Wool Felt: Why Crafters Around the World Love It!

What a treat I have for you! The wonderful Janet from Felt on the Fly is here for a chat on ….. you guessed it, Fantastic Wool Felt! But this isn’t any old craft felt, no no no, this is soft, beautifully colored high quality merino wool felt from Europe.

Janet was sweet enough to send me a little sample. Really I shouldn’t be surprised at the lovely presentation of her product, she's been in the business of making sewers like us happy around the world for quite some time but you can’t help getting excited when something turns up looking like a Birthday Prezzy ….. and all for me!!

Once I opened it and saw the felt, well I knew the quality was going to be fantastic, but this is like butter! It’s so lush, the tones so delicate, my photos don’t do the colors justice.

Soft yet so strong. No see through thin bits, no pilling, or fraying loose felt edges, no this felt is just perfectly smooth and …. For lack of a better word .. YUMMY! Yes my mouth is literally watering, I bet I could make a few sets of dolly shoes and clothes out of these!!! But wait that means I have to cut them … NO!! They are too beautiful!!!!!

Trust me, if you’ve only worked with ‘craft’ felt, once you work with this you’ll never turn back!

The lovely Janet of Felt on the Fly

I’m so happy that Sarah has asked me to talk a little bit about my fabulous wool felt. Considering how popular felt is as a craft medium now, and considering all of the choices of different types of felt available, it’s a pleasure to have this opportunity to talk about my 100% wool felt as it pertains specifically to doll making.

"Ginger the Horse" made from plant-dyed wool felt Hand Stitched by Janet.

Way back in 1998 my son began attending a Waldorf school where I had the pleasure of meeting European moms who were hand-stitching the most adorable things from wool felt. I was in love from the moment I touched the stuff. From that point, I started researching, collecting and comparing. Now, I’m happy to say that I now possess a scary amount of knowledge about felt. (I assure you, other than that particular quirk, I’m actually quite normal!)

"Alanna. A Lavender Mouse" made from felted cashmere and merino wool felt.

So why am I so committed to 100% merino wool felt? Well, for starters, I consider it to be ‘heirloom quality’ which means that it’s of the highest quality and suitable for your keepsake -worthy creations. Created specifically for handwork, this natural, sustainable fiber is not only environmentally friendly by requiring little energy to turn it into felt, it’s also not processed with harsh chemicals or toxins which makes it a responsible choice for the safety of our children.

And the colors…oh my! I’m quite proud of the fact that I currently offer 96 colors in my shop, the largest selection of pure wool felt anywhere on the web! I’m so inspired by color. I actually FEEL color. It can excite me, bore me, make my heart pound or my mouth water. Colors can represent a season, a place or an occasion. They can evoke a feeling, a mood, a memory…Be inspired to create something from one of my 'color stories' or feel free to tell your own story by choosing your own colors available in a variety of sizes.

Color Story 'Fruit Salad'

Are you wondering how to care for wool felt? Especially when it’s used in conjunction with cotton fabrics?

That’s a common concern since wool and felt typically require very different types of care. However, you’ll be pleasantly surprised to know it’s easy!

As you know, cotton fabric is easily washed, and pre-washing cotton fabric ensures that the colors are color-fast, and that shrinkage occurs before assembling your project.
My wool felt does not require pre-washing and is color-fast.
So, what I would suggest is that you pre-wash your cotton fabrics, and then assemble your doll.