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How to Make a Nuno Felt Corsage to Celebrate the Good Times

Tina Hilton, contributor

12 users recommend

Bold and beautiful flower power!

Tina Hilton

Colorwashed silk enhances the illusion of a natural flower.

Tina Hilton

The more layers of wool roving you incorporate, the stiffer the flower will become.

Tina Hilton

Bold and beautiful flower power!

Photo: Tina Hilton

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Nuno felting is a method of producing a lovely, lightweight felted material with a nice drape. It is accomplished by placing fine layers of wool roving on top of thin silk chiffon, saturating with soapy water, and agitating to simultaneously felt and bind the wool fibers into the silk material. Nuno felting has been traditionally incorporated in the creation of one-of-a-kind wraps, shawls, and scarves, but you will find that it is a perfect medium for capturing the beauty of exotic, fantasy flowers.

Supplies

• 100% lightweight silk material (I used an 18-inch x 18-inch piece of silk chiffon from Mary Jo's Cloth Store, a mecca for a wide variety of fine fabrics at bargain prices)                                           
• Wool roving, both combed and curly in your favorite flower colors
• Plastic
• Bubble wrap
• Large towel
• Foam tube or car shade
• Old panty hose or fabric strips
• Rolling pin
• White glue (I used Aileen’s Tacky Glue
• A small piece of wool felt
• Yarn for embellishment
• Pin back

Step-by-step
Prepare your work surface with a layer of plastic, then a layer of bubble wrap with the bubbles facing up, and place the silk fabric on top.

Colorwashed silk enhances the illusion of a natural flower.

Cover the entire surface of the silk with a thin layer of roving, then position contrasting roving in a flower shape.

The more layers of wool roving you incorporate, the stiffer the flower will become.

Completely saturate the fibers with room temperature, soapy water.

Place large towels under the plastic before you soak with soapy water!

Cover with bubble wrap, bubble side down, and roll around a foam tube (I used a mylar car sunshade because that’s what I had on hand!).

Completely cover the project with bubble wrap.

Tie the tube together tightly with sections of the panty hose or fabric strips.

Roll and squeeze the tube to felt the fibers. It's a great upper-body workout!

Roll the tube back and forth for the friction necessary to felt the wool, and work it into the silk material. After 10 to 15 minutes of constant rolling, untie and take a peek at the progress of the felting. If you still have a ways to go, use the rolling pin if your wrists and arms are tired.

Make sure you rotate the tube so you roll all the areas evenly.

Continue to roll for another five minutes and check again. When it’s ready, you will not be able to separate the layer of wool from the silk and the silk should look a bit puckery.

Instead of beating the fabric on the countertop, you can leave it in the bag and toss it on concrete outside a couple dozen times to finish the felting process.

Unroll the fabric and separate it from the bubble wrap. Gently squeeze out most of the excess water. Next, put the fabric in a plastic bag unsealed and nuke it in the microwave for five minutes. Let it cool a bit and squeeze out any remaining water.

The final felting step is my favorite. Grab the edge of the fabric and beat it to death on the countertop. Didn’t that feel good?

If you are satisfied with the appearance, lay it out flat to dry. If you want to draw up the fibers a bit more, throw it in a hot dryer for a few minutes and then lay flat to completely dry.

Cut out the flower from the background to the size and shape you desire. From the leftover background material, I cut out more petals and veins for the petals.

I love the effect of the curly roving on this exotic tropical flower.

Lightly glue down the veins and glue the petals together.

Cut out a piece of felt to finish off the back. Sew the pin back to the center of it, and glue it to the back center of the flower.

Initially lay out the roving for the flower on the large side because you can always cut it to size after the felting process.

A felted flower corsage is an everlasting keepsake that will continue to demonstrate your love and admiration for many years to come.

I used a hand-dyed felt from Dancing Leaf Farm.

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Comments (5)

SweetbriarStudio writes: I'm a self-taught felter and I really appreciate reading about the many ways to wet felt. Thanks for some new ideas!
Posted: 6:03 pm on June 6th

ewephoric writes: All I can say is that Craft Stylish is lucky to have such a talented, creative, and insightful editor. Your projects are always the very best out there! I hope to always have your terrific ideas to help jumpstart my own. Keep up the good work.
Posted: 2:32 pm on May 24th

Tina_Hilton writes: Dear SMVG - Each and every one the projects I posted over the past year have been a delight and pleasure to design and execute. It gives me great joy that I have been able to share them with you and all the loyal Craft Stylish community. Thank you from the bottom of my heart for your continuous support and encouragement. Tina
Posted: 6:41 pm on May 14th

SMVG writes: Needed to finish my thought....ALWAYS in great taste!
Posted: 6:03 pm on May 14th

SMVG writes: Can't wait to try it! You not only have great ideas but they are ALWAYS
Posted: 6:02 pm on May 14th

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