Anything labels wool, I would grab it. Got home, start washing and boiling the wool. As beginner, one will have to go through this stage --- to understand wool. To know how to handle and make felt out of wool.
Many of my "wool" collections would not felt. I washed, boiled , high heat dried, nothing had happened. They look like the old same somal. What is going on here ? I finally realized that one can not felt wool with nylon blended material.
It has to be pure wool. 100% wool. Sometimes, even if the label says it is 100% wool, I still have trouble to make the felt.
The beautify of felt is that you can cut it any shape you want. After felting, the material stick together, became very densed material. If it is perfect felted material, you don't need to worry about edgings. For there should not have any loose ends.
So I learn, I play, I stumble and I move forward. By the end of year, I have some traditional made items left, but sold out all my felted items. It was a shock to me --- to see people pour their hearts out to support the Upcycling effort, to enjoy one of the kind hand craft item from felted wool material , to see my effort has been paid off ----- all of which give me tremendous encouragement, for me to continue on this path. Oh, wonderful wool land, the wonderful upcycling journey.
The pictures below shows my first years progress in Upcycling Wool Sweaters.
Chocolate Brown Felted Tote bag purse With a large red flower hand sewn by mcleodhandcraftgifts,
felted white fingerless gloves with hot pink silk thread edging, created by mcleodhandcraftgifts,
Densely felted wool Clutch hand Sewn light blue color, crocheted brown edging
3 D Rusty Copper Beige Red Felted flowers by mcleodhandcraftgifts,
Felted Orange pumpkin pin Cushion using orange sweater hand sewn by mcleodhandcraftgifts,
Christmas Red Felted Tote bag purse with two front pockets and one inside pocket. High quality wool felt
Chocolate Brown felted hat with a large orange felted flower as decoration. Made from a large men sweater
Real Hippie looking Felted shoulder bag , crocheted edging, rainbow color
Hunter Green Wide headband with Orange Flower upcycled wool sweater project
lime green felt Slouch hat with matching infinity scarf , upcycled pure cashmere
Hunter Green Felted purse with wood handle ,crocheted edging to add delicacy.
Upcycled Wool Sweater hand bag beige Colored , with a silk handkerchief