Wet felting equipment for the beginner to the advanced

Unlike most instructions that lead you though the process of wet felting, this guide delves into what equipment is needed, what it does, where to buy it, and how to make it. For felting beginners, I make cost effectiveness of equipment a priority. In some cases it is possible to go without some equipment or substitute it for something you have at home already. For the intermediate to advanced felters, I showcase equipment that is of excellent quality, will speed up the felting process, and make it easier to felt. So, whether you are a beginner just wanting to try out wet felting, or a seasoned fiber artist, there is something in this wet felting equipment guide for you.

---

Disclosure: This information may contain affiliate links which means if you click and buy, we may receive a small commission at no extra cost to you. See full Disclosure for details.

---

Felting equipment for the beginner

If you’re new to wet felting you’re likely to want to keep the equipment costs down and make what you can. In fact there are many things you have lying around the house that will do just fine for wet felting. As you continue to grow and acquire skills as a felter you may want to upgrade your equipment and invest in some great quality equipment that will last much longer. For that, I recommend reading the second part of the article in which I cover felting equipment for the seasoned fiber artist.

Idea: If you are new to felting, you will likely want to start off with an easy wet felting project. Why not give Wet felting for beginners – your step by step guide to wool felting a try?

Wet felting equipment you may have to buy or borrow

Felting mat

A felting mat is needed to provide friction and texture, this helps to felt the wool.

For the beginner I recommend felting using bubble wrap. Bubble wrap is the cheapest option (but not the best for durability), most bubble wrap is perforated every 12 inches and measures 12 inches in width. Those dimension can be limiting, so if you are buying bubble wrap, I recommend this bubble wrap because it is extra wide (24 inches). Having that extra width will mean your less limited in the dimensions of your felting project.

A bamboo rolling mat for felting is also a good alternative, and a sushi mat is an inexpensive option.

Warning: Your bubble wrap will wear out eventually, so my recommendation is that if you enjoy this process and want to continue wet felting you should consider purchasing a more durable and sustainable alternative which I’ve outlined in my post A review of 5 of the best felting mats available.

Pool noodle

A pool noodle is used to spread the water around the wool and to add pressure to the wool, this helps to felt the wool faster. It is especially effective when paired with a bubble wrap felting mat. The bubble wrap and felt can be rolled up around the pool noodle which is then rolled along the ground.

Note: Pool noodles come in various dimensions, and the one I recommend here is my preference, anything smaller than 3.5 inches in diameter is too flimsy.

Tip: When your arms get tired of rolling, use your legs! Legs are much stronger than arms and using this technique will speed up the process and is much less exhausting.

Mesh screen

A mesh screen is used for spreading water around the wool so that all the fibers are wet. Without water, the fibers will not felt.

Note: This is the same fiber glass mesh used in windows to stop bugs getting in. If you have fly screens on your windows you could use this instead of buying mesh. Alternatively, if you have other mesh fabric lying around the house, you can use that instead.

Spray bottle

You may already have a spare one at home or you can make a water sprinkler. However, buying a spray bottle is an option too.

Wet felting equipment you may have lying around the house

Liquid soap

Many people ask about what kind of soap to use for felting. There are many opinions out there but in reality any will do. I use Murphy’s Oil Soap but plain old dish detergent will do just fine.

Towels

One large one to go under your felting mat, and a small one to dry your hands with.

Containers

A large bowl or pail that can hold about 4 liters.

Sponge

The sponge is used to mop up excess water. You will use it frequently, especially when working indoors.

Mop

A mop is used to mop up spills if you are working indoors, it is good to have on hand.

Iron

This is optional, but it can be useful for flattening out finished pieces and straightening edges.

Plastic bag

A regular shopping bag will do. This is for spreading the water through the wool in the initial felting stages.

Plastic sheet

Transparent plastic that is somewhat durable. I use a pillow case bag.

Microwave

A Microwave can be useful for reheating your soapy water. This will save water and make your soap go further. Another option, if you felt is small enough, is to put the felt into the microwave for a minute to warm it up.

Equipment you can make

Water sprinkler

You can easily make a water sprinkler by poking some holes in the top of a plastic bottle.

Tip: Heat up the end of a drawing pin with a lights and then press it though the lid. The hot metal will melt a small hole in the plastic lid, making it easier to push the pin through.

Felting equipment that is essential

Some of the listed items above are essential and others are optional, I’ve listed the essential here:

Felting mat
Soap
Mesh screen
A water sprinker or sprayer

Warning: The above list of equipment does not list equipment of the best quality, nor the best performance. It is recommend with nothing other than cost in mind, and is certainly better than nothing for the beginner.

---

Felting equipment for the advanced

Now that you have been felting for a while (or have quickly become addicted to felting), it is likely time to invest in some good quality equipment. This will help speed up the felting process, make it easier, and allow you to enjoy the process even more!

Felting mats

As an alternative to bubble wrap, I recommend using a solar pool cover and/or a large bamboo blind for the more serious felter. Solar pool covers are much more durable and have UV protection too. Consequently, they are safe to dry in the sun without the risk of breaking down over time. The air bubbles don’t pop like bubble wrap does, so using a solar pool cover will save you money in the long run and is much more sustainable.

Large bamboo blinds are also a great option for rolling your felt in during the fulling process. They aren’t too expensive and come in various sizes. You do need to take care that they don’t go moldy. To avoid this, dry it out thoroughly after you use it every time. If you can find one that is bound using a synthetic string rather than cotton all the better, as the cotton eventually rots and the whole thing starts to fall apart.

Netting

Netting includes fiberglass screen, tulle and gauze, among other netting like that used in laundry bags. The key with netting is to use it for applying, spreading, and extracting water to and from your wool or felt.

Tip: Avoid rubbing over the mesh for too long or the wool fibers will felt to it. If that happens you will have to tear the netting off and re-felt those fibers back into the piece. This leads to more fuzziness and blurring of your image, so to keep your images sharp only rub over a plastic sheet.

I use different netting types for different things. I use a fiberglass screen to wet down flat felting projects, and gauze netting for felting 3D forms as it has much better drape than the fiberglass screen.

Palm washboard tools

Palm washboards are great for speeding up the felting process as you rub over the wool. They also save your hands a lot of wear and tear by not being in direct contact with whatever you have laid over your wool (for me it is a plastic sheet, but it could also be mesh or bubble wrap for others). It also keeps your hands out of the soapy water which is important if you suffer from dry cracked skin.

Water Sprinkler

Jars, bottles, and spray bottles are fine for beginners, but if you want a more even and consistent application of water you should use a ball sprinkler.

If you work on large pieces like rugs and huge wall hangings, using a ball sprinkler may take too much time. To quickly add a lot of water I recommend using a fertilizer application sprayer that attaches to a hose or has a pump action on top.

Felting soap

Using a good oil soap is much more kind to your wool fibers and hands than a harsh de-greaser like dish detergent. Try olive oil soap or Murphy’s oil soap to leave your skin feeling soft and hydrated after felting. Additionally, you can use hair conditioner on your finished felt to make the fibers nice and soft.

Tip: If you are using a solid soap bar for felting, use a grater to make soap flakes. This will readily dissolve into hot water with a stir, giving the same result as a liquid soap.

Knee pads

If you felt on the floor or ground your knees will thank you for wearing knee pads. These inexpensive foam pads are common in the trades and gardening industry and widely available.

Hand carders

Trying to find the perfect colour when buying wool can be frustrating, especially if you are buying online, where photos rarely match the actual colour of the wool. For this reason, having hand carders is a must. Being able to blend your wool means being able to create your own colours and not having to settle for anything less than perfect. They are also a great way to blend in luxurious fibers such as mulberry silk, viscose, bamboo and tencel.

Warning: Although it is much less expensive to buy dog brushes with wire bristles that resemble hand carders, they are not made to withstand the rigors of brushing wool. Dog brushes are more flimsy and likely to break (mine broke within a month of buying them). They are also much smaller and will take longer to get through the same amount of wool.

3D felting forms

If you are interested in using 3D forms to create vessels, bowls, and vases, look no further than using a rubber ball. This humble kids toy, is a much easier way to achieve a round form than using a flat 2D resist. As a part of the process, you will need to be able to inflate and deflate the rubber ball during the process, in which case you will need a ball pump.

Idea: To learn how to felt on a round rubber ball, check out Wet felting on a ball.

Washboard

A washboard can speed up the fulling process considerably. They are inexpensive and available in different materials such as plastic, wood and glass.

2D resists

Any thick, flexible plastic that you have lying around the house will do for this purpose. However, if you need to make a purchase, packing foam sheets make wonderful 2D resist templates. They are a bit thicker (about 1 mm) than regular polythene which make them nicer to use for felting.

Tip: Before drawing directly on your resist and cutting it out, draw your desired shape onto a sheet of paper first. Then, to get a symmetrical shape, draw one side, cut it out, then fold it over and draw around it on the other side of the paper. Draw around the paper shape onto the packing foam and cut it out. This will ensure you draw the perfect shape on your resist material every time.

Idea: To learn how to make a use a 2D resist to felt a vessel, check out Felted Vessel Tutorial.

Pantyhose

Pantyhose can be a great way to easily felt balls, felted stones, and felted soaps. You form your ball, put it in the pantyhose, tie the ends and then felt it or let your washing machine do the felting.

Idea: To learn how to use pantyhose for felting dryer balls check out How to make felted dryer balls.

Other tutorials you might be interested in