4/6/2015

NunoFeltingSuppliesNunoFeltingTechniquesBasic

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NunoFeltingSuppliesNunoFeltingTechniquesBasic

BasicNunoFeltingTechniques&Processes
Step

Description
PreparationforDesignLayout

WorkArea
Preparation&
Gathering
Supplies

Awaterproofworksurfaceonwhichtolay
outnunofeltingprojects.(Tip:Aheavy
plasticsheet,about4milthick,canbe
usedtoprotectthetableandfloorfrom
water.)Gathernecessarymaterialsand
toolsforproject.
(Note:Onlyneedediffiberisbeingfelted
tobothsidesofthefabric,sotheedgesof
nunofeltingprojectscanbeidentified.)

Createa
Template

SetUpBasefor
Project

Marktheoutlineofthenunofelting
projectontheworksurfacewithpainter's
maskingtape.
~or~
Marktheoutlineofthenunofelting
projectonplasticsheetingwitha
waterproofmarker,theplasticsheeting
shouldbe45"largerthannunofelting
projects.
Placerollingmat(bubblesupordownas
desired)ontheworksurface.Rollingmat
shouldbeabout45"largerthannuno
feltingprojectsonallsides.Ifaplastic
sheetingtemplateisbeingused,placethis
ontopoftherollingmat.
Variations:Ifaplasticsheetingtemplateis
notbeingused,plasticsheetingcanbe
placedontopoftherollingmatifdesired.
Aprotectivelayercanalsobeusedif
desired,placeitontopoftherollingmat
(orplasticsheetingifitisbeingused).
DesignLayout

Onelayeroffiber
Layoutthefabric,andthenlayoutthe
&Onelayerof
fiberontopofthefabric.
fabric
Tohelpknowwheretheedgesareusea
Twolayersof
template.Layoutonelayeroffiber.Lay
fiber&Onelayer
outthefabric.Thenlayoutthesecond
offabric
layeroffiberontopofthefabric.
Onelayeroffiber Layoutonelayeroffabric.Layoutthe
&Twolayersof layeroffiber.Thenlayoutthesecond
fabric
layeroffabricontopofthefiber.
Fornunofeltingasinglethinlayerof
fiberisdesirable.Whenusingroving:
untwisttherovingbeforeusing.Pulloffa
lengthofroving.Splitthisinhalf
lengthwise.Pulloffsmallpiecesofroving
inathinlayerusingthefingersandpalm
ofonehandtograsptheedgesofroving
andtheotherhandtoholdtheropeof
roving.Placethewispsofrovingcreatinga
singlethinlayer.Whenusingprefelt:place
asdesired.
Forlargernunofeltingprojectsortwo
sidednunofeltingprojects,splitthearea
tobecoveredequally,andmeasureout
equalamountsofrovingforeachsection.
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Thiswillcreateamoreuniformresult.The
rovingcanbemeasuredbyeyeorusea
scaleformoreaccurateresults.
Fibersshrinkmostalongtheirlength.
Whenlayingoutrovingtakethisinto
LayingoutFiber consideration.
Withroving,beverycarefulnotto
disturbthedesign.Avoidbreezesfromair
conditioning/heatingforcedairvents,
movingaroundthelayoutquickly,etc.
Ifyoudecidetoexperimentwithmore
thanonelayerofroving,additionallayers
shouldbelaidperpendiculartoeachother.
Twoperpendicularlayerswillshrink
moreevenly.Threelayerswillshrinkmore
inthedirectioninwhichthemostfibers
werelaid.
Thelesswoolused(thelesslayers)
meansmoreshrinkage.
Sheerlightweightreadymadeprefelts
areidealfornunofelting.Or,makeyour
ownprefeltbylayingdownaminimumof
twoperpendicularlayersofrovingona
rollingmatandfollowingthePreparation
forFeltingandFeltingsteps.
Ingeneral,usingprefeltswillproduce
lessshrinkagethanroving.
LayingoutFabric

Becarefulnottodisturbthedesignwhen
placingfabricoveralayeroffiber.

