Wet Felting With Resists – Part III

Hi!

Here’s the third part of my answer to your question:

“What are resists and how do you use them?”

If you haven’t watched parts I and II, go and check them out. You can find the links below.

SO WHAT ELSE SHOULD YOU CONSIDER WHEN DESIGNING A RESIST?

You probably already know that wool can actually shrink a lot when wet felted, right?

Like even 30 or 40%, depending on the wool type and how thick your layers are or how you lay the fibers.

So, when designing a resist, you have to plan for this shrinkage.

If you’re making a bag or any other object where the size doesn’t have to be very precise, you can make your resist and start felting.

But if you want to make a hat or a pair of shoes, then you want to get the RIGHT size, right?

In that case, start by making a sample with the wool you’ll be working with and lay it in the way and with the thickness you’re planning for your piece.

From this sample you can see how much the wool shrinks, so that you can design a resist for the exact size you want.

Below you can find a link to a video about how to make a sample to determine the shrinkage.

So, you’ve got your resist material and your shrinkage rate. Now what?

Well, now it’s time to draw the template for your resist.

Start by drawing it on a piece of paper and, when you’re happy with it, copy it on to the resist material of your choice.

I won’t be going into how to decide on the shape of your resist, because it depends on what you’re felting.

In my workshops, I always explain how you can design your own resist, in addition to giving you one to work with. The goal is always that you learn how to develop YOUR OWN UNIQUE PIECES.

After you’ve drawn and cut the resist, it’s time to start laying the wool. This too will vary according to what you’re felting.

But your resist will always stay INSIDE THE OBJECT during the felting process.

As the felt shrinks, it’ll become too tight for the resist. That’s when you cut an opening and remove it.

And that’s it. From here on, you’ll be fulling and shaping.

So, this was my answer to your question. I hope it helps!

If you’ve enjoyed these videos, please like and share them with your crafty friends.

Talk to you soon!

Here are the links I refer to in the videos, as well as links to more information about resists:

• Wet Felting – Making A Sample To Determine The Shrinkage
• 3D Felting – Making A Resist
• Felt Hat Tutorial – Making A Resist For Felting
• How To Design A Resist For A Bag – Q&A Sessions

You can watch part I here and part II here.