Handmade felt in pure wool has played a major role throughout human history. It has clothed us and sheltered us from the elements – think of yurts, for example – giving us the chance to thrive. It is an excellent thermal insulator that keeps you pleasantly warm and dry. Among its many wonderful qualities, which we can’t go into here, felt is also eco-friendly because it is long-lasting, needs no chemicals to come to life and, being made of wool, is also biodegradable.
Today, together with Eva Basile, fiber artist and an expert on this material, we’ll learn how to create two delightful gradient boxes using the wet felting technique. These are two small design pieces that will brighten up a corner of your home and can be used as catch‑all bowls, as boxes for dried flowers, as pen or brush holders or – if you waterproof the inside – as actual little vases for fresh flowers.
Follow Eva step by step as you make these two pieces, it will be very satisfying. The fiber of choice is extra fine merino carded wool, soft yet strong, perfect for this kind of project. Choose your favorite colors in our shop and then start the tutorial – we absolutely love the combo Eva picked.
Happy felting!
MATERIALS
Extra fine merino carded wool col. Sand, Paradise, Cyclamen
Merino wool nepps col. Tuareg, Lavander
Water sprinkler for felting
Bubble cushioning wrap
Marseille soap
Bowl
Scissors
First, lay a sheet of bubble wrap on the table, large enough to hold your work. Lay down two layers of merino wool, crossing the fiber direction, so you get an even, stable base.
Wet thoroughly with soapy water, making sure the water penetrates all the fibers.
Cut a bubble wrap circle in the size you want for the bottom of your boxes. Place the circle on the wool and start felting. Fold the excess wool over the circular shape, taking care not to create wrinkles. Add more wool, distributing it evenly so you get the same thickness on both sides. Wet again and continue felting, using the bubble wrap underneath as your felting base.
Lay the color Paradise merino wool over the piece, making sure the colored surface is at least 2 cm wider than the part already felted. Wet and felt, always checking that no wrinkles form along the edges. Fill the central area with a second color, Cyclamen, to create a soft, two‑tone gradient effect.
You can also add wool nepps, as we did, to introduce an extra decorative element between the layers of wool. Wet the piece again and felt with soapy hands.
Check that no folds form along the edges. Use the bubble wrap to roll up your work and start rolling for a few minutes. Make sure the wool hasn’t formed any creases; at this point wrap your piece in a bamboo mat and keep rolling.
When the felt is nicely compact, cut a slit in the center with scissors and remove the bubble wrap circle. Widen the opening by gently pulling the edges and shape the volume of the boxes.
For the second boxes, follow the same steps as for the first one. The only difference is that, once both sides of the boxes have been felted, you’ll cut an opening in the center to remove the bubble wrap, then turn the piece inside out so that the inside becomes the outside. Next, to elongate the shape, dip the piece in hot water and roll it between your hands all around the circumference so you move from a flat form to a three‑dimensional one.
If you want to stretch the profile of the boxes even more, place an object inside and use your hands to shape the walls and rim more precisely.
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