Scarf

This nuno-felted scarf is relatively difficult to make, but the result makes it well worth the effort. Before reading these instructions, please read the autumn scarf article first. You will need the information from the autumn scarf article to understand this article.

1 Materials: 45 x 180 cm length of silk chiffon; merino wool; felting silk; bubble wrap; olive-oil soap; brush for applying soap-water solution

2 Place the scarf on the bubble wrap (bubbles facing up). Pull long fibres from the roving and use them to create a pattern.

3 Colour the pattern with additional shades of red and orange.

4

5 Tear off (do not cut) sections of wool in the direction of the fibres. Lsy individual pieces (the smaller the better) onto the silk on the place where the pattern should be.

6 Lay individual layers crosswise, the second layer perpendicular to the first, to make strong felt.

7 For a more stunning effect, finish by decorating the pattern with silk fibres.

8 Make a soap-water solution from 1 litre hot water and 1 tablespoon shredded soap. Using a brush, shake the hot solution onto the wool without allowing the brush to touch the wool. Also sprinkle the surrounding areas of silk.

9 When the entire scarf is wet, cover with another layer of bubble wrap (this time bubbles facing down). Wet and soap the bubble wrap so that your hands can slide over it easily. Using circular motions, work the wool into the silk. At first work gently and do not press. As soon as the wool starts to felt, you can use a bit more muscle.

10 Follow the same instructions as for the silk scarf with autumn leaves. Continuously check and adjust the pattern during the felting process. Felting happens when individual fibres firmly grab onto each other and onto the silk. Test to see how far along you are in the felting process by using your fingers to try and lift the wool. If you can, you are still at the beginning. If the wool fibres stay firmly attached to each other and fibres that have penetrated through the silk can seen on the opposite side of the scarf, the end is nearing.

11 To work the wool into the silk better, roll up the scarf (still sandwiched between two layers of bubble wrap).

12 Using both hands, roll the cylinder around the surface. When finished, adjust the pattern once more and continue flat felting (see pic 9).

A felting needle can be used to save felt that does not adhere well enough to the base. Lay the finished (dry) scarf on a piece of foam (you can also use a smaller surface, such as a sponge) and punch the needle through to join the wool to the silk and finish felting the scarf.

After finishing the scarf, rinse well in warm water (at least three times) to make sure no soap remains in the wool. Rinse and squeeze out gently, as if you were washing an angora sweater. After rinsing thoroughly, finish the felting process by placing the scarf in a washbasin filled with lukewarm water to which about 2 dl (a little under a cup) of vinegar has been added. Spread the scarf out over a towel to dry. Iron (wool setting) once the scarf is completely dry.