Types of felt
What is felt, and what kind of felt is available in stores? Felt is obtained after the fibers are compressed into a dense mass under the influence of hot steam. Then it is cut into sheets of the required size or rolled into rolls. Felt is made in a similar way, but the thinnest fibers or fluff are used for felt.
What made felt so popular? First of all, ease of processing: felt is very easy to sew or glue, and its edges do not crumble. This material looks the same on the back and front sides, and is also available in a wide range of colors. Felt is made not only from natural wool. It can be made from synthetic, man-made or mixed fibers.
- Wool felt
is soft and easily changes shape, it is perfect for decorations, interior decoration and various accessories. But after washing, wool can shrink and its edges become shaggy over time; in addition, the color palette of felt made from natural wool is limited. - Viscose felt
is also quite soft, slightly silky and smooth. It is well suited for toys and decorations because it has good strength and holds its shape. However, it can shrink if not properly cared for. - Mixed felt
contains up to 60% wool, and the remaining fibers can be acrylic or viscose. It is also soft and therefore does not hold its shape well. It has a smooth, beautiful surface and is a good choice for sewing soft toys and small crafts. - Acrylic felt
is slightly shiny and slips, it is sensitive to high temperatures and can become shaggy. But acrylic felt is easy to clean, does not fade or shrink, and holds its shape well. You can use it to sew toys, accessories, and also use it for appliqués. - Felt made from polyester fibers
has the greatest wear resistance and strength, it does not fade, and also holds its shape well. Use this felt for things that need to withstand constant stress (wallets, board games, puppet theater, etc.)
In the store you can buy felt of various thicknesses, starting from 1 mm. Thin felt is convenient for cutting out small parts for appliqués and sewing small toys (for example, Christmas tree decorations). Thick felt (4-5 mm) holds its shape well, it is perfect as a base for sheets of an educational book, decorative panel or bag.
Hats for strong and fashionable men
A man who wears a hat immediately becomes more attractive in the eyes of beholders, as this adds a special brutality to him.
You might be interested in this. Features of Ricardo and Armani suit fabrics: description of the properties of the materials
Decoration
Representatives of the stronger half of humanity wear the following styles of felt hats:
- Tribley. This variety is distinguished by the presence of a longitudinal dent in the center and small fields that are slightly turned up.
- Pork pie is a classic version, the features of which are the presence of a cylindrical crown, decorated with a ribbon, and a horizontal top.
- Fedora. This type of hat is the most common among men. It is distinguished by the presence of dents on the front and sides. It is made of soft and pliable felt and is best suited for casual style.
- The Homburg is a hat that goes perfectly with a classic suit. It has a dent in the center, rolled edges and a fixed shape due to the rigidity of the material.
With a bow
Due to such a variety of accessories, men have scope to realize their fantasies. A felt hat can be ideally combined with both trousers and jeans, both T-shirts and shirts, thereby adding uniqueness and aristocracy to each look.
What to sew from felt?
Most often, felt is used for sewing toys and accessories. Soft children's toys, New Year's pendants, educational books, interior decorations will definitely please children! Women will appreciate felt jewelry, which can be made in different styles. Bags and cases for modern technology, covers for books and notepads will be an excellent gift for anyone who values individuality and handmade work.
Full-length clothing is rarely made from felt, except that vests or children's sundresses can be made from soft felt. Most often, sewn applique made of felt is used in clothing.
Let's start sewing felt products
Typically, beginners prefer to start with items that are decorative in nature, such as small toys and Christmas tree decorations.
The manufacturing method for all products will be the same. You will need to first cut out blanks from felt of the selected color, as it will be indicated in the selected pattern. Then you will need to use threads and glue to connect the cut out parts together. After this, you will need to leave the craft for a while so that it dries properly and only then can you start using it.
Step-by-step instruction:
- We cut out all the parts without seam allowances.
- We fasten all the parts with pins, as in the picture.
- Sew on the small parts first. For example, if we have a cat, we start sewing from the face; eyes, mustache, etc. We always sew from the inside.
- Then we sew the body with an overcast stitch along the contour of the figure.
- If you plan to make a three-dimensional craft, then you need to leave a hole in the seam through which the figurine is stuffed. After this, the hole must be “patched” with a hidden seam.
- At the very end, we sew or glue decorative details.
The craft is ready!
Sewing from felt
How to sew felt with your own hands? This is one of the easiest materials to sew. You can even sew felt with a simple basting stitch, and even glue some parts!
Use regular polyester threads for sewing, and for embroidery, take high-quality floss in two or more folds. For hand stitches you will need a thin needle with a sharp tip. To use a sewing machine, take a needle for thick fabrics.
An overlock stitch “over the edge” (“loophole”) not only connects the parts, but also decorates the felt product. Make sure that the distance between stitches is the same, especially if you are working with contrasting threads.
The edges of the felt can be trimmed with curly scissors, and holes of different sizes can be made using punches, which are used to install eyelets.
