The Crafty Retailer

Felted Soap Tutorial

Felted soaps are as utilitarian as they are beautiful. The felt fabric acts as a washcloth, and theflower embellishment can be snipped off after the soap has been used to enjoy new life as abrooch or other adornment.

Supplies needed:

Bar of soapWool Fiber (about 10 grams of wool top or roving)Nylon stockingBubble WrapHand TowelHot waterSmall ContainerNeedle felting needleNeedle felting foamSoapy waterBeads, beading needle, beading threadTiny piece of velvet (or other pretty fabric)

Step 1:

Lay your hand towel on the work surface and put the bubble wrap on top of the towel, bubble sideup.

Step 2:

Figure 1 Figure 2Separate some of your wool fibers by taking a piece from the top and gently pulling away a portion.You will want to take a piece about an inch thick and long enough to include all of the colorways of the fiber (Figure 1). Fluff out the fiber so that it becomes wider and less bulky (Figure 2).

Step 3:

Wrap the soap with the wool fiber. You want to make sure that the soap is entirely covered withfiber

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no bald spots! (Figure 3) The corners will have a tendency to shrug off the fiber, so you mustbe firm with it. Wind it tight (Figure 4). Make sure you leave some fiber to use for your flower.You will not need much at all

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only a gram.Figure 3Figure 4

Step 4

: Figure 5Put your soap into the nylon stocking, whichwill serve to keep the fibers wrapped securelyaround the soap (Figure 5).

Step 5:

Dip the soap into some very hot water and start to rub the bar against the bubble wrap.Start with the wide areas (front and back) and eventually work on the side edges (Figures 6,7).You will start to see some soap bubbles on the bubble wrap. This is normal

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no worries.Figure 6 Figure 7

Step 6:

Pull off the stocking and take a peek (Figure 8). The stocking might stick a bit, which is fine. If itsticks so much that it pulls the fiber away from the soap, then put the nylon back on and continueto rub the soap against the bubble wrap to felt it further. Take off the nylon and rub the soap veryvigorously against the bubble wrap. Use pressure similar to that which you would apply whenscrubbing a dirty pan. Work it! When you are finished there will be no movement of the soapwithin the felt (Figure 9). The felt will be snug and tight. Whew! Put it in the sun to dry.Figure 8 Figure 9