Felting wool is wool fiber. Wool fiber goes through several processing stages.
Each stage produces a fiber texture that felts differently.
CARDED BATTS
Carded batts have the fibers partially aligned into several layers of fiber web. Batts contain both short and long fibers. Wool fiber at this stage is great for needle felting - it felts quickly and firmly. Many artists choose batt for their "core" wool. The basic shape of your sculpture is the "core" which can be made easily with this wool. You can either make your whole sculpture with this wool or sculpt colored wool over it. Using only an outer layer of dyed wool (which is generally more expensive) will make your felting project more economical. I find the batt is much easier to create the basic shape with since the shorter fibers felt more quickly and leave less fiber ends sticking out than the longer roving and sliver fibers below. This is another good reason to use the carded batt for your core fiber and use the more processed, beautifully colored roving and sliver wool for the outer layer of your project.
ROVING
The wool batts are further processed into roving by dividing them into a thick loose fiber ropes. Roving still contains shorter and coarser fibers but they are a bit more aligned in a slightly twisted fiber rope.
SLIVER
The roving is further processed, by removing all shorter fibers and aligning these long, finer fibers loosely in an untwisted fiber rope. These fibers have a smooth, soft and refined look which will add to the beauty of your felted piece.
|
|
Felting Needles Links
• The Basic Idea
• Felting Needles
• Stage of Wool Fiber
• Dyed Wool Fiber
• About your working surface
• Getting Started
• Felting Accessories
• Buy Felting Products
|