Otherfibers,piecesoffabric,andprefelt
cutoutscanbeusedtoembellishnuno
feltingprojects.Theseshouldbeaddedto
thefiberlayer.
Rememberthatwooliswhatholds
everythingtogether.Ifembellishments
Layingout
thatdon'tfeltareused,makesurewisps
Embellishments
ofrovingwillholdtheembellishmentin
place.
Ifatemplateisbeingused,layout
embellishmentsfirstrememberingthat
whatfacesthetemplateiswhatwillshow,
andthenlayoutthefiber.
Ifafinishededgeisdesired,becarefulto
makesuretherawedgesoffabricare
coveredwithfiber,orstartwithfabricwith
finishededges.
Variations:
Laytherovingfibersparalleltotheedge
ofthematerial.
Layrovingfibershorizontaltotheedge
ofnunofeltingprojects(centeredonthe
edge),placethefabric,andwrapthefibers
overtheedgeofthefabric.Thisenvelopes
theedgeofthefabric,withfibersonboth
sidesofthefabric,creatingafeathered
effect.
Layathinstripofprefeltaroundthe
LayingoutEdges edgeoftheproject.Placethefabricso
thattheedgeofthefabriciscenteredon
thestripofprefelt.Placeasecondstripof
prefeltaroundtheedgeofthefabricso
thattherawedgeofthefabriciscovered.
(i.e.Sandwichtheedgeofthefabric
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betweentwostripsofprefelt.)
Tip:
Edgesarenotaconcernifthefabricis
hemmed.Thefabriccanbehemmed
beforeorafternunofelting,foreffectas
desired.
Oruseasilkscarforshawlwitharolled
edgehemasthefabrictherollededge
hemcanbeusedasadesignelement.
Oncethedesignislaidout,coveritwitha
ProtectiveLayer protectivelayer.Beverycarefulnotto
disturbthedesign.

Wettingthe
Project

Fornunofelting,inthefeltingstage,the
soapywatermixtureshouldbecool.
Begentle,placeonehandontheproject,
usingaladlepoursomeofthesoapy
watermixtureoverthehandonthenuno
feltingprojectbeingcarefulnottodisturb
thedesign.Gentlypresstheprojectwith
yourhandstowetdryfibersandpressout
airbubbles.Continueuntilthewholenuno
feltingprojectiswet.Nunofeltingprojects
shouldbemoist,theyshouldnotbe
drippingorsoakingwet.Aspongeortowel
canbeusedtosopupexcesswater.
Alternatives:Useaspraybottle,squirt
bottleorspongetowetdownnunofelting
projects.

Edges

Checktheedgesofnunofeltingprojects.
Makesuretherawfabricedgesare
coveredwithfibers.Ifstraightedgesare
desired,makesurenofibersarehanging
outfromtheedges.
Tip:Ifaprotectivelayerwasusedunder
thenunofeltingproject,foldthisoverthe
edgesbeforerollingtohelpkeeptheedges
straight.

RollingUpthe
Project

Placetherollingbaratoneedgeofthe
nunofeltingproject,androllupallthe
layersoftheproject.Securetherollwith
stretchties.
Wrapatowelaroundrollednunofelting
projectsandsecurewithstretchties.This
createsasofterlessabrasivesurfacethat
touchesyourbodywhenrollingnuno
feltingprojects.Italsohelpsabsorbleaks.
Tip:Useabow,notaknot,whensecuring
rollednunofeltingprojects.Thiswillmake
iteasytoopentheroll.
Felting

Feltingstage

Innunofelting,inthefeltingstage,the
focusistogetthefiberstoattachtothe
fabric(worktheirwaythroughtheweave
ofthefabric)andthenbegintoentangle.
Innunofeltingalighttouchisbestforthe
feltingstage.
Ingeneral,theusualtechniqueofrubbing
withyourhands(oratool)usedforfelting
wouldbetooroughforthefeltingstageof
nunofelting.
Literallyrollnunofeltingprojects.Thisis
doneontheworksurface.Standwithone

