Felting and Fiber Studio

Today we have another guest post from Cathy about Nuno Felting. If you’d like to read the previous post and all the comments, please click here.

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Recently, I posted for the blog my first experience with nuno-felting, which was not too successful.  Many of you replied with terrific advice and tips on nuno-felting.  I used those tips, along with Zed’s e-book on Nuno Felt, to make another attempt.  I am happy to report success!
I began with a pale green silk gauze scarf, hemmed, measuring 56″ x 20″.  This was purchased on Etsy, as was the orange scarf used in my first nuno-felt experience.

Armed with my new knowledge, I laid out merino roving in green, teal and gold, covering one side with 3 layers.  This time I used a rubbery rug mat as my base, covered by bubble wrap,  then wool.

…and then flipped the package over…

and laid out pale green merino in bands, about every 6 inches.

This time I covered with a white polyester curtain sheer and began spraying using a Brauser ball and olive oil soap water–COOL this time–I began hand rubbing, spreading the water and continually rubbing GENTLY.    I lifted the sheer to make sure fibers were not coming through (but they were!)  Repeated process on underside of scarf, replacing bubble wrap with curtain sheer.

After sufficient felting by hand rubbing, I laid on bubble wrap…

… and began rolling my wooden foot massager over the nuno-felt package.

I remembered to turn several times, so as to cover all angles.  Repeated the process on underside. I forgot to time myself.  After sufficient rolling, checking first side … then second side … I now felt ready to try the washer spin method of felting/fulling.  So I rolled the package in a wet towel, leaving bubble wrap inside and tied shoelaces around it.
Four minutes in washer spin cycle, then popped the scarf only into a lingerie bag and put in dryer for 4 minutes.  Good thing I looked after 4 minutes, because the scarf jumped out of the lingerie bag and was folded in half.  I carefully peeled it apart (phew!) and there you go!
Long view:

Close up:

Underside, see prominent green bands:

Close up of underside:

There was a little shrinkage (finished scarf measures 49″ x 15″) but I would have liked to see more ruching or ruffling effects. I consider this a success and am ready to try my third scarf, hopefully improving along the way!
Many thanks to all of you who wrote in and provided sound advice to a newbie nuno-felter!