How to Make Felted Wool Sweaters for Your Soap

Felting soap is a really fun craft that the whole family can enjoy! Even the smallest of toddler's can get into this activity! This makes a wonderful group activity for both adults and children alike. This is a great crafting activity for parties, scouts meetings, school activity, fundraisers, etc.

Felting soap is essentially wrapping wool fibers around the soap and rubbing it until it becomes smooth. The resulting product is a wrapped bar of soap. You can experiment with different colors and fibers as you get the hang of felting soap.

The change in the texture of the textile is gratifying and soothing. It is a very tactile craft. This activity is best done in a group as company is fun while doing this activity! So gather your friends or family and let's get felting!

I guess first of all you are probably wondering what the point of a felted soap would be? The beauty of felted wool soap is you won't need a washcloth to bathe with! Your felted fibers will act as a built in scrubby. These would also make great stocking stuffers and gifts for birthdays or holidays!

It takes about 1/2 an hour or so to felt a bar of soap. You will need just a few materials. Soap being the main thing you will need. I like to use a homemade bar of soap but you can use any kind you happen to have on hand. Aromatherapy and goat's milk are a favorite of mine.

The next main supply would be dyed wool roving. You will most likely have to order this ahead of time or visit your local yarn store. I like to use Peace Fleece brand wool myself. But you can find wool roving in many web shops online and possibly through your local co-op. Or better yet find a sheep farm for a never ending supply! Ask around and you will be surprised what you might find. If you know someone that spins wool into yarn you could also acquire your wool that way as well.

Other things you will need for this activity is a bowl and a towel and access to water. Patience will also be needed when doing this activity.

First you will fill your bowl with warm water.

Next, loosely wrap your wool roving around your bar of soap. It is better to use thin wide sheet and wrap the bar a couple of time. Tuck any stray ends into themselves.

Start the felting process by dribbling water on both sides of the soap from your bowl of water. Smoosh the soap in your hands over and over. Get used to this part because you are going to do this for about 30 minutes or so.

At first it will seem like your wool will never felt. It will seem like a goopy mess. Keep going. Eventually your wool will become smooth. Lay out your newly felted bar to dry and that is all!

To use felted soap simply wet in the bath or shower and use to scrub your body! No washcloth or bath puff needed!

If you would like to get fancy you can variegate your fibers. I have also used tinsel like fibers for sparkly wool felted soaps! After you felt a few bars this gets easier to perfect. You can also use felting needles and different colors of wool roving to make designs on your wool after the initial felting process. Experiment and you are sure to come up with some neat designs!