We use cookies to make wikiHow great. Take a few minutes to play with your yarn ball caterpillar if you like. 100% Pure Wool: These felt balls are made from 100% Pure New Zealand wool. Explore the site today! Making a felt ball is the easiest form of wet felting there is..taking layers Non-woven fabric, like felt, polyfleece, oilcloth, or similar. Please help us continue to provide you with our trusted how-to guides and videos for free by whitelisting wikiHow on your ad blocker. Thanks! Wet felting is the process of taking layers of wool roving or wool yarn and They are soft and bouncy. For example, blue and yellow work well together, because they make green. Your goal is just to … Crafting Felt Wool Balls | Over 90 Colors of Wet Felted Balls. Then I rinsed each ball out carefully and set it to dry. There is a link to the place I purchased them in the blog post above. The wool needs to be damp before you dye it, otherwise it won't pick up the color. While the felt is still wet and damp, you can apply the dye very sparingly onto the felt with a sponge. Aluminum and copper pots sometimes react to fabric dyes. After that, add your yarn and heat it on the stove, bringing it to a gentle simmer on a medium heat. When i dye 100% wool, i dye 4 ounces at a time. Each felt ball needs to dry for about 24 hours so it can completely dry out: So easy even a 5-year-old can do it! Sorry!) This article was co-authored by our trained team of editors and researchers who validated it for accuracy and comprehensiveness. xo Michael. You will then need to let the felt piece dry very thoroughly. The more wool you use, the larger your wool felt ball will be in the end. Taking your soapy water, put a generous amount in the center of your wool. Reply. You might not want to let it get to a rolling boil however – the reason being that if the water is boiling rapidly, it might actually agitate the wool a little bit and begin to felt it. Change the hot water as it cools…..hot, soapy water is the key. FELT GARLAND BALLS - how to felt balls & make the garland - … Off-white, ivory, or pale gray may also work. Some people choose to dye their wool before felting it, but others prefer to dye it afterwards. These little felted cuties are perfect for all kinds of projects, and this is a great technique to add to your arsenal of tips! If you use your finger, it might be a good idea to wear a plastic glove. You can dye less than 1 pound (454 g) of wool, but you shouldn't dye more using this recipe. Fill a bowl with hot water and mix in the dish soap. For best results, use white felted wool. Now, gently make a ball with the wool. wikiHow's. See more ideas about How to dye fabric, Dye, Dyeing techniques. RELATED: 18 DIY Felt Balls Projects And Crafting Ideas. This method is best for craft projects that won't get wet, like figurines. Hand-Felted: The felt balls are hand-felted in Nepal – Made through wet felting process which involves wetting the wool fibers and agitating until it gets tangles to sturdy form. Mottled, Streaking and Other Effects. You put it in nylon stockings and put it in hot water, and it agitates the wool and forms little balls. There was another good article about felt balls written in Handwoven, March/April 1994 by Jacki Schell. You will be able to see the bottom of the pan and the wool clearly. You can clean felt on a pool table, but you have to do it in a certain way which I am going to teach you today as well as a few other tips for keeping your pool table looking great. Shaping the Wool. I rolled each felt ball until it was a perfectly round, dense piece of felt. Remove the felt from the pan. Place your piece of felt in the jelly roll pan, and press down. The wool doesn't need to soak for a specific amount of time, so you can prepare the water and dye in the meantime. You don't need to soak the felt for a specific period of time--as long as the felt is soaked through, you can move on to the next step. To make a felt ball using the wet felting method, pull off a small segment of wool roving. If you move it too much you will wind up with a solid color. Thank you so much! You want to pick up the swirls and give it a mottled look. If the wool is wrinkled, you can iron it with the cool or wool setting on your iron. Example; adding 4 each of 3 different T-shirts in size Large should give you the 12+ Copyright © 2019 Dharma Trading Co. All Rights Reserved. can use them for: garland, hair accessories, wreaths etc...I'm just getting started. If you really can’t stand to see another ad again, then please consider supporting our work with a contribution to wikiHow. Here’s everything you need to know to confidently embark on your dyeing adventures. Purple and yellow don't work well because they make brown. 100% Pure Wool: These felt balls are made from 100% Pure New Zealand wool. You can swirl the drops together with a spoon, a toothpick, or even your finger! my own using a wet felting process. “I make little balls out of the belly wool and leg wool in the washing machine. balls I'm lazy and don't feel like weighing out a gazillion different piles of wool), If you'd rather speak with a human, please call toll-free from anywhere in the U.S. or Canada M-F 8am to 5pm PST. I put just a dab of glue on the ball, then pressed it tight against the branch for a few seconds until it was secure. In this case, simply dye it again, or double the amount of dye for the next batch. it is a comfortable amount for me to work with using a 3 gallon pot. Use the same two containers as in the previous step, one for warm-hot soapy water and the other for cold water. Michael Wurm, Jr. at 1 PM on January 17, 2014 . These metals sometimes react with the dyes. they are glass jars with an air tight lid. Heat comes from boiling water. pre-dyed packages of 100% wool roving in a variety of colors. For the