Tutorial 3-D flower in wet felting technique 3- D flower felting Part 1: Requirements: Merino wool, different colors, yarns,

possibly flax linen, water, olive soap, bubble wrap. I use pre-felt to make the flowers, this is a piece of felt that is made with 2 layers of thin wool, roof tiles laid, first horizontally then vertically above the first layer, this 2 x 5 min walken. Just let it dry and use when needed.

Cut out bubble wrap 3 round pieces, at 1 large and 1 small one cut hole in the middle. Cut the same pieces out the pre-felt, WITHOUT cutting the hole in the centre.

Place the large pre-felt on the plastic without the hole and add 2 layers off merino wool, from wick. ( one wick in half and share this again by half portions) At the last layer you can add some other colours wool or yarn what your choice is.

Janine Bronneberg 2012

Tutorial 3-D flower in wet felting technique Make this part wet with warm water in which olive soap is dissolved, BEWARE, DO NOT MAKE THE CENTRE WET!

Now carefully rub the outer edge, put the bubble plastic with hole above this, and felt a little longer until the fibbers stuck, about 3 minutes

Now you put the next layer of wool on top and repeat as above, remember, do not wet the centre. Then put the little plastic on top and again add wool on it. In the middle you create now a core with a different colour. This is the centre of the flower.

Janine Bronneberg 2012

Tutorial 3-D flower in wet felting technique Now you may wett the middle quit firmly, because the other layers has to be wet too. Start felting an rub the middle firmly , so the three layers together can be felted.

I use a baking roll wrapped in bubble plastic as a tool, but you can also use a reed mat in which your work rolls. Always put plastic on the wool to protect it.

Now walk 2 x 5 min., the role moving up and down, away from you, to you. After 5 min un wrap and put the flower in the opposite direction than where you started. So once you walk your work horizontally, the other time vertically. This will prevent your work too shrink much in the wrong direction. When removing always separate the flower layers so the want attach. We must avoid it felt all together. After walking you unwrap it all and felt the layers apart, making all good wet with warm water and soap.

Janine Bronneberg 2012

Tutorial 3-D flower in wet felting technique

Now go further by hand felting. (About 5 min) Kneading, the plastic is still sitting between the layers..

Now remove the plastic between the layers and see if the layers are good felted, this you check by lifting the upper layer. Those all go up, this is good. If it seems there is still a layer not entirely holding good, you felt a bit longer. You now have a beautiful flower that is completely felted.

Now cut out the different layers to the centre,

Janine Bronneberg 2012

Tutorial 3-D flower in wet felting technique

Cut in the bottom layer straight lines towards the center, as an X. These become the flower leafs. Then cut the leaves into the desired shape.

Now cut the second layer, but make sure the lines are above a leaf, the leaves are staggered. No two cut lines above each other.

Then you cut the last layer. And this is the end result.

Janine Bronneberg 2012

Tutorial 3-D flower in wet felting technique Now felt the leaves separately, this to make an nice shape and get rid of cut edges.

Felting is done. I put my flowers for 15 minutes in the dryer. This will even more strength felt, the fibers are close together even better. Put the flower in a protective bag.

If the flower comes out of the dryer it is still damp, now you shaping your flower the way you want. Because I want to have a rose, I twisted the leafs with sewing thread.

Janine Bronneberg 2012

Tutorial 3-D flower in wet felting technique Let the yarn sit until the rose completely dryed (takes a day). Because I wonted a nice round bottom I punt the rose in a glass form and put away in a warm place.

After 1 day loose the wires and your flower is ready!

Janine Bronneberg 2012