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Rollingthe
Project

footforwardandonefootbacktoreduce
strainontheback.Useyourforearms,
fromelbowtowrist,torollnunofelting
projectsbackandforthonthework
surface.Alternatively,sitinachairand
useyourfeettorollnunofeltingprojects
backandforthonthefloor.
Dothisforaboutfiveminutesandcheck
thenunofeltingproject(seebelow).Nuno
feltingprojectswillmostlikelynotbedone
atthefirstcheck.Repeatthisprocessas
necessaryuntilthefeltingstageisdone.
Thetimeittakestorollnunofelting
projectstothecompletionofthefelting
stagevariesbasedonsomanyfactors,it
isimpossibletosayhowlongthiswilltake.
However,nunofeltingprojectstypically
needtoberolledandcheckedatleastfour
times.

Checkingthe
Project

Openupandunrollnunofeltingprojects.
Lifttheprotectivecoveringfromthenuno
feltingproject(onbothsidesifapplicable).
Checktoseeifthefeltingstageisdone
(seebelow).Ifthenunofeltingproject
requiresmorefeltingrerolltheproject
(alternatingthestartingside)androllthe
projectinatowel.Androllthenuno
feltingprojectagain.
Someprotectivecoveringsliketullemay
starttofelt/sticktothenunofelting
project,liftthemgentlybypullingbackin
apeelingmotion,beingcarefulnotto
disturbthedesign.
Thedirectionthenunofeltingprojectis
rolledupwillhavemoreshrinkage.
Alternatethedirectionthenunofelting
projectisrolled.Forlongprojects,rollthe
projectfromoppositeshortsides.For
smallerprojects,tomaintaintheshape,
rolltheprojectupfromeachside.
Asnunofeltingprojectsprogressandthe
fabricandfiberstarttoholdtogether,but
thefeltingstageisnotdone,eliminatethe
protectivelayerfromtheroll.

Feltingthe
Edges

Alwayschecktheedgesofnunofelting
projects.Makesuretherawfabricedges
arecoveredwithfibers.Ifstraightedges
aredesired,makesurenofibersare
hangingoutfromtheedges.

FeltingStageis
Done

Testtoseeifthefeltingstageisdone.Use
atoweltoblot/dryoffasectionofthe
nunofeltingproject.Lookingattheback
sideofthenunofeltingproject(thefabric
side),holdtheblottedareauptoalight
andlookatthesurfaceoftheproject.The
feltingstageisdonewhenyouseetiny
hairsofwoolcomingthroughthefabric.
Fulling
Innunofelting,inthefullingstage,when
thefibersshrinkauniquebubblytexture
iscreatedasthefabricispulledinwiththe
fibers.
Shockfullingisaquickandeasywayto
fullnunofelt.Thisisbecausedistortions

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FullingStage

duetotheshock,fiberslockingtogether
quicklyandunevenly,areunlikelyinnuno
feltwhichhasthinlayersoffibersanda
fabrictostabilizethefibers.Shockfulling
isnotgenerallydesirableintraditional
felting.
Ingeneral,theusualtechniquesoffulling
usedforfeltingwhichrequiremoretime
andcarearenotnecessaryfornuno
felting.

AboutFulling

Nowisthetimeforshrinkageandto
strengthenthenunofelt.Atightskinon
nunofeltingprojectsisdesirable.Theskin
formswhenthefibersentangle.Heat,
moistureandagitationarethekey.
Therearemanymethodsand
combinationsofmethodstofullaproject.
Somemethodsallowformorecontrol
thanothers.
Ingeneral,startfullingnunofelting
projectsgentlyandworkuptomore
ruggedfulling.Eachmethodcanbedone
gentlyorvigorously.
Ingeneral,themorevigorousthefulling
themoreshrinkage.
Duringfulling,nomatterwhatthe
method,checknunofeltingprojects.
Changescanhappenquickly.
Openupnunofeltingprojectstocheck
them.Ifanunofeltingprojectstartsto
felttoitself,gentlypryitapart.Stretch
andreshapenunofeltingprojectsas
necessary.Makesuretokeepaneyeon
theedges.

