So, what is handmade felt, anyway?
Felt turns out to be amazing stuff made from unspun wool (looks like cotton candy!) that is worked into a durable, lightweight, fairly weatherproof material by adding moisture, heat and agitation. This non-woven fabric is made from wool which has been wetted with soapy water and then massaged, rolled, beaten, bounced or otherwise subjected to pressure and agitation. Think of wool sweaters mistakenly machine washed and dried, or the underarms of sweaters worn for hiking or cross-country skiing – that’s felt.
The history of felt is ancient. It is thought to be one of the oldest textile forms. Pieces dating back 5,000 years have been found in Central Asia. Many countries around the world have used felt historically, and are using it currently, too. The Greeks lined their helmets with it. Roman soldiers wore felt breastplates, tunics, boots and socks. The nomads of Mongolia and Kazakhstan live in large circular dwellings made of felt lashed over a wooden lattice. In Scandinavia warm felt socks are worn inside boots for heavy outdoor work or made into boots with rubber glued to the soles.
The surprise is that it can be done with unspun wool, never knitted and never woven. It can be made into flat pieces or sculpted into seamless shapes such as masks, toys, beads, or vessels. Since the 1970’s a revival of interest in feltmaking has led to a burst of creative uses. Artists are pushing this ancient medium to its contemporary limits in wall hangings and fantastic sculpture, in wearable art and yurts made for storytelling.
Felt can be simple and serviceable or elegant and fashionable. A feltmaker can take advantage of the natural colors of the sheep or dye the wool before (or after) felting. Felt can be quilted, embroidered, painted, printed, beaded or combines with other fabrics. It is a most wonderful fabric.
What I show is felt, handmade from scratch. I often purchase “raw” wool fleece, wash it, dye it, and card it before I ever start felting. I use wool from different breeds of sheep, often locally grown. The other kinds of fabrics I incorporate into my work are often hand-dyed as well. The whole process can take a very long time, and into each piece goes hours of intensive labor.