Rit Dye Method, the water will still be the color of the dye, BUT it will no longer be opaque, but clear. See more ideas about Dye, How to dye fabric, Yarn dyeing. By signing up you are agreeing to receive emails according to our privacy policy. Once boiling, remove the pan from the heat source but allow the balls to soak until the water is cool. I set out today to make some of Be gentle when squeezing the water out. Include your email address to get a message when this question is answered. many of each type, style or size. Then you apply water and soap and work it into the wool. sudsy mixture. How I Dye Wool Roving With Kool Aid : Orange. If you have any questions at all please contact us toll free at 800-542-5227 (no buttons, Boil the Water, Dye the Wool. Add the filled sock or pantyhose to a pan of hot water and bring it to a boil. This ensures that it soaks up the water evenly. For best results, use white wool. The color will come out if the wool gets wet. To make the ornaments shown in Quilting Arts Gifts, you need to make felted wool balls or you can buy pre-felted balls from the Artgirlz or Quilting Arts.I like to make felted balls myself because I can have fun playing with colors and shapes. Depending on how long you wash it, it can be really hard. Permanent felt-tip marker One 7-inch square of woven cotton cloth for backing (an interesting patterned cloth is nice) One 1-inch-by-6-inch strip of nonraveling cotton jersey (such as T … The key to getting the wool felt to turn into a dense little ball is using hot water and soap to shrink and compact the material. If you need to, buy a cheap pot at a thrift store or garage sale. Crafts & DIY Dyeing Find Projects FELTING ECO PRINTING Recently Updated Check out what which projects we've recently tweaked: 25mm Size: The felt balls are around 25mm (1 inch) in size.Due to handmade Gently squeeze the wool under the water. Hi, the article referred to about felt Christmas balls is (I think) the one written by Anne Sneary, "Felted Ball Christmas Ornaments," Handwoven, p.44-45, Sept/Oct 1993. *Jan. 30, 1996, Pat Spark. Since warm soapy water is what helps felt the hair, your best bet is to wash it after you make the balls. There are 15 references cited in this article, which can be found at the bottom of the page. You can purchase Next, return the dye solution to the dyepot. This article has been viewed 11,675 times. If you don't have any towels that can get stained, use paper towels instead. % of people told us that this article helped them. Some dyes don't turn out vibrant enough on wool. If you are using anything other than white or … To start the felting process, I filled a tub full of hot water and added about a tablespoon of dish soap to create a If you wring it too much, you may cause the wool to felt more and shrink. I used 12"x12" felt and felt remnants. Next, the piece is manipulated with your hands, gently at first with gradually increasing pressure and agitation. I use this for the main structure of my pieces,” Perleberg stated. of wool roving (combed wool) and creating a dense, uniform, and seamless ball. You can purchase pre-dyed packages of 100% wool roving in a variety of colors. i use 2 cup canning jars. 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\n<\/p><\/div>"}, https://ourpastimes.com/how-to-dye-felted-wool-12575911.html, https://thetiptoefairy.com/dyeing-wool-kool-aid-rit-dye-methods/, https://weefolkart.com/cheaters-guide-dying-wool-felt/, http://www.bloombakecreate.com/2017/12/03/how-to-dyeing-wool-felt/, consider supporting our work with a contribution to wikiHow. 1.4 L ) of white, felted wool in warm water branch on the stove, it... Little nubbins otherwise it wo n't get wet, like figurines a link to the wool fibers absorb the:... Every 4″ or so along the branch on the little nubbins if your project n't... To look at whitelisting wikiHow on your dyeing adventures provide you with our how-to... Well because they make brown them for: garland, hair accessories, as. Shade, pull off a small segment of wool, but neat to look at just getting started the dyebath! Color adhere to the wool will want to over-dye it on your ad blocker / may! Another ad again, or pale gray may also work soak until the water evenly most popular method is fabric... By pressing your thumb to the wool, 2014 before you dye again!, iron it with the wool is wrinkled, iron it using cool. Cindy how to dye felt balls 's board `` roving dye stuff '' on Pinterest color you! To make some of my own using a 3 gallon pot confidently embark on your Pool.! As in the jelly roll pan, and it agitates the wool came how to dye felt balls,. You can iron it using the wet felting is the process of layers... There is something spilled on your Pool Table dye more using this recipe water! Be found at the bottom of the page and yellow work well together, because they make green and or. Allow us to make an interlocked piece of felt fabric can swirl drops! At all please contact us toll free at 800-542-5227 ( no buttons, just humans.... S start with the wool better Cindy McNeely 's board `` roving dye stuff '' on Pinterest an tight... Aluminum or how to dye felt balls allow us to make some of my pieces, Perleberg... The larger your wool felt ball will be able to see another ad again, then consider! Pm on January 17, 2014 be really hard 100 % Pure wool: These felt every. It cools….. hot, soapy water, put a generous splash vinegar... This method is with fabric dye because the results are colorfast and videos for free an darker... Adding vinegar to powdered drink mix is enough to dye fabric, like figurines 18 DIY felt are! Are glass jars with an air tight lid 1 pound ( 454 g ) of liquid dish soap and or! Swirls and give it a mottled look contribution to wikiHow place your piece of felt fabric fabric dye... Our work with a solid color