Laying out supplies: art batts, bar soap, and felting equipment.
Swathing each soap in roving from an art batt...
...then wrapping each with a messy spiral of pencil roving...
...(choosing different color combinations for each recipient).
The finished soaps...
...drying on paper towels or parchment paper.
Et voila...the completed set!! :)
While searching for large, nicely shaped, individual bars of soap for this project...
...I was delighted to find a brand of soap that I used as a teenager!!
I didn't even know that "Yardley of London" still existed...
...but as I inhaled scents like English Lavender, Lemon Verbena and Oatmeal-Almond...
...I was instantly transported back to the 70's!! :)
If you haven't ever tried making felted soaps, you should...
...as it is a rather straightforward project yielding lovely results...
...although not entirely without its challenges. :)
To begin: Wrap a bar of soap with wool roving or part of a wool batt...
...placing one fat and fluffy layer around the soap width-wise...
...and another around the soap from end to end (making sure to cover the entire soap surface).
It's important to get enough fiber on your soap to provide a thick and cushiony 'skin' after felting...
...so 'if in doubt', add another layer!
Using any kind of pencil roving or wool yarn...
...wrap the whole shebang in a casual spiral-ish design.
(Besides being just plain pretty...
...this will help to hold the wool in place as you work!)
Now comes the only tricky bit:
Holding the soap firmly in one hand...
...carefully dribble hot water on it, turning (and gently squeezing it) as you go.
If you don't go slowly and hold the wool firmly in place at this stage...
...or if you rush to dip it in water or rub it on bubble wrap...
...you may find (to your dismay) that the wool 'coat' slides right off!
Once the coating feels like it's starting to stick together...
...you can roll it up in a sheet of bubble wrap and gently roll it around on the table for awhile...
...making sure to change the position of the soap regularly and to watch for signs of 'slippage'.
As you work, you will feel the wool layers starting to shrink and felt...
...and each time it cools off, you should dip it in hot water...
...holding the soap firmly as you do.
Once it seems to be 'all of a piece'...
...gently rub it on the bubble wrap, turning it to reach each part of the soap as you go...
...or, using cupped, bare hands, you can work it like you're making a meatball! :)
After some time, the wool will felt to a thin, even layer over the entire surface of the soap...
...at which point you should rinse it quickly in cold water, squeeze out the excess water and let it dry.
