How to Make a Scarf From Felted Wool

Make a multicolored scarf using wool roving and cotton or silk gauze.

Felted wool is an intriguing craft medium because the wool takes on a whole new personality in the felting process. Whereas a traditional wool sweater might unravel and a ball of wool fiber can be pulled apart, felted wool creates a solid and sturdy piece of fabric. You can cut it, sew it, and embellish it all day long to create new felted wool creations like scarves or bags.

Things You'll Need

• Bubble Wrap
• Wool roving
• Cotton or silk gauze fabric
• Squirt bottle or pour cup
• Detergent
• Water
• Rolling pin or PVC pipe
• Rubber bands

Instructions

1. Lay out a strip of bubble wrap on a counter or work table. The bubble wrap needs to be bubble side up and be a few inches wider and longer than the desired size of your scarf.

2. Pull out approximately 2/3 oz of wool roving and begin pulling small strips or wisps off of the roving, laying them flat on top of the bubble wrap. Cover the wrap up until approximately one inch from each edge.

3. Wet your strip of gauze fabric, cut to your desired scarf measurements, with cold water. Press the excess water out of the fabric and lay it on top of your wool roving-covered bubble wrap. Drizzle hot, soapy water from a squeeze bottle or pour cup onto the fabric.

4. Fold the edges of the roving up and over to the top of the fabric. Using 1/3 oz of wool roving, pull out more strips to cover the center of the fabric. Pour more hot soapy water onto the top of the scarf.

5. Place your PVC pipe or rolling pin onto one short end of your setup and begin to roll the bubble wrap and fabric together. Try to avoid rolling wrinkles into the fabric; you may have to pull it or smooth it out as you go to avoid this. When you roll the entire thing, wrap it with rubber bands on each end and let it sit for five minutes.

6. Unroll and re-wrap, starting on the opposite side. Let it sit for five more minutes. Repeat this step until you can see that the wool roving has felted onto the fabric and no longer pulls apart.

7. Take the scarf off of the bubble wrap and place it into the sink with hot water to remove the soap. Then rinse with cold water. Lay it out flat and fold it over onto itself in sections and rub the sections together to complete the felting process. Allow it to dry and it will be ready to wear.

References

• GFW Sheep: How to Make a Wool, Felted Scarf Using Bubble Wrap