RemoveCold
Water

Removeasmuchofthecoldsoapywater
mixturefromnunofeltingprojectsas
possiblebyblottingwithaspongeor
towel.Donotwringorsqueezenuno
feltingprojects.

Applythehotsoapywatermixtureusinga
ladleorothertool.
Ifnunofeltingprojectsgetcoldduringthe
ApplyHotSoapy fullingstage,removethecoldwaterand
WaterMixture
reapplythehotsoapywatermixture.
Coldwaterwillstopthefullingprocess.
Thehotterthewaterthefasterthefulling
willoccur.
Firstfulltheedges.Rubbingparalleltothe
edgewillhelptocreateastrongstabilized
edge.
Remembertochecktheedgesofnuno
FullingtheEdges feltingprojectsduringfulling.
Ifcornersarestretchedandpointedand
squaredoffcornersaredesired,rubfrom
thepointdiagonallyintothenunofelting
projecttopullthecornersin.
Thisisagoodwaytostartfulling.With
thenunofeltingprojectlyingflatontopof
therollingmatrubtheentiresurfaceof
Fullingby
thenunofeltingprojectwithyourhands.
Rubbing
Repeatuntilthedesiredresultisachieved,
(Morecontrolled
orcombinewithotherfullingmethods.
fulling
Nunofeltingprojectswillshrinkinthe
approach.)
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directionrubbed.Ifthedirectionof
shrinkageisnotaconcern,rubrandomly.
Liftthenunofeltingprojectoffthetable
(youmaywanttomovetoasink),with
differentsectionsofthenunofelting
projectineachhand.Scrubthesurfaces
ineachhandtogether.Repeatwith
differentsections.

Fullingby
Scrubbing
(Morerandom
fulling
approach.)

Thebasicideaistotakenunofelting
projectsanddroportossthemona
surface(thesinkorrollingmat).The
Fullingby
randomapproachwouldbetoscrunch
Dropping/Tossing
nunofeltingprojectsupanddroportoss.
(Morerandom
Thecontrolledapproachwouldbetofold
fulling
nunofeltingprojectsanddroportoss.
approach.)
Ifnunofeltingprojectsarefoldedfor
fullingremembertoopenandrefoldsoa
creasedoesn'tform.
FullingbyRolling
Gentlyrollnunofeltingprojectsintoalog
(Morecontrolled
(noadditionallayershere).Nowrollthe
fulling
log.
approach.)
Fullingby
Kneading
(Morerandom
fulling
approach.)

Kneadnunofeltingprojectslikekneading
dough.Thecontrolledapproachwouldbe
tokneadtherolledlog.Therandom
approachwouldbetoscrunchnunofelting
projectsupandknead.Kneadingcanbe
doneinthesinkorontherollingmat.

FullingStageis
Done

Thenunofeltingprojecthasshrunkanda
skinhasformed.Howtightandhardthe
skinisandhowmuchthenunofelting
projectshrinksisuptoyou.
Finishing

Rinse

Usewatertorinseallsoapoutofnuno
feltingprojects.

AcidRinse

Soakfinishednunofeltingprojectsinan
acidicbath.Useabout1teaspoonvinegar
orlemonjuiceto4cupswater.Soaknuno
feltingprojectsfor10to15minutesand
rinsewithwater.

Block

Stretchandshapefinishednunofelting
projectsandleavetodry.
Ifdesireduseasteamirontohelpshape
andsetfinishednunofeltingprojects
beforetheydry.(Donotsteamexcessively
toomuchwaterandheatisnotgoodat
thisstage.)
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