Although felted wool slippers are sold in the market, many people don’t know they can make them themselves. The process of making felted wool slippers is not as complicated as you may think it to be, and you will find out about that in this brief article.
Recommend reading: What You Must Know on Cleaning All Sorts of Slippers
Tools That Are Needed
- Bubble wrap
- Synthetic netting
- Bamboo wrap (for rolling the slippers)
- Soap bar
- Wrap for making templates
- Scissors
- Plastic dish
- Wood fiber
How to Make Felted Wool Slippers?
Step One: Create A Template
A template is a sample that portrays the shape of your legs to make a pair of felted wool slippers for yourself.
However, you will need bubble wrap material to create a template of your feet (right and left feet). It is always advisable to use your shoe to get the length of your feet.
Meanwhile, you should add an extra inch to whatever length and size you will be cutting out with scissors. Hence, you will cut two pieces of bubble wrap materials for your left and right feet.
Step Two: Laying Of Wool Across The Bubble Wrap Materials (Templates)
After creating a template for your left and right feet with bubble wrap materials, apply the wool across the bubble wrap materials.
Meanwhile, do not lay the wool in the