When a felt artist wants to rest they make something simple and colorful.

If you’d like to make a new felt scarf for yourself or as a gift I will show you how to do it. Best of all, it can be any color you like. You can let your fantasy go wild!

For a scarf measuring about 100×20 cm* you will need:
a piece of bubble wrap, 100×40 cm
white or undyed roving wool, about 100 gram
dye for wool
microwave safe bowl
vinegar
mild shampoo or foamy soap

* Finished size will depend on fiber you used and layout

Tear long thin strips of roving wool and position them on the bubble wrap as in picture.

Fill all the space of the scarf with such strips. Since we want to achieve the effect of holes in the scarf, fix the layout of wool as you position it and form holes with your fingers. It can also be done after the wool has been dampened.
Having placed all the wool, spray it with soapy liquid, cover with another piece of bubble wrap and massage the scarf through the wrap in order for the entire scarf to become damp.

You can use a rolling pin or a sander, however, this can be done by hand too. Roll the scarf as it is in the bubble wrap and start rolling it with your hands or feet, which ever you prefer. As first press the roll lightly, but as wool starts felting you can press it harder and harder. From time to time unroll it and roll from another side of the scarf in order for it to felt smoothly.

When you unroll it, you can also lift the bubble wrap and correct the positioning of the scarf as well as the holes in it with your fingers.

Keep felting until you see that separate wool threads cannot be separated from the scarf and when you lift it, the scarf holds it shape well. Gather the scarf into a pile and start rubbing it, making grating movements as if hand washing it

You can also delicately throw it around and rub it with bubble wrap. Continue doing this until the wool is completely felted – the scarf has to shrink both in its length and width, it has to hold its shape as a single item and it should not be possible to separate any threads or pieces.

Rinse the scarf first in hot, then in cold water, changing its temperature several times.

The next stage is to dye the scarf. First soak it in vinegar water for a couple of minutes, then press water out of it without applying to much strength.

Lay cling film on a table and put the scarf on it.

Dye can be applied either by pouring it on the scarf or by spreading it with a brush. Cover the scarf with another piece of cling film, fold it and put into a microwave safe dish with some cold water. Put the dish into the microwave and heat on medium 3 times for 3-5 minutes each. Wait till it cools down and take the scarf from cling film. Rinse it in vinegar water until water becomes clear.
Iron and dry your new scarf and it is ready!

~Etsy Russian Team

Tutorial by Gala (Galafilc) Translation by Anastasia (Lightkeeping). See more from the Etsy Russian team on their blog.