Felted Dots!

 

A number of fellow feltmakers have asked me how I fabricate the dots in my designs.  I love incorporating dots into my felted work — there’s something organic and cheerful about them!  I hope this pictorial will help explain the process.Here’s how I craft the dots that brighten many of my felted art works:

Lay out one layer of thin merino roving, about 4 inches square:

Starting from one end, coax and twirl the fibers onto a thin, wooden skewer, and roll — jelly roll style — around the skewer.  Do this four more times, for a total of five different colors, one on top of the other, tightly rolled, til it looks like a cigar or cocoon.

Aqua is the first color; it will be the center of the dot.

Each color completely covers the previous one.

When you have five layers of different colors, carefully slide the cocoon off the skewer, and using very sharp scissors, slice the dry fiber into thin discs.  The thinner these discs are, the easier it will be to use them for surface design; however, if they are too thin, they will not hold together.  Experiment to find just the right thickness for your own purposes.

Place these dots on your prepared surface of whatever felted item you’ve crafted — tea cozy, scarf, table mat, etc. — then wet with soapy, hot water and carefully rub each dot to get it to begin to mesh into the fibers below.  It takes some effort with each dot to be sure it is secure; and it’s best to continue with less agitation in processing your fiber, to retain the integrity of the dot design.  In other words, you might do more careful rubbing of the surface, and less rigorous agitation such as throwing or rubbing against a ridged mat or wash board.  Explore and enjoy!   I welcome your questions.  Happy Felting!