Susan J Sperl

There are various ways to create sculptural forms in felt. For my 3-dimensional work, I draft a flat pattern from thin waterproof material. The front layers of wool are laid out on the pattern with a bit of fleece extending beyond the edges, and the back layers laid out on a second identical pattern. When the front is wetted out with hot soapy water, I flip the arrangement, and wrap the extended fleece over the reverse edge.

 

The set aside fleece is then lifted onto the new side, and the process repeated, thus enclosing the shape all around. The resist not only prevents the front and back from felting together, but also helps to maintain the overall shape as the wool is massaged and rolled to entangle the fibers. In the case of the creatures, a small opening was cut in the final stages to remove the pattern. The sculpture is then filled with lengths of fabric to hold the shape while wet, and replaced with wool batting when dry.