Can I pick your brains? I want to make some gifts from felt from Quilt a Gift. It calls for wool felt. Having done a bit of a search, there is 100% wool felt which is way out of my price range and there are 30/70 and 20/70 wool/synthetic mixes. Are these mixes what I call acrylic felt? The stuff you can buy for 50p in Hobbycraft? I really need some advice as I'm going to have to purchase online as I don't know anywhere that stocks it.
In other news, I've just subscribed to Homespun Australia! They emailed me after I'd had a bit of a moan about not being able to get hold of it in the UK and told me where I could subscribe. I "accidentally" also subscribed to Handmade Australia. Oh, and then I subscribed to Making and an American craft magazine which I can't remember the title of so that will be exciting when it comes!! I've also just bought Homestyle Sewing which isn't available on subscription yet - I went a bit mad with the magazines! I do love them though and Crafts Beautiful is getting VERY card-making heavy.
Enough with the magazine waffle!
5 comments:
Well, I am not sure whether I will be of too much help with the felt thing ...
Overhere I have the same problem - finding wool felt is really hard - even online they usually have only very thick felt which is probably great for handbags or stuff but not suitable for appliquing. And it is really expensive!!!
I am not sure about the answer to your question but I think that the regular craft felt - which you refer to as acrylic felt - is probably something even "cheaper" than the mixes you are talking about. But I might be wrong!
Basically the craft felts we get overhere in Germany are just for crafting. You can sew with them - but you can not wash them. So if you make something with them that is very elaborate and it gets dusty ... well, you are kinda screwed.
Therefor what I usually look for in felt is that it can be (hand) washed. The expensive wool felt usually can be washed. I would try to figure out whether the mix-felts are washable - sometimes they do not tell you in the online-shop. But I simply sent an email to the shop and got a helpful reply via email. You should also check how thick the felt is and whether that is appropriate for your project. I guess as long as you are not making stuff that will be worn or something it should not make a huge difference wether it is 100% felt or not as long as it is not regular crafting felt.
Also you might consider felting old wool sweaters (either you or your family might have some or you might be able to get cheap ones at thrift stores) and use that felt. But it depends on the project whether that would be appropriate ...
Hm, that was kinda long. I hope it did help a bit ... you can also email me, if something I wrote did not make sense. ;-)
Heaths Country store at Ollerton Notts sells wool felt.I think it is around £10 a metre,not sure how small he would cut.He also sells Kunin felt pieces at around 50p in country colours rather than the bright colours felt tends to come in.He also sells the Australian mags and lots of lovely materials and wool.It is lovely shop to look around.Not on commission ,honest.Love looking at all your projects.
Thanks for your comments ladies - Ms Muffin, I replied to you by email as ever, but Shell you are a no reply commenter with no blog, so I hope you come back here to see this. Thank you so much for your tip - I assume you live nearby? I've just told hubby we're off to Ollerton, hint hint, it's my birthday tomorrow so hopefully we can go this weekend as he has to do as I say on my birthday weekend!!
have a great birthday,I am sure you will find plenty to tempt you at Heaths.Look out for the scrap bags of fabric at £5 nice bits of fabric to make up little projects.I live in Notts too.
I've had the same questions about felt brewing in my mind for months now. I've found reading these comments very helpful. So, thanks for reading my mind and clearing up some felt mysteries! Good luck with whichever project you end up choosing and whichever felt you go with. I look forward to hearing about what you learn in your adventures with fel!
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