Skip to content

Top Navigation

AllPeopleQuilt.com AllPeopleQuilt.com
  • Quilt patterns
  • Bags, pillows & gifts
  • Holiday quilts
  • How to quilt
  • Tips
  • Quilting News
  • Magazines & More
  • Shopping

Profile Menu

Your Account

Account

  • Join Now
  • Newsletter
  • Email Preferences
  • Manage Your Subscription this link opens in a new tab
  • Help
  • Logout

More

  • Give a Gift
Login
Subscribe
Pin FB

Explore AllPeopleQuilt.com

AllPeopleQuilt.com AllPeopleQuilt.com
  • Explore

    Explore

    • Quilts for Kids

      Expectant mothers and little ones will love these handmade crib quilts! From cuddly baby quilts to quilted play throws, these quilts will be treasured for years to come. Read More Next
    • Free Fat Quarter-Friendly Quilt Patterns

      Fat quarters are fun to collect and even more fun to use! Get free quilt patterns that will make it easy for you to put your fat quarters to good use. Read More Next
    • Free Bag Patterns

      Purses, totes, and shoulder bags--we have all the free bag patterns you need! You’ll find more than 50 ideas for stylish accessories. Read More Next
  • Quilt patterns

    Quilt patterns

    See All Quilt patterns
    • Baby quilts
    • Bed quilts
    • Quilt Blocks
    • Quilt throws
    • Table runners
    • Wall quilts
  • Bags, pillows & gifts

    Bags, pillows & gifts

    See All Bags, pillows & gifts
    • Bags and purses
    • Gifts
    • Pillows
    • Pincushions
  • Holiday quilts

    Holiday quilts

    See All Holiday quilts
    • Christmas
    • Halloween
    • Spring
    • Summer
    • Fall
    • Winter
  • How to quilt

    How to quilt

    See All How to quilt
    • Quilting basics
    • Cutting
    • Piecing
    • Finishing
    • Organization
    • Machine quilting
    • Hand quilting
    • Appliqué
    • Embellishing
    • Videos
  • Tips
  • Quilting News
  • Magazines & More

    Magazines & More

    See All Magazines & More
    • American Patchwork & Quilting
    • Quilts and More
    • Quilt Sampler
    • One Million Pillowcase Challenge
    • Quilting podcast
    • Quilt designers
    • Pattern Corrections
  • Shopping

Profile Menu

Subscribe this link opens in a new tab
Your Account

Account

  • Join Now
  • Newsletter
  • Email Preferences
  • Manage Your Subscription this link opens in a new tab
  • Help
  • Logout

More

  • Give a Gift
Login
Sweepstakes

Follow Us

  1. Home Chevron Right
  2. How to quilt Chevron Right
  3. Embellishing Chevron Right
  4. Using Felted Wool

Using Felted Wool

June 14, 2013
Skip gallery slides
Pin
Ideas and inspiration for felted wool projects.
Start Slideshow

1 of 8

Pin
Facebook Tweet Mail Email iphone Send Text Message

Felting Wool

When wool is felted, it shrinks and becomes so tightly woven that it will not ravel. This is one of felt's most appealing qualities, because you don't need to turn under the edges as you appliqué it.

To felt wool for appliqués, machine-wash it in hot water with a cool rinse cycle and a small amount of detergent. You can use fabric softener if you wish. Dry in a dryer on a medium setting, removing promptly and checking the filter often. Steam-press lightly if necessary.

This variance in temperatures, along with the agitation, causes the wool to felt. Hand-dyed wool does not need to be felted before use because the dying process also felts the wool.

TIP: If you want to felt wool from a piece of clothing, cut it apart and remove the seams so it can shrink freely.

  • Fabric-Free Quilts
  • Traditions Remembered
  • Quilting Design Gallery

1 of 8

Advertisement
Advertisement

2 of 8

Pin
Facebook Tweet Mail Email iphone Send Text Message

Freezer-Paper Templates and Stitching

To make a wool project like this Basket of Posies throw, use freezer-paper templates to cut felted wool into appliqué pieces.

Lay the freezer paper over each pattern piece with the paper side up. Trace the pattern with a pencil; no not include seam allowances. Cut out the traced pattern roughly ¼" outside the line. Place pattern on the wool and press with the shiny side of the freezer paper facing the wool. Cut out on the traced line and remove the freezer paper. Reuse the freezer-paper template several times if desired.

Use a basic running stitch or a decorative hand- or machine-embroidery stitch to attach the wool appliqués to the foundation. For added dimension, add buttons or tack wool appliqué pieces at their centers only.

Quilt name: Bee Happy Pincushions, American Patchwork & Quilting Complete Guide to Quilting, 2002

  • Fabric-Free Quilts
  • Traditions Remembered
  • Quilting Design Gallery

2 of 8

3 of 8

Pin
Facebook Tweet Mail Email iphone Send Text Message

Patriotic Penny Rug

Penny rugs-so named because of their plethora of wool circles (or pennies)-traditionally use a hand-sewn blanket stitch to attach the shapes to a wool background.

Quilt name: Stars & Stripes Penny Rug, Easy Appliqué Quilts, 2003

  • Fabric-Free Quilts
  • Traditions Remembered
  • Quilting Design Gallery

3 of 8

Advertisement

4 of 8

Pin
Facebook Tweet Mail Email iphone Send Text Message

Wool Wardrobe Accessory

Because you don't need to turn under wool appliqué edges, wardrobe accessories like this folk art pin go together quickly.

Quilt designer: Jill Kemp

Quilt name: Penny Rug Fashions, American Patchwork & Quilting, October 1997

  • Fabric-Free Quilts
  • Traditions Remembered
  • Quilting Design Gallery

4 of 8

5 of 8

Pin
Facebook Tweet Mail Email iphone Send Text Message

Wool Jacket Clip

The dense weave of felted wool makes it especially durable, so it's a good choice for wardrobe accessories like this jacket clip.

Quilt designer: Jill Kemp

Quilt name: Penny Rug Fashions, American Patchwork & Quilting, October 1997

  • Fabric-Free Quilts
  • Traditions Remembered
  • Quilting Design Gallery

5 of 8

6 of 8

Pin
Facebook Tweet Mail Email iphone Send Text Message

Fun Felted Fall Bag

This felted wool swing bag shows off a snazzy pumpkin appliqué.

Quilt designer: Debbie Busby

Quilt name: Wool Pumpkin Bag, American Patchwork & Quilting, October 2004

  • Fabric-Free Quilts
  • Traditions Remembered
  • Quilting Design Gallery

6 of 8

Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement

7 of 8

Pin
Facebook Tweet Mail Email iphone Send Text Message

Wool Embellishments

Simple embellishments, such as stars stitched on black felted wool, add dimension, texture, and personality to projects. This easy-does-it pillow would be perfect for the baseball fans in your life!

Quilt designer: Sharon Stewart

Quilt name: Baseball Duo, American Patchwork & Quilting, June 2002

  • Fabric-Free Quilts
  • Traditions Remembered
  • Quilting Design Gallery

7 of 8

8 of 8

Pin
Facebook Tweet Mail Email iphone Send Text Message

Folk Art Inspired

The designer's interpretation of a traditional folk art pattern will add new dimension to your stitching repertoire. It combines embroidery, appliqué, and quilting to create this heartwarming wool-on-wool penny rug.

Quilt designer: Janet Carija Brandt

Quilt name: I Love You, American Patchwork & Quilting, June 1999

  • Fabric-Free Quilts
  • Traditions Remembered
  • Quilting Design Gallery

8 of 8

Replay gallery

Share the Gallery

Pinterest Facebook

Up Next

Share the Gallery

Pinterest Facebook
Trending Videos
Advertisement
Skip slide summaries

Everything in This Slideshow

Advertisement

View All

1 of 8 Felting Wool
2 of 8 Freezer-Paper Templates and Stitching
3 of 8 Patriotic Penny Rug
4 of 8 Wool Wardrobe Accessory
5 of 8 Wool Jacket Clip
6 of 8 Fun Felted Fall Bag
7 of 8 Wool Embellishments
8 of 8 Folk Art Inspired

Share options

Facebook Tweet Mail Email iphone Send Text Message
AllPeopleQuilt.com

Magazines & More

Learn More

  • Subscribe this link opens in a new tab
  • Contact Us
  • Advertise
  • Content Licensing

Connect

Follow Us
Subscribe to Our Newsletter
Other Meredith Sites

Other Meredith Sites

  • 4 Your Health this link opens in a new tab
  • Allrecipes this link opens in a new tab
  • All People Quilt this link opens in a new tab
  • Better Homes & Gardens this link opens in a new tab
  • Bizrate Insights this link opens in a new tab
  • Bizrate Surveys this link opens in a new tab
  • Cooking Light this link opens in a new tab
  • Daily Paws this link opens in a new tab
  • EatingWell this link opens in a new tab
  • Eat This, Not That this link opens in a new tab
  • Entertainment Weekly this link opens in a new tab
  • Food & Wine this link opens in a new tab
  • Health this link opens in a new tab
  • Hello Giggles this link opens in a new tab
  • Instyle this link opens in a new tab
  • Martha Stewart this link opens in a new tab
  • Midwest Living this link opens in a new tab
  • More this link opens in a new tab
  • MyRecipes this link opens in a new tab
  • MyWedding this link opens in a new tab
  • My Food and Family this link opens in a new tab
  • MyLife this link opens in a new tab
  • Parenting this link opens in a new tab
  • Parents this link opens in a new tab
  • People this link opens in a new tab
  • People en Español this link opens in a new tab
  • Rachael Ray Magazine this link opens in a new tab
  • Real Simple this link opens in a new tab
  • Ser Padres this link opens in a new tab
  • Shape this link opens in a new tab
  • Siempre Mujer this link opens in a new tab
  • Southern Living this link opens in a new tab
  • SwearBy this link opens in a new tab
  • Travel & Leisure this link opens in a new tab
Allpeoplequilt is part of the Meredith Home Group. © Copyright 2021 Meredith Corporation. All Rights Reserved. Privacy Policythis link opens in a new tab Terms of Servicethis link opens in a new tab Ad Choicesthis link opens in a new tab California Do Not Sellthis link opens a modal window Web Accessibilitythis link opens in a new tab
© Copyright . All rights reserved. Printed from https://www.allpeoplequilt.com

View image

Using Felted Wool
this link is to an external site that may or may not meet accessibility guidelines.