[ellied]

I've done quite a bit of wet felting in recent years, scarves, bags, hats, slippers, felt vessels, various containers for specific items, phone holder.. It's great fun - I tend to use bubble wrap and a towel for most things but have borrowed a cane type bamboo blind for larger items and things that need extra strength.  I advertised on freecycle to try and get a couple for myself but no joy yet and my friend is happy to loan me hers when needed.

I keep trying to learn needle felting but am not sure I've the patience to do detailed work over a long period - may find out today at the friend's shops' 10th anniversary as they're doing demos and tasters.  It would be good to have something simple and repetitive to do while watching TV rather than have to set up the kitchen table and stand over it.. as long as I don't end up stabbing myself with a needle of course!

Felt welly liners sounds great - I've done slippers but am assuming you mean long leg like knee socks or even over the wellietop and turned over?  Details would be good FiB please 

[SallyintNorth]

I'm booked onto our Guild's 'felted vessels' workshop now, and have to take some things along with me, including a bamboo mat and bubble wrap.  The tutor says she gets her bamboo mats in charity shops; she's not very computer savvy so probably won't try eBay. 

What size bubble wrap will I need?  I have some of the small bubble stuff and some with the larger bubbles - I'm guessing it'll be the smaller I want?

[ellied]

I use small bubble type, large may work for some folk but I've always used the small..

For size, it depends what size vessel you're making     You want space for that size plus the shrinkage allowance plus a decent margin, and obviously x2 pieces more or less the same size, but not so big you can't flip the piece over.  The vessel course I did we were using maybe a foot square or a little more but maybe if you're not sure just take a large sheet you can cut to the required size on the day?

[SallyintNorth]

Thanks ellied.    One of the other things we have to take is a balloon, so I'm guessing I'll need enough bubble wrap to cover the balloon...

[Mad Goatwoman of Madeley]

Ooh that sounds interesting, Sally.

To those who know what they're doing, I've got a piece of that rubber non-slip mesh that stops plates sliding on trays. Would that do instead of bamboo?

The ladies who were doing the class at the farm park are prepared to do a class in my home, either wet or needle felting at £30 per person for the day, all materials provided. Does that sound reasonable? They usually charge £40 pp but arranged a special price of £20 pp for my spinning group. As I'm a member they will give my group the discount. I don't know if I can get enough people to get a class going here. If not, I may have to wait til they come to the spinning group but that won't be until the autumn. Not sure I can wait that long. 

[FiB]

£30  for a days felting inc materials sounds brill - one of my fave ways to spend a day!  I never use a bamboo mat (mostly because I don't have one!!  But also one of the ladies I learnt from didn't either!) I just use bubble wrap - but even that isn't really necessary - when I do soap or pebble felting in the woods we just use soap and water (and a bit of net curtain if I remember).  My felt welly liners were only insoles - but they were VERY beautiful and VERY thick!!!  (but I like the idea of full welly liners!)

[Mad Goatwoman of Madeley]

I MUST come and see you and get ideas. Will PM.

[Bionic]

I've just ordered polystyrene show lasts for making felted slippers.  Can't wait for them to arrive

[plumseverywhere]

I decided to have a go at felting soaps, I have half cheated and bought a 'kit' from ebay....hoping to suss out what I'm doing so that when the singing shearer visits I'll know what to do with all these fleeces!!