FELT: the wonder fabric


Guess what I noticed on Martha Stewart.com today?

An entire list of felt-friendly craft projects!

There are felt slippers, felt trivets, felt books, felt coasters, felt tote bags, felt eye glasses cases, and even a felt toadstool!

Martha has felt mania, and so do I!

Felt is a great fabric for sewing projects, because it doesn't unravel, and you don't need to hem it or line it!

According to the geniuses at Wikipedia, felt is the oldest form of fabric known to humankind.

"It predates weaving and knitting, although there is archaeological evidence from the British Museum that the first known thread was made by winding vegetable fibers on the thigh. In Turkey, the remains of felt have been found dating back at least to 6,500 BC. Highly sophisticated felted artefacts were found preserved in permafrost in a tomb in Siberia and dated to 600 AD.

Many cultures have legends as to the origins of feltmaking. Sumerian legend claims that the secret of feltmaking was discovered by Urnamman of Lagash. The story of Saint Clement and Saint Christopher relates that while fleeing from persecution, the men packed their sandals with wool to prevent blisters. At the end of their journey, the movement and sweat had turned the wool into felt socks.

Feltmaking is still practiced by nomadic peoples in Central Asia, where rugs, tents and clothing are regularly made. Some of these are traditional items, such as the classic yurt, while others are designed for the tourist market, such as decorated slippers. In the Western world, felt is widely used as a medium for expression in textile art as well as design, where it has significance as an ecological textile."

No comments: