amitymamaThe Attachment Parenting Community

tinamaries · 03-27-2005, 09:59 PM

If there is a thread where there are answers to these questions please let me know. Otherwise if I could get a bit of explanation on some of this I'd appreciate it

What exactly do these different terms refer to and what would you be able to use them for or do with them or what needs to be dyed? Ugh getting so confused.

*dry felting
*wet felting
*wool roving
*carded wool
*wool batting, this must be different than the stuff you can buy at the fabric store in the plastic bags isn't it? That stuff seems so...plasticy?
*wool felt~35%wool/65% something else (can't remember what lol) Dd and I just found it at the new Joanns that opened and that had two full rows of awesome colors on the bolts. Now what & how would this be used?

I have been trying to read some info on different sites but am getting really confused. I see so many beautiful things I would love to try making with my older 2 children and just don't know what goes with what lol. I would definately like to try making those eggs and balls with the kids. I will be hitting that West Earl Woolen Mill and wasn't sure if I should be asking for wool batting or a certain type of batting. Didn't want to go looking too silly lol. I would appreciate any help. Thank you

crazyestonian · 03-27-2005, 11:56 PM

*dry felting

this is when you make things by poking wool with a sharp barbed needle, best site for learning the basics: http://www.mielkesfarm.com/ladybug_dir.htm

*wet felting

this is where you layer the wool in either flat layers (to make a flat shape) or 3d shapes and then you rub it with your hands to make it firm. to do it you need warm water and dish detergent. best for basics: martha stewart kids magazine issue holiday 2001 (look in your library, teaches how to make wool balls, beads, finger puppets and a purse)

*wool roving

wool you use for felting. comes in white, natural and all kinds of colors.

*wool batting, this must be different than the stuff you can buy at the fabric store in the plastic bags isn't it? That stuff seems so...plasticy?

this is what you can usefor stuffing all your dolls. you can also use it for the core of felted projects. it is coarser than roving

*wool felt~35%wool/65% something else (can't remember what lol) Dd and I just found it at the new Joanns that opened and that had two full rows of awesome colors on the bolts. Now what & how would this be used?

this is alternative to acrylic felt. you can sew about anything from it. best book to explore what all you can do with it -- Feltcraft by Petra Berger
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/AS...522380-7646255
your library might have it

>I will be hitting that West Earl Woolen Mill and wasn't sure if I should be asking for wool
>batting or a certain type of batting.

West Earl has wool batting for stuffing toys, their minimum is 2 lbs. they also carry roving, I just got some in natural color (they carry some colors too) because I want to try to dye it myself.

hope I was of some help
--anu

edited to add: I just put up a link to how to make wool felt butterfly and dragonfly. some time ago there was also a thread that showed the pattern for making a wool felt snail

tinamaries · 03-28-2005, 05:15 PM

Very helpful and thank you so much

crazyestonian · 03-29-2005, 05:34 PM

I just realized that to show examples of what is made of what you can just look at my website www.crazyestonian.com there under craft stuff, then my inspirationsl image gallery I have pictures of stuff made from roving under needle felted items (some are actually wet felted too and some just wrapped wool), and under dolls there are nature table characters pictures where a lot of things are made of wool felt.

Also, I came across a link I have saved for making felt balls
http://gfwsheep.com/feltballs/feltballs1.html

if you look at thing that I have made, I can say that I have never seen any other craft item like these irl, only pics in the www (all except the big waldorf dolls). I have learned on my own from books and started making things from my own imagination.

Good luck for you in your start of crafting!