Wool - My Medium of Choice!

First post in approximately 100 years, so bear with me!

Why not start off with what I've been up to recently, combined with a little friendly competition? Attempting to win the HackPittsburgh Hacker Olympics... and Felting!!!

I've recently discovered the joys of working with wool in several different fashions, most particularly needle felting (dry), and wet felting.

If you're interested in the wet felting process, here's my process, step-by-step:

Step 1:
Gather Your Ingredients! I used:
* Seventh Generation lavender mint dish soap (easy on the hands, easy on the earth, easy on your wool)
* old 1980's style metal bangle (other base forms will work equally well, like wire or even cooking twine)
* wool roving
* tupperware dish
* hot water (courtesy of the sink)
Photo: http://www.flickr.com/photos/pixelgirl2dot0/4393439323/

Step 2:
Pull off enough wool roving to completely encircle (and then some) your base form.
Photo: http://www.flickr.com/photos/pixelgirl2dot0/4394205706/

Step 3:
Spiral wrap the wool roving around your base form. This can also be done by just forming the roving around your base form, but the colors in the particular roving I chose here looked great spiraled.
Photo: http://www.flickr.com/photos/pixelgirl2dot0/4393439449/

Step 4:
Place your fully wrapped bracelet into your dish.
Photo: http://www.flickr.com/photos/pixelgirl2dot0/4393439587/

Step 5:
Sprinkle your dish soap of choice around on the wool. Just a bit.
Photo: http://www.flickr.com/photos/pixelgirl2dot0/4393439685/

Step 6:
Add hot water. Just enough to get your wool wet.
Photo: http://www.flickr.com/photos/pixelgirl2dot0/4393439793/

Step 7:
Agitate the hell out of it!!! Rub and "wash" wool roving, with a "pinching" action to start, then moving into rubbing and rolling between palms as the wool begins to tighten.

When the wool texture is to your liking and tight on your base form, rinse well in clear water. After rinsing, add a capful of vinegar to warm water in your tupperware dish. Swish, then rinse again in clear water, and you're done!

Photo: http://www.flickr.com/photos/pixelgirl2dot0/4394206312/

Give it a try, and drop me a note with any questions! steelgreypittsburgh (at) gmail!