Newbie here!

In article , Lindsay Alexander
wrote:

Hello Lindsay:

Welcome to the group.....and felting does not need to be messy at all. It
took me a while to get it right, but with a friends help, no more big
watery messes.....LOL

Why don't you start with making some round circles, by using a margarine
or yogurt lid. Take little fluffs of your roving and lay these criss
cross on your lid pile it high. Get a spray bottle with water and add lods
of good liquide soap....I use Murphies soap, but i do not know if you can
get that in the UK. Now put one hand on top of your fibers holding it
down spray lightly with the soap mixture. Carfully tuck in the straying
fibers that pook over the edges and spray some more so it is all packed
down well. Have a cooky sheet handy one with edges. Turn your lid up
side down with the fibers underneath on you cooky sheet hold down firmly
with your hand and make cicular motions counting to fifty. If you have
kids helping you they love this part. Lift your lid and turn your little
circle over and repeat the circular motions, untill you have a nice firm
piece of felt. You only need enough water to dampen the fibers. After
you are finished you can now add some dry felting to your circle and
decorate it. It is a lot of fun and very effective.

Els

Hi everyone,

You all seem such a nice friendly bunch of people that I thought I'd
just jump straight in and not lurk!

I've just bought myself a pair of carders and some wool tops. I'm not
a spinner or a knitter but I did make some felt for the first time
last week and am not too unhappy with it! I need more practice but I
found it to be pretty messy so I have to do it when the weather's
nice.

Anyone else here make much in the way of felt?

Congrats to Slinky and Sarah on your new wheels!

As for me, I'm 32 and currently live in Kent in the UK and hope to be
moving to Devon in the next 6 months.

Nice to meet you all!

Regards,
Lindsay
Bexleyheath, Kent, UK

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I have added a trap for spammers......niet.....

Hi Els,

Thanks for that, it's a great idea! I'll give it a go and let you know
how I get on. Hopefully I'll get some time today or tomorrow.

Thanks everyone for the welcomes! I'm really enjoying myself here!

Regards,
Lindsay
Bexleyheath, Kent, UK

On Thu, 02 Oct 2003 12:19:09 -0700, (Els van
Dam) wrote:

Why don't you start with making some round circles, by using a margarine
or yogurt lid. Take little fluffs of your roving and lay these criss
cross on your lid pile it high.

It's working! It's working! I'm getting 4 inch circles, which are just
great, and each one takes about 20 minutes. I'm so grateful Els, many
thanks!

Love,
Lindsay
Bexleyheath, Kent, UK

In article , Lindsay Alexander
wrote:

On Thu, 02 Oct 2003 12:19:09 -0700, (Els van
Dam) wrote:

Why don't you start with making some round circles, by using a margarine
or yogurt lid. Take little fluffs of your roving and lay these criss
cross on your lid pile it high.

It's working! It's working! I'm getting 4 inch circles, which are just
great, and each one takes about 20 minutes. I'm so grateful Els, many
thanks!

Love,
Lindsay
Bexleyheath, Kent, UK

Lindsay, great that you have it done....I am just a link in the chain of
textile info. While I was demonstrating spinning at an alpaca farm this
summer there was a teenager there from the 4-H group and she was showing
how to make this little felted circles. I went home and had to try it
right away, it worked for me as well. Helen one of us in this group,
tried it as well and she suggested that you use a rough surface. I then
brought my boot tray and rubber (car protection for dirty feet, which you
can buy here in Canada by the feet from a big roll) mat and now I use it
to make the circles. Our Guild is going to make name tags with lambs and
lion faces dry felted on the wet felted circles, for an upcoming textile
event.

What goes around comes around (a pun in more than one way)

Els

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I have added a trap for spammers......niet.....