Felting tools found in a kitchen or a pet and DIY store.

I regularly find myself on the lookout for items that can be used for felting, even if they aren’t necessarily intended for this purpose. My most useful tools have come to me free or for under £10 from my kitchen, discount stores, hardware stores, and even pet shops.

To make felt, we need at least wool, water, soap, and some friction. The everyday objects below could be used to do just that.

1. Bamboo mat, rolling pin and elastic bands can be used in few different ways for felting.

I use a plastic rolling pin that can be filled with water to make it heavier. Roll a bamboo mat around the rolling pin, secure it with elastic bands, and you have a rolling pin suitable for felting. Cover the wet felt layout with a net and roll back and forth with your new tool across the layout.

A bamboo mat and rolling pin can also be used to roll felt inside the bamboo mat. I usually cover my layout with thin plastic, place the rolling pin inside, and roll everything together, securing the bundle with elastic ties.

2. Pop socks are great for securing the bundle for rolling. Pop socks hold the bundle securely.

3. The exercise balls and various dog toys can be used for shaping and fulling especially 3D seamless felt like felted vessels.

4. I use foot masseur to give a good massage to my felt and not my feet. Cover your wet soapy layout with a thin plastic and give it a good massage rolling masseur in different directions creating a friction necessary to felt.

5. Plastic pipes and swimming noodles are great for rolling large felted items.

6. Pipe insulation is my favourite as I usually put a metal stick inside to add more pressure.

7. I love to use plastic plumbing pipes for rolling felt. The reason for this is that you can apply more pressure while rolling, and as a result, you are felting not just in different directions but also in depth. This type of pipe is great, especially when making fine felt. A larger diameter is better. My pipes are 7 cm in diameter.

8. Use empty clean milk bottle to apply water to your wool layout. Make fine holes in a bottle top with a fork.

9. Hand Pump Garden Sprayer.

10. Use sponges to distribute water and soap.

I use a simple sponge to apply water and soap to my layout. It helps ensure that the layout is evenly wet and soaped.

11. Plastic disposable gloves help to speed up felting when rubbing felt with hands.

12. Wearing latex gloves while doing layout of silk, bamboo, viscose and other fibre saves not only time but nerves too.

13. Ikea draw liner is a perfect fulling tool. Just gently rub your felt across the draw liner till your felt is ready. You can dip your felt in hot water few times.

14. Microfibre Cloths.

It is useful to have microfiber cloths or old towels to sponge off excess water from your layout. I usually place a net over my layout, then cover it with a microfiber cloth and press to remove excess moisture. You can also use a sponge or an old towel for this purpose.

15. Net

A stiffer net is better. I use a tutu net.

16. Carders are used to blend fibre. However, dog grooming brushes can do this job successfully too.

17. I use spinner to dry felt and prefelt. One of my favorite “cheap” tools is this salad spinner. For quick drying pre-felts or smaller objects that simply won’t towel dry easily.