# I have an idea for a gift



## Marchwind (May 10, 2002)

I have this idea and I need to talk it through with you all. You know my friend who has been inviting me to the sweats? His sweat lodge is beautiful, his wife and her daughter made it. Sweat lodges are "female" the representation of the mothers womb. It is made with Willow branches, Willow is "female" and considered the strongest, like a woman it is flexible, bendable, strong, and has curative qualities. But on the inside on the ground they have rug remnants that we sit on. These are synthetic and when you are hot and sweaty they are very uncomfortable. So, I thought I'd like to make a felt floor covering. The lodge is about 8' x 8' so I thought if I could make a big square they could cut it to size. This would have to wait until I move, so I would send it.

I think I have an idea of how to do it. My friend who had made beautiful large felt pieces uses plastic sheeting and bamboo shades. What I've seen of how she did it and talking to her I think this is how it goes. If any of you know better or have other ideas please let me know. So you lay out the shade, lay plastic sheeting on top of that. Then you layer your fibers out. I think she then worked it all slightly to begin the felting process, either by hand or by walking on it. Then roll it up and then roll it back and forth to complete the felting process. Or alternatively you could just lay it out on plastic sheeting and felt it by hand or by foot.

What do you all think? Will it work?


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## gone-a-milkin (Mar 4, 2007)

I have no idea how to accomplish the felting, but I think it is a wonderful idea.
Even if it wasn't perfectly felted down at first, the very nature of the lodge will help to firm up the fabric.
As long as it hangs together enough to get it in there it would be amazing.

I have laid out on the hard ground in the lodge more than once. 
Having a wool pad under me? That would have changed my experience, I am sure. 

I hope you can get it to work. Surely you can.


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## Marchwind (May 10, 2002)

GAM I know every time after a sweat my body aches from sitting on the ground for hours. It seems to exacerbate my broken tail bone, makes it ache all over again. I've tried sitting on a rolled towel, but usually end up laying down. I agree this will make the world of difference, especially if I can make it good and thick. I was also thinking of adding some symbols and colors that are significant.


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## frazzlehead (Aug 23, 2005)

That's an awesome idea. Wool is the best!

And here: if these guys can [ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gJ0uojUHYdA"]make felt for a yurt[/ame], you can make felt for a sweat lodge!

(I think the 'dragging across the field behind a horse' part could be modified...)


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## Marchwind (May 10, 2002)

It's funny that you mention Yurts. My friend who makes the large felt pieces, has a yurt that she got from, I believe, some Kyrgystanie people. It is a yurt just like in that video. She takes it to fiber fests, she teaches felt making. Maybe I could hire a bunch of kids to drag it around for me. What do you suppose they were hitting the fleeces with sticks for? Do you think that would begin the felting process? Seemed the felting process was begun on the animals.


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## frazzlehead (Aug 23, 2005)

I think the stick part was to loosen up the fleece and spread it out some - a very primitive version of carding.

Pretty neat to see though, eh?


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## RedDirt Cowgirl (Sep 21, 2010)

I've seen "art felting" done in different shapes (jacket construction) just between plastic sheets. They kinda kneaded it with their hands, and gave it hot/cold temperature shocks with water. A circular piece would be awesome.


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## Marchwind (May 10, 2002)

RDG I'm not sure if it will be round or not. My thought was to go with whatever shape it was and they could cut it to fit. I like the idea of putting it between two plastic sheets. The main thing is to make it thick. If I can make it circular that _would be _awesome.


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## RedDirt Cowgirl (Sep 21, 2010)

Whatever shape it was sounds fabulous. Pulling the edges into points was part of the shaping I saw, everyone liked the lines that happened with different kinds of stuff. I forgot to say they used rolling pins too to work the water in and out. One woman used big bubble wrap underneath to get lacy effects.



Marchwind said:


> RDG I'm not sure if it will be round or not. My thought was to go with whatever shape it was and they could cut it to fit. I like the idea of putting it between two plastic sheets. The main thing is to make it thick. If I can make it circular that _would be _awesome.


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## Marchwind (May 10, 2002)

Great ideas, things I hadn't thought of.


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## PKBoo (Apr 10, 2008)

Great idea Marchie! Do you need wool for felting? I have some alpaca seconds and sheep that I was saving for a friend who does "stomp rugs" with her elementary class. She doesn't need it, so I've got a bunch. I think I know where it is if you need it...


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## Marchwind (May 10, 2002)

PKBoo thanks for the offer but I think I may be a fiber hoarder, I have more than enough wool for felting.:teehee:


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## 7thswan (Nov 18, 2008)

I think it would would work great, infact it would be fun,outside in the yard, big plastic and soapy water. If you wanted to add to it(designs or extend the width) you could just do some needle felting to attach to it. I added some wool to Angora sock bottems I had knit for my Mom. The heels were worn out. It sure felted easy and attached nicely.


