Fiber, (alpaca or wool) hot water, soap and agitation. Put these all together and you can create felt. Felting is an almost magical process turning raw fiber or roving into hats, gloves, scarves, shawls or almost anything you can imagine. While I have dabbled in hat and scarf making, I would not consider myself a felter! I do know some wonderfully creative people who are. One group is The Feltmakers Federation of Kansas City – http://feltmakersfederation.com This group grew out of a study group from the Kansas City Weavers Guild and has grown to include a range of people who are interested in using this ancient art form.
The group has been very adventurous in their creations and has held outdoor displays of their work. For the second year they have an exhibition at the Overland Park Arboretum in Kansas. This continues till the end of March. If you thought felted articles were just for indoors, these creations will make you think again. They manage to withstand the very variable weather of February and March in Kansas! Walking through the woods and coming across these felted forms is fun and exciting. It is also awe inspiring as you marvel at the creativity and skill involved. It’s well worth a walk in the woods.
