In 2026, I discovered the wonderful world of felting, and I haven't looked back since!
Below the patterns, I've gathered some of the things I've learned along the way, along with a few tips and tricks. Hopefully, they'll offer some inspiration and guidance as you explore felting for yourself.
It's important to choose wool yarn that hasn't been superwash treated. However, I've also had great results felting with DROPS Flora, which is a blend of 65% wool and 35% alpaca. Feel free to experiment with different yarns, and consider making a small test swatch to see how well the yarn felts.
Fivel and Finull by Rauma Garn
Both yarns develop a lovely, soft, woolly and fluffy texture after felting. However, in my experience, they don't felt quite as easily as some of the other yarns I've tried. I've often had to run my projects through the washing machine several times before achieving the desired result.
I've also found that both yarns tend to shrink less than the alternatives from DROPS.
Alaska by DROPS
An affordable yarn that, in my experience, felts much faster than the yarns from Rauma. Most of my projects only need one wash before the stitches are no longer visible and I'm happy with the result.
The finished texture is quite different, though. While Fivel and Finull become soft, woolly and fluffy after felting, Alaska has a firmer, more bouclé-like texture.
Alaska also shrinks quite a lot during felting, giving the finished piece a very firm structure. This does mean you'll need to put a little more effort into shaping it after washing.
Flora by DROPS
I've tried Flora as an alternative to Finull, and in my experience, it shrinks considerably more during felting, much like Alaska. The finished piece also has a firmer, more bouclé-like texture.
Personally, I think this yarn is brilliant for small felted figures. For example, I can knit a Felted Pig on 3 mm needles, and it shrinks so much during felting that it ends up small enough to hang on the Christmas tree!
For wool to felt, the fibres need moisture, heat and agitation. How much is needed depends on several factors, including the yarn and your washing machine.
Temperature and Detergent
I usually start with a wash at 60°C and then check whether the piece needs any further felting.
As mentioned earlier, I've found that DROPS yarns felt faster and at lower temperatures than Rauma yarns. I've often had to wash projects made with Rauma yarns several times – sometimes at temperatures as high as 90°C – before the individual stitches are no longer visible.
It's worth keeping in mind that washing machines work differently, so what works for me might not give you exactly the same results.
I use regular laundry detergent, which works just fine for me, but you can also use a detergent specifically made for wool.
Agitation
Jeg anbefaler at du kommer et par håndklæder eller lignende, som alligevel trænger til en vask, med i maskinen, når du skal filte. Det skaber ekstra bevægelse og friktion, som hjælper filteprocessen på vej.
Jeg har også brugt tennisbolde og gør det indimellem stadig, men da de kan risikere at afgive farve, foretrækker jeg efterhånden håndklæder. Vælg gerne nogle, der ikke afgiver farve, og som tåler samme vaskeprogram.
Skulle uheldet være ude, og du oplever farveafsmitning på dit filtede arbejde, Har jeg haft held med at lægge arbejdet i lunkent vand med lidt eddike i, efterfølgende har jeg vasket det separat.
Shaping your project after felting is ABSOLUTELY ESSENTIAL to getting a good result! Make sure to set aside plenty of time for this, and start as soon as the wash cycle is finished, while the wool is still wet and easy to work with.
I've lost count of how many ridiculously misshapen projects I've pulled out of the washing machine, convinced there was no saving them. Luckily, a little patience and some thorough shaping can work wonders!
Pull, stretch and shape your project until you're happy with the result. If the felt has become very stiff, try adding a little warm water to soften it and make it easier to work with.
The same goes for any noticeable creases or folds that may have formed during felting. Dampen the area with a little warm water, then rub and shape it with your hands until the surface becomes more even.
Finally, leave your project to dry completely in the desired shape.