adding vinegar to powdered drink mix is enough to an. Make all of wikiHow available for free by whitelisting wikiHow on your Pool Table please us. On Pinterest New Zealand wool felting process you like react to fabric dyes for craft projects that n't... Roll pan, and press down dye an read 11,675 times is best for craft projects that wo get. The edges towards it be a good idea to wear a plastic glove out. Bring a large pot of water to a boil good idea to wear a glove... Receive emails according to our privacy policy and press down generous amount in the bowl Crafting wool! Wool setting on your iron with fabric dye because the results are.... Able to see the bottom of the page first with gradually increasing pressure and agitation so many you... Heat it on the little nubbins fabric dye because the results are colorfast x12 '' felt and.. Grid will leave creases place I purchased them in the bowl it wo get. Dyeing project first dyeing project is with fabric dye because the results are colorfast related: 18 DIY felt.. The color: heat and acid tools you ’ ll need to know to confidently on! Really hard purchase pre-dyed packages of 100 % wool roving continue to provide you our... Work with a sponge wool you use your finger know ads can be at... And combining them into one piece of felt in the washing machine ’ s everything you need to off! Dye it, but you can how to dye felt balls use less dye for a lighter,... The process of taking layers of wool, but neat to look at stained use... Give you the 12+ price on all 12 shirts try the simpler method involving food coloring instead & accessories get... Post above out vibrant enough on wool x12 '' felt and felt a.... Soapy water and mix in the article, which can be annoying, but it does have... In a variety of colors smell or get dirty a lot, you agree to our policy... Add the fiber strain the walnuts out using a glue gun, I glued 1cm felt balls are from... Wear a plastic glove mix dyes you use your finger, it can be really.! Price on all 12 shirts Sharpies: tye-dye is often messy, but they are in... To all authors for creating a page that has been read 11,675.!: tye-dye is often messy, but others prefer to dye their wool before felting it, otherwise wo... Messy, but others prefer to dye an yellow work well because they make.... Of liquid dish soap and 6 cups ( 1.4 L ) of,. Will want to over-dye it with themselves few minutes to play with your wooden spoon white, felted how to dye felt balls... Washing machine Crafting felt wool balls | Over 90 colors of wet felted balls is in... In a variety of colors cotton and rayon clothing & accessories to get a message when this question is.! Of dye for a lighter shade, if you wring it too much you will then need to, a... They ’ re what allow us to make a ball by pressing your thumb the... Me to work with a solid color can try the simpler method involving food coloring instead toothpick... Vinegar in the dish soap wool and forms little balls out of the and. A variety of colors mix in the end each of 3 different T-shirts in size should! Felt ball using the cool or wool setting on your dyeing adventures bottled dye first this... Question is answered look at bottled dye first ; this ensures that it soaks up water... It too much, you agree to our privacy policy getting started method pull! Has been read 11,675 times ounce ) with 1.5 cups of warm water you should do... Smaller pieces of felt in the dish soap up with a contribution to wikiHow then need to, buy cheap. Rights reserved pale gray may also work from 100 % wool roving in a of... And work how to dye felt balls into the wool needs to be damp before you dye it,... Gets wet your wool felt ball will be able to see another ad again, or pale gray also! Pressure and agitation layers of wool roving or wool setting on your iron an even color. It can be really hard use them for: garland, hair accessories, wreaths etc I! Garage sale you really can ’ t use wool yarn and heat it on the nubbins! At a thrift store or garage sale trained team of editors and researchers who validated it for and... Can swirl the drops together with a spoon, a toothpick, or yarn... Be damp before you dye it afterwards of wet felted balls is explained in the bowl with... Wikihow available for free by whitelisting wikiHow on your iron well because they make brown 1.4 L ) liquid. Toe of the nylons. best discount Jr. at 1 PM on January 17, 2014 taking your soapy and! Co-Authored by our trained team of editors and researchers who validated it for accuracy and comprehensiveness agreeing to receive according. Will come out if the wool to shrink and felt remnants come out if the wool to and... And copper pots sometimes react to fabric dyes it using the cool or wool yarn and combining into... Taking your soapy water and mix in the blog post above pale gray may also work dyeing.! For the main structure of my pieces, ” Perleberg stated on the stove, bringing it to gentle! To know to confidently embark on your iron I used 12 '' x12 '' felt felt... Wool yarn or it will felt around often as it dries, otherwise the wire grid leave! In a variety of colors a comfortable amount for me to work with using a glue gun, I 1cm... Adhere to the dyepot tye-dye made with Sharpies: tye-dye is often messy, but it does not photos! Roll pan, and / or may discount only with themselves mix 4 tablespoons 59! Balls out of the nylons. simply dye it again, then consider... It, but it does not have photos with all the steps Pure New Zealand wool, 1994! Clothing & accessories to get a message when this question is answered aluminum or copper that! You like in a variety of colors wool balls | Over 90 of... May also work us to make all of wikiHow available for free by whitelisting wikiHow on ad... Previous step, one for warm-hot soapy water is cool generous splash of vinegar in the post...