If you need to glue a felt piece, apply it very carefully. Do not allow the glue to completely saturate the felt, otherwise stains may appear on the front surface. If the felt product will not be washed, you can use double-sided tape to glue small fragments.
To fill soft toys or other felt products, it is best to use holofiber, padding polyester, padding polyester or polyethylene granules.
Care
Felt items can be cleaned with a soft brush, and, for example, pillowcases or large panels can be vacuumed.
Local dirt (eg on edges) can be cleaned with a damp sponge and a small amount of carpet detergent.
If you want to wash a felt product, use warm (no higher than 40 degrees) water, a delicate liquid detergent and hand wash. The product must not be squeezed or twisted. Let the water drain, pat dry with a towel and place on a flat surface.
Is it possible to make a felt hat with your own hands?
To understand all the intricacies of factory-made hats, it is best to watch a video. The video shows a step-by-step master class on making a headdress using a pattern at the manufacturer's factory. You can find a lot of such information on the Internet in the form of crafts for girls.
Felt is a stylish material that is easy to care for. That is why it has gained such wide popularity among hat lovers. A felt hat is the perfect addition to almost any outfit.
Products for adults
Adults can also come up with many interesting and useful crafts. Any woman can create a handbag, a case for a phone and tablet, a key holder, a wallet, a pencil case, etc. Felt jewelry looks very unusual and beautiful: rings, necklaces, brooches. Another option for using felt is instead of fragrance because felt absorbs odors well. It is enough to add 1-2 drops of any essential oil and a wonderful natural flavor is ready. There are many ideas and options for using felt, it all depends on the imagination of the master.
Experienced handicraftsmen create exhibitions of handicrafts, post photos of their works on the website and sell them.
Working with felt is pleasant and entertaining. It is easy for adults and children to create original, beautiful and useful things. The most important thing is not to be shy about your work: handmade work is always highly valued. In any other business, when working with felt, practice is also needed and then a person has every chance to create something worthy of attention. You can purchase felt either in individual sheets or in sets of several or more sheets. You can find it in sewing or other specialized stores. You can buy patterns in the same store.
Felt is a great way to create an original thing, fill the world with warmth and comfort, and help improve the mood of yourself and those around you. Go for it!
Care instructions
Requires careful care, which allows you to maintain the attractive appearance and technical properties of the material. Helpful Tips:
- It is preferable to use dry cleaning with a special brush;
- To remove stubborn dirt from the surface, you can use special cleaning products;
- Machine washing is prohibited; for cleaning, hand wash only;
- Drying is recommended away from heat sources and direct sunlight.
Products should not be wrung out after exposure to water. It is best to use steam cleaning or take the item to a special service where the necessary requirements are met.
Is it possible to iron
Clothes or flat toys can be ironed after completely drying. This allows you to avoid the appearance of deformations on the surface and bruises. It is best to use the minimum temperature and place a thin cloth or gauze on top. This material will tell you about Modelini clothes from Ivanovo.
How to make felt soft and hard
The texture and density of the material is acquired during the production process. At home, you can increase the softness of the fabric by additional felting or using steam - this allows you to achieve a certain shape when creating toys and clothes. To increase rigidity, starch is used - it is applied to the surface for several minutes, then cleaned with a brush. In addition, you can initially take dense material, soften it with steam and wait for the primary density to return. Read about knitwear from Ivanovo and Zlata’s clothing catalog here.
How to shape
To give a specific shape to fabric, two main methods are used: using steam and water. The second method can lead to a deterioration in appearance, so it must be used carefully. The optimal solution for shaping is to purchase felt with minimal rigidity.
What fabric does it stick to?
The material is often used to create applications and decorative compositions. To attach the elements, you can use special Velcro or glue. The greatest gluing density can be achieved by combining wool felt and natural cotton, since the fibers are attached to each other during the process.
To make small design elements, you can use the felting method. With its help, you can fasten several parts of the same texture and texture.
Nuances of choice
In order for a felt craft to turn out cute or to serve its purpose well, you need to choose the right canvas. The material varies in composition, thickness, characteristics and properties, and can also have varying degrees of rigidity. We suggest considering several types of crafts and the type of felt suitable for them.
- Children's applications. For children's creativity, it is better to choose a special set with hard felt and the necessary tools for work.
- Stuffed Toys. To make toys with filling, you need to choose a soft material of medium thickness so that the crafts are nicely plump and round.
- Flowers and decorations. To create accessories and flowers, needlewomen most often choose soft sheets of pressed fiber: they are easily twisted into buds and gently folded into petals.
- Case for tablet or phone. For such purposes, it is best to purchase hard felt with a thickness of 2 mm or more: it will hold its shape well and protect the gadget from minor damage.
- Educational children's book. For pages, use dense and hard felt, which will hold its shape well, and for appliqués, you can use material of medium thickness.
- Bows. This craft can be made from both soft and hard felt: in the first case, the bow will be soft and streamlined, and in the second, with strict and clear creases.
