Nuno Felting Instructions

Your Kit Includes:
• 1 oz. Malabrigo Roving
• 1 36”x8” Silk Scarf Base
• Assorted Embellishments
Nuno Felting Instructions
What is Nuno Felting?
Nuno felting is a way of entangling layers of roving through a woven fabric
base. Nuno felting requires less wool than other kinds of wet felting, and
produces a lighter, more supple finished project.
You can use any open weave fabric, though if you want a supple, drapey
finished piece, you want something light and sheer, woven with very fine
thread. Your kit includes silk gauze, but you could also use cotton gauze
or cheese cloth.
You can use any kind of un-spun fiber that felts. Just make sure the fineness
of the weave of your woven base and the fine ness of your fiber work together.
The finer your woven base, the finer your fiber needs to be.
You Will Also Need:
• Textured surface flexible enough to roll
(bubble wrap, solar pool cover,
sushi mat)
• Open weave fabric made of plastic or
nylon (window screen, tulle)
• Firm cylindrical object
(pool noodle segment, rolling pin)
• Water
• Soap
• Sponge
• Towel
Set Up
Part 2: Wet Out & Rub
Protect your work surface and floor if you
don’t want them to get wet!
Press sopping wet sponge gently but firmly into your scarf.
Water must penetrate all layers of tulle, wool and silk.
Keep sponging until piece is soaking wet and lies flat.
Stack:
Silk Fabric
Tulle (bigger)
Bubble Wrap
(biggest)
Soap your hands and press firmly all along the length
and width of your scarf. Continue to press with soap until
soap penetrates all layers. Progress from gentle rubbing
to harder rubbing with soapy hands as the fibers begin
to felt.
Check your work by carefully lifting the layers. When the
wool begins to adhere to the silk, you can rub directly
on the wool.
For Later:
• Pool Noodle
• More Tulle
• Sponge & Soap
Part 3: Rock & Roll
Part 1: Design It
Lay pool noodle at the edge of the bubble wrap and
roll all layers into a tight sausage. Wrap the roll in a
towel, tucking in the edges so the whole thing is
covered.
• Towel
Lay small, wispy thin bits of wool on top of your fabric
in one direction, then in the opposite direction. Add
embellishments, with bits of wool over top to felt them
in place.
Turn it over (roll it around the pool noodle, then unroll with
wool downwards) and cover the back side with wispy bits
of wool in both directions. Place tulle overtop and flip it
back over. Your work should now be layered as follows:
bubble wrap, tulle, scarf with wooly back side down and
wooly embellished side up, second layer of tulle on top.
Embellishment Ideas: • yarn • fabric • ribbon
You can add embellishments after you’re done too!
Add buttons or fasteners, embroider or needle felt
further designs after your scarf is felted and dried.
Use your imagination!
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Roll it back and forth about 200 times, making about
a quarter turn per push. Place your hands at a new
pressure point, and roll it back and forth about 200
more times.
Unroll your towel, turn the bubble wrap “sausage” end
to end, rewrap it and roll it again as before, for a total
of around 800 rolls. Feel free to use your feet. Don’t
skimp. Unwrap the scarf and use your finger tips to
felt any spots that need more felting.
Part 4: Full & Finish
Rinse your scarf in fresh water. Then, pick it up,
crumple it and throw it down firmly on your work
surface. Pick it up and throw it down again 20 or so
times. This is called fulling­— it sets the felting and
brings out the embellishments.
Rinse it again with a little vinegar added to help wash
out the soap. Lay it flat to dry. For ongoing care, treat
it like you would any other wool fabric: hand wash in
cool water & lay flat to dry.
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