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## AverageJo (Sep 24, 2010)

Just using the plastic sheets may make it bunch up in areas, which wouldn't be that big of a concern if you were doing a rug. The use of the ratan or bamboo shades ads a bit of roughness, like a washboard affect that will assist with felting. I did this on a smaller scale with a placemat, but a friend of mine did a big piece with a shade she used to use on her sliding glass door. The thing I noticed was that the felt went in one direction. To get it to felt nicer, I turned the partially felted piece 90 degrees, rolled it back up and continued felting. It was pretty easy to do. Good luck!! Hope to hear how well it worked soon as I have a lot of sheep and alpaca seconds that I'd love to put to work in a project.


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## PKBoo (Apr 10, 2008)

Marchwind said:


> I think I may be a fiber hoarder


There is no such thing!  See, you have what you need for a project - you are not a hoarder, just prepared!


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## Marchwind (May 10, 2002)

LOL PKBoo!!! Yes, I am VERY prepared.

AverageJo, good info, thanks. When I learned to make felt, using the wet felting method, we learned to lay the fibers in fairly thin layers and lay them crosswise to the layer below it, that way you don't get all the fibers going in the same direction. I think it was meant to provide a stronger felt. I'm thinking a Navajo fleece or two or maybe a combination. I'm sure it will felt firmer and firmer with use as time goes by. I'm excited about starting this but it has to wait until I get moved and settled, so another couple of months.


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## sheepish (Dec 9, 2006)

I would think that a smooth surface to work on would be important, or the felt would be as bumpy as whatever was underneath.


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## Marchwind (May 10, 2002)

Good point. I'll have to see what I have to work with when I get to where I'm going. It would be nice to be able to do it on the grass or in a paved driveway. I think it will definitely be an outside project.


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## mamajohnson (Nov 27, 2002)

7thswan said:


> you could just do some needle felting to attach to it. I added some wool to Angora sock bottems I had knit for my Mom. The heels were worn out. It sure felted easy and attached nicely.


I need to know more about this! I need to fix some wool socks and had pondered doing something similar. How did you make it work?


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## 7thswan (Nov 18, 2008)

mamajohnson said:


> I need to know more about this! I need to fix some wool socks and had pondered doing something similar. How did you make it work?


I bought a little Felter, it has a wooden knob with 4 felt needles in it. Put a piece of foam inside the sock, then put a layer of wool over the hole, and push the needles in to the wool. The felt needles have little barbs on them that grab the wool and it felts into the sock wool. The little felter was very inexpensive. It worked surprisingly easy.


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## mamajohnson (Nov 27, 2002)

I'm a little slow... so let me be sure I get this.
A little foam, like styrfoam? or foam rubber?
So you needle felted to the sock. 
I have a rather....um large hole I want fixed. (I loved those socks too much I guess) Can I hand felt a little wool, put it over the hole and then needle felt to the sock?
or... should I knit a little swatch and felt it and then needle felt to the sock (would that even work?) Sometimes things work in my head that really won't work in real life. lol.
Thnx in advance! I miss those socks. It is actually the pair I got in my very first sock kal.


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## Marchwind (May 10, 2002)

7thswan how is that holding up? I've always been under the impression that needle felting was fairly weak. But maybe if it felts it enough to stay put until more felting too place from wear and tear.....


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## 7thswan (Nov 18, 2008)

mamajohnson said:


> I'm a little slow... so let me be sure I get this.
> A little foam, like styrfoam? or foam rubber?
> So you needle felted to the sock.
> I have a rather....um large hole I want fixed. (I loved those socks too much I guess) Can I hand felt a little wool, put it over the hole and then needle felt to the sock?
> ...


The Foam Rubber, like sofa cushion,is just put in there temporarly so that the two sides of the socks don't get felted together in the process. You would lay just wool roving or just fibers over the hole, it dosen't have to be a knitted peice. But ya, I don't see why you couldn't felt a peice and then needle felt it to the hole.


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## 7thswan (Nov 18, 2008)

Marchwind said:


> 7thswan how is that holding up? I've always been under the impression that needle felting was fairly weak. But maybe if it felts it enough to stay put until more felting too place from wear and tear.....


I'll have to ask, they were handspun uncarded 100% Angora, so that in in it's self make it kinda weak. Probably the Angora knitted part fell apart before the patch. I had just made them to be warm for wearing in bed after having back surgery, not so much for rugged use.


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## Marchwind (May 10, 2002)

I would be interested if you can find out some time. 

People I know use that foam insulation, the pink or yellow stuff. It's a bit firmer and you won't be as likely to poke yourself.


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## libby (Feb 27, 2011)

That sounds awesome! There are tons of tutorials for wet feltmaking on line. But I would get some help! A piece that big is going to take hours and lots of elbow grease to make- but it is going to be so awesome when you get it done!


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