How do you make felt?

I've just had our two Suffolk Sheep shorn. Now what to do with the fleeces. I don't like to knit, and don't want to learn to spin, but thought felting could be fun.

How do you wash the fleece first, I don't want to use the washing machine. I've looked on internet but everything is always talking about clean, carded wool. How do I get it to that state?

Any help would be most appreciated.

Long time since I made felt, but You layer it in alternate layers (cross-hatching) and then use soap flakes with a little water and a rubbing and pressing to make the fibres shrink and grip together. Here's a link that can explain it far better than I can.
www.feltbetter.com/feltMaking.asp

I think clean, carded wool means free of twigs, burrs etc, and teased into fibres by pulling apart between 2 wire brushes in opposite directions. I don't believe it means washed.

Gidday

If you card the wool then lay it on a smooth surface in layers with each layer with the fibres going accross the others, then get some soap in some hot water and thoroughly wet the wool with that and at the same time a G & T or whatever you fancy in one hand work the wool with your feet whilst thoroughly wetting your inside with the G & T or whatever you have substituted it with.

Chances are the time taken for all the wool fibres have knitted together will equall the time taken for your head to have done similar.

It reall can be quite a bit of fun.

To card your wool just get a comb & comb it straight, from both ends, as you do it lay it on the bench, try first with about a square foot layering the layers of wool opposite ways about 6 staples thick, then wet it with plenty of dishwash & a small amount of very hot water & start rubbing. Some wools felt better than others, merino & corridale are the best. With felting you are getting all the hairs to matt together.so it is the rubbing that makes the wool felt.

When you have mastered the method then I'm sure your imagination will take over.
You can make wonderful warm mitts & slippers, just be prepared for a messy watery kitchen & arms

You can have your wool commercially carded.

Good luck, its a lot of fun

Jack, I have sworn off gin since the night one of my friends ran out of beer and started serving G&T's in pint mugs at a mixing rate of about 60% gin. I walked out of there but I wasn't walking straight.

Oh thank you all. I love the idea of G&T's sounds like great fun Glad to hear you don't need to wash the wool first. I presume I need special brushes/combs for carding? Where would I get them from? I've heard there are classes in Taupo so maybe I might muck around in the shed and see how I go and if that's not successful I'll look in at the classes

to start with just use an old comb of yours. yes there are proper ones to use but wait till you get the hang of it first.
All the "proper" gear is great but pretty expensive if you are not going to really get into it.
Just start off with the things you have got & see if you enjoy it & then take it from there

When do you add the dye? I've seen lovely pieces in multi colours and wondered how on earth they did it?

dye your fleece first