Today, artisans felt by applying warm water and soap to fibers.  Then, they create friction by rubbing the wool against bamboo rugs or bubble wrap, or putting in washing machines.  All of this speeds up the felting process but the basic principle of wet felting is the same as the felting done by our forbears.

 Felting wool with needles is a much newer invention.  During the 1950s’ industrial machines with hundreds of felting needles fabricated non-woven fabric from waste fibers.  The machines punched the fibers numerous times to produce the felt.  This material was use as car carpets and spring insulators in mattresses and furniture.

 The industrial needles were first used for handcraft in the 1980s’.  Popularity with artisans has grown over the years. 

 A felting needle is 3 to 3.5 inches long and made from carbon steel.  It has an L-shaped hook on one end, which fit into felting machines.  The other end is pointed and the bottom third has barbs on the sides.  Wool fibers have microscopic scales.  The needle opens the scales and tangles it with adjacent fibers producing felt.   Needles are inserted in and out of the wool many times to get the shape and density desired.

 I learned to needle felt at a 4-H meeting about 10 years ago.  Since that time I have been experimenting with different felting techniques.  The soft sculptures that I create are my own design which reflects the beauty of the natural world in Wallingford, Vermont.