Felt and Fibre scraps
I thought it was time I tidied out my felt and wool scraps as the boxes and bags they were in were getting too full. I know it’s really geeky to categorise scraps but whenever I try to find the right size pieces for a project I seem to spend more time sorting and searching than anything else. I never throw anything felt, fabric or fibre away, everything is good for something. This is from my bag of scraps that aren’t usable for anything else, so I save them for using between layers of texture felt.
Often when I’m laying out a project for felting, I end up with a few wisps of wool or fibres here and there, so I put them in a bag and keep adding until it’s full, then card them together. I get some really nice heathery blends, and they always add a lot of interest to felt with such a variety of colours and fibre blends.
Sorting out my box of big spare pieces was fairly easy, I mostly sorted it into thick, regular and cobwebby pieces. The box of smaller spare pieces took a lot longer. In the end I had about 8 or 9 separate piles: thick, regular and cobwebby pieces, and, as shown in this next photo: long wide strips; medium regular strips; thin strips; regular short strips and really thin and short strips.
I bought some water soluble stabiliser a while ago, so hopefully I’ll find time to use the really short thin strips for making a bowl using Ruth’s tutorial. The longish thin strips are great for making into loop fasteners. I wet them with soapy water and roll between my palms until they’re felted and sew them onto my project. If the piece is long enough I can leave the ends dry, fluff them out and the loop can be felted in with the project.
Once I’d finished sorting all my pieces, I chose some to use for my project-a collage book cover. I’d make a similar one a few years ago using felt pieces and ‘invisible’ thread, but I wanted to use my fancy new machine and zig zag stitch to sew strips and pieces.
This is the front of the finished cover:
And this is the back:
What do you do with all your felt and fibrey scraps and offcuts?
15 thoughts on “Felt and Fibre scraps”
As well I do use some of my scraps in the same ways you do. Being also a weaver, I also have trums left after weaving. I sometimes use these spun with wool as a new yarn. Or, I can spool knit odds and suds, do small crochet shapes and incorporate with other projects… Etc…if willing to put the time, possibilities are endless when it comes to recycling leftover bits and pieces!
It really is, isn’t it? 🙂
Zed – I love the new book cover. You’re getting good use of your sewing machine! My scraps are all still in a big bunch and don’t get used much because they aren’t nicely organized like yours. Perhaps I’ll send you mine for some organization!! 🙂
Thanks, Ruth 🙂
I don’t think my back has recovered from the bending and twisting from sorting mine! I think I’m more likely to use them now they’re sorted.
Zed i love your new book cover to and rather than me sending you my huge box and a huge bag i think it’ll be much easier and cheaper on postage , if you came to me to sort them out lol
Thanks, Kaz 🙂
Yeah, I’ve seen your postage prices!
I do use some for texture like you but mostly I use them to fill up empty bags and then fill up the empty shelf space. I would like to do more art work and keep thinking they will be good for that.
Heh, that’s what mine were doing 🙂 They do need more room now they’re sorted, though.
I once made a wall hanging from saved up scraps of thread, fabric, ribbons laces, just about anything and everything. I used water soluble stabilizer, and created a piece of fabric. From the fabric, I cut out a shirt front. I mounted it onto a form and a canvas and it looks just like a shirt hanging on the wall. I entered it into a show called “Retread Threads.” But wow, it was a lot of work.
I remember seeing your shirt, Judy, it was amazing 🙂
Your ‘patchwork’ cover is gorgeous and the loop fasteners are very pretty.
Sorting out odds’n’ends is very difficult. Many a time I make a start with little neat piles….then the entire room becomes dotted with piles and then none of it seems to make sense any more….then I lose my enthusiasm and stuff everything into whatever containers come to hand…..and I promise myself that next time I’ll do it properly.
Thanks, Lyn 🙂
That’s exactly what I tend to do with most things that need sorting. I will try really hard to keep the scraps and offcuts neat, though 🙂