This is a re-print of the chapter in the Mini-Projects Book on using hand carders to mix your own fibers/colors - a task I do for about 50% of my projects.

Now that the Mini-Projects Book has been folded into the NEW book, this particular chapter is NO LONGER AVAILABLE in the new book. 

You can only see it here online when it's available for view. 

WOOD HAND CARDERS - one of my must-have tools

I can't live without mine.  If you love that "marbled" look you see in a lot of my scarves, the only way to achieve that look is to MIX YOUR OWN fibers and colors.

A set of new wood hand carders costs approx. $80. You may be able to find them used on sites like Ravelry or eBay. I recommend the full sized set because it cards a lot more fiber quickly and efficiently.

There are 3 reasons to use Hand Carders:
1. If you have fabrics in colors that don't match any roving color you have in stock, you can easily create custom colors for your project;
2. It's difficult to find fiber-mixes in colors and ratios that you like; by carding, you can create just what you want to, when you want to (add non-wools in whatever ratios you like)
3. It's a whole lot cheaper to mix your own fibers and custom colors than to buy them from someone else.

To see it in action, the best method is to show you how I set up my carders to get a custom color.  My goal is to create a custom "dusty plum" color with merino roving.

Card Together:
1.  dark plum, light lavender and camel (pull one 6" piece from each color)
2.  I added the camel to "tone down" the overall final color
3.  I added bright pink bamboo just so it stands out for this project but it's a great effect.

Step 1:  Peel off a small portion of each merino color and place it in the middle of one hand carder - see how I've divided up the portions.

Step 2:  Add the bamboo - I placed it on top so you could see it being added.



pull in opposite directions

Step 3:  Hold the carder with the placed fibers needles up in your left hand and use the other carder in your right hand, needles down, to pull across the fibers by pulling each in the opposite directions two to three times.  Turn the carders over and gather the fibers together by pulling it off the needles (these mixed fibers are now called a "batt"), turn the batt over, and place BACK ON one carder and REPEAT this process at least 6 times. 




keep carding at least 6 times

FINISH:  You will see the fibers get more and more mixed until you get a totally NEW COLOR.

My new Dusty Plum Roving with Bamboo Accents

custom color

Why 6 times?  Because, and you will see this for yourself, you cannot get a really good mix or create that brand new custom color until you card at least 6 times. 

Once you get the hang of it, it will get less strenuous and you'll be able to card about 3 ounces of mixed fibers in 20 minutes.

Every single time I use my carders I know that the results are mine alone and can never be duplicated.