Felting course

Lesson 1 • Understanding Fibre Types

Examines animal, plant, and synthetic fibres and their felting properties. Correct fibre selection is the foundation of every successful project.

Lesson 2 • Essential Tools and Equipment

Introduces needles, foam pads, bubble wrap, and felting mats used throughout the course. Familiarity with tools prevents injury and improves efficiency.

Lesson 3 • History and Overview of Felting

Traces felting from ancient nomadic origins to contemporary textile art. Establishes cultural context that informs modern technique choices.

Lesson 4 • Reading Patterns and Project Plans

Teaches how to interpret felting patterns, diagrams, and material lists. This skill connects all subsequent projects to structured planning.

Lesson 1 • Troubleshooting Wet Felt Problems

Identifies causes of uneven density, holes, and excessive shrinkage and provides corrective actions. Problem-solving skills reinforce understanding of the felting process.

Lesson 2 • Agitation and Fulling Methods

Teaches hand rubbing, rolling, and throwing techniques that cause fibre scales to interlock. Progressive agitation controls shrinkage rate.

Lesson 3 • Wetting and Soaping the Fibre

Covers soap-to-water ratios, wetting techniques, and bubble removal. Proper saturation activates fibre scales for bonding.

Lesson 4 • Rinsing, Blocking, and Drying

Explains thorough rinsing to remove soap, blocking to shape, and drying methods. These finishing steps lock in the final dimensions.

Lesson 1 • Blending Dyed Fibres

Covers hand-carding and drum-carding methods to blend dyed fibres into custom batts. Blending expands the colour palette beyond individual dye lots.

Lesson 2 • Colour Theory for Fibre Artists

Covers the colour wheel, value, saturation, and colour harmony relevant to textile work. Strong colour decisions elevate every felting project.

Lesson 3 • Mordanting and Fibre Preparation

Explains mordants that fix dye to protein fibres and safe preparation procedures. Proper mordanting ensures colour fastness and even uptake.

Lesson 4 • Acid Dyeing Wool

Teaches immersion acid dyeing using heat to bond dye molecules to wool fibre. This is the most reliable method for vibrant, even colour.

Lesson 1 • Needle Selection and Handling

Covers needle gauges, barb configurations, and safe grip techniques. Matching needle to fibre type is essential for clean results.

Lesson 2 • Adding Colour and Surface Design

Introduces layering coloured fibres and blending techniques to create patterns on flat felt. Colour control is a key expressive skill in needle felting.

Lesson 3 • Basic Flat Needle Felting

Teaches consistent vertical stabbing motion to create flat felt panels and simple shapes. Mastery of flat work underpins all sculptural techniques.

Lesson 4 • Building Three-Dimensional Forms

Demonstrates how to build armatures and add fibre layers to create sculptural objects. 3D work requires understanding fibre compression and density.

Lesson 1 • Creating Texture and Surface Effects

Demonstrates pleating, gathering, and resist techniques to add three-dimensional texture. Surface effects distinguish nuno felt from plain wet felt.

Lesson 2 • Preparing Fabric and Fibre Layout

Covers pre-washing fabric, cutting to size, and laying fibre in thin, even layers. Preparation quality determines the evenness of the finished textile.

Lesson 3 • Nuno Felting Principles

Explains how wool fibres migrate through open-weave fabric and bond during agitation. Understanding fibre migration prevents common nuno failures.

Lesson 4 • Wet Felting the Nuno Piece

Applies wet felting agitation techniques adapted for delicate fabric substrates. Controlled pressure prevents fabric tearing whilst achieving full fibre bonding.

Lesson 1 • Wrapping Fibre Around Resists

Demonstrates even fibre layering around a resist to build uniform wall thickness. Consistent wrapping prevents thin spots and structural weakness.

Lesson 2 • Felting and Fulling the Form

Applies progressive agitation to shrink fibre around the resist into a firm shell. Controlled fulling determines wall density and final size.

Lesson 3 • Resist Design and Preparation

Teaches how to design, cut, and prepare foam or plastic resists for hollow forms. Resist shape directly determines the final object's dimensions.

Lesson 4 • Opening, Shaping, and Stretching

Covers cutting the opening, stretching the vessel over a form, and shaping whilst wet. Shaping whilst wet is the only opportunity to correct the final form.

Lesson 1 • Incorporating Yarn and Roving

Demonstrates felting yarn, roving, and pre-spun fibre into felt surfaces for texture. Embedded fibres add structural and visual complexity.

Lesson 2 • Weaving and Wrapping Into Felt

Teaches pre-weaving fibre strips and wrapping elements that become integrated during felting. Woven inclusions create structural patterns within the felt.

Lesson 3 • Embroidery on Felt Surfaces

Covers basic embroidery stitches adapted for use on dense felt fabric. Embroidery adds fine detail that felting alone cannot achieve.

Lesson 4 • Printing and Stenciling on Felt

Introduces fabric paint, block printing, and stencilling techniques on finished felt. Surface printing extends design possibilities beyond fibre manipulation.

Lesson 1 • Concept Development and Design Brief

Guides students through ideation, mood boarding, and writing a formal design brief. A clear brief prevents scope creep and guides all subsequent decisions.

Lesson 2 • Material Sourcing and Sampling

Covers sourcing quality fibre, dyeing custom colours, and creating test samples before full production. Sampling prevents costly errors in the final piece.

Lesson 3 • Portfolio Documentation and Presentation

Teaches photography, written documentation, and digital presentation of finished work. A strong portfolio communicates professional competence to clients and galleries.

Lesson 4 • Critique and Peer Review

Structured critique session where students present work and receive constructive feedback. Peer review builds critical evaluation skills essential for professional growth.