Reets'
Rags to Stitches
P.O.Box 578
Miranda, CA
95553
phone and fax:(707)
943-3609
WOOLFELT FACTS, TECHNIQUES AND TIPS
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National Nonwovens WoolFelt is 36" wide. It is part rayon, part wool. Some colors are 35% wool/65% rayon. Other colors are 20% wool/80%rayon. The wool with the higher wool content is normally more expensive but to avoid alot of confusion, we have chosen the middle price for both WoolFelts and try to be very reasonable with our shipping costs to you. WoolFelt continues to gain in popularity and soon you will be able to purchase it in your nearest quilt store - until then, we will try and provide it for you in as many colors as possible.
When you purchase WoolFelt it is flat and looks similar to acrylic felts tho there is a world of difference. Most usually you will want to prepare it to acheive the soft and fluffy look seen on our designs. All of Reets' patterns that use WoolFelt have preparation instructions but they are noted here also. Keep in mind these facts:
WoolFelt shrinks in length at least 6 inches per yard - not much in width.
Some colors run - prepare them separately. Barn Red will turn your whole house pink if you aren't careful.
Different colors and even different dye lots produce varying results. For instance no matter what you do, some colors just come out fluffier.
PREPARATION: I normally do quite a few fat quarters, 1/2 yard or even yard pieces of one color at one time in the washer. HOWEVER, i do not recommend this as you should not agitate WoolFelt more than 10 seconds at a time. I have been called to the phone, forgotten the Felt, and washed the livin life right out of it. Instead, wearing rubber gloves, rinse and squeeze the hot water thru the felt repeatedly (soaking is optional). Remove excess water so it isn't sopping wet - you can roll it in an OLD towel if you like, or if you must...put it in the washer on the gentle wring cycle for no more than 15 seconds. Overspinning will stretch it and it will not be as fluffy. RINSE OUT YOUR WASHER. (If you wish to tea dye the Straw or any color, do so at this point and then procede.) Put felt in a hot dryer with a fabric softener sheet for 35 minutes. Do not overdry. Remove felt immediately after drying and lay flat. WIPE OUT YOUR DRYER. To get a good fluff when you are preparing small amounts of WoolFelt, you'll need to agitate it some by hand when it is soaking and dry it with a couple of old wet towels. Prepared WoolFelt will crease - this is why large pieces in our kits come to you unprepared. I usually store it rolled. My friend Karen has a great Clip and Hang system attached to her closet door. It can be lightly ironed from the back side but you will sacrifice a bit of the fluff.
TIPS
Applique - Try streaking your WoolFelt applique pieces lightly with the side of a brush marker to give it a mottled look. Use a shade slightly darker than the felt - use a couple of colors - be brave.
Overdye colors with purchased dyes. Different types of dye produce different effects.
Bring water to a slow boil and add a piece of WoolFelt. Simmer it to acheive an antiqued or hand-dyed look. If you don't stir it, it comes out mottled and blotchy; however, if you have too much felt crammed in the pot, it will be a bit creased and wrinkled after drying.
Try removing the simmered color and adding another color to the dye water - simmer that one for a while. Try simmering them both together. Try three colors....be brave. Use old pots by the way. The color i acheived for the purple background on the Lucky Bunny Pennyrug is gorgeous tho unfortunately the picture is not that true to the color. To get the purple i simmered Purple with AquaMarine for about 20 minutes at least (be careful at all times not to abandon your stove work - can be dangerous - I know!) Anyway, on the AquaMarine piece, the blue shows thru very subtly in some areas and the rest is an incredible purple. oooh-la-la! There is now a lovely purple called Majestic Plum. It is Purple with a very subtle bit of fuzzy grey throughout. It's a wonderful color as it is but if this color is simmered, the grey disappears and the color becomes lighter.
You can paint WoolFelt. The St. Nick Stocking pattern for instance has painted mittens and painted boots and then varnished. You can wet the edges of some of your work, then lightly paint for an antiqued look.
Rug Hooking! Yes you can. I do not recommend hooking a project with WoolFelt that is going to get alot of wear, like a rug, because i am suspicious of its durability. But for wall rugs or small projects i believe it is great. It affords us all the opportunity to experiment some before venturing into hooking with the beautiful hand-dyed, 100% wools. Try the "Heart Case" RRH01 pattern for which a kit will soon be available.
NEW TIPS ADDED 3-25-01
In some instances, pressing woolfelt from the back side creates a more defined look for applique. In other words sometimes the lumpy pieces do not stand out as much when appliqued onto a lumpy background.
Appliqueing Body Pieces - Try NOT preparing Camel or Straw woolfelt if you want to applique faces and body parts. Simply tea dye it if desired. Or if it is already prepared, iron it. This way you can stitch and draw a face that is more defined.
I like to go over my tea dyed body parts after they are appliqued with a brownish powder blush. After that i further accent the cheeks, knees, etc with a bit brighter red blush. Very lightly blush forheads and chins as well.
Perhaps you have done some WoolFelt experimenting yourself. Email us and share your discoveries.
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updated 10.28.2000