October 1, 2025
Getting Started with Wet Felting
Everything you need to know before your first felting session — the materials, the process, and the inevitable mess.
Wet felting is one of those crafts that feels like magic the first time you do it. You start with fluffy, formless wool roving and end up with something dense, durable, and entirely your own.
What is wet felting?
Unlike needle felting, which uses barbed needles to interlock wool fibres, wet felting uses hot water, soap, and agitation. The fibres tangle together and tighten as they're worked — a process called fulling.
What you'll need
- Merino wool roving — Merino is ideal for beginners. It felts quickly and produces a smooth finish.
- Dish soap — Just a few drops. You want slippery, not sudsy.
- Hot water — As warm as comfortable.
- A towel and some bubble wrap — For the rolling stage.
The basic process
1. Lay out thin layers of wool in alternating directions.
2. Wet it down thoroughly with soapy water.
3. Gently press and work the surface until it starts to hold together.
4. Roll it in a towel and felt it further through rolling and friction.
5. Rinse with cold water to shock the fibres closed.
6. Shape and leave to dry.
Common mistakes
Too much soap. A little goes a long way. Too much and it gets slippery and won't felt.
Not enough agitation. Felting takes time and pressure. Don't rush it.
Pulling up edges too early. Wait until the surface has a skin before lifting it.
Once you've done it once, you'll want to do it again immediately. That's the Fellas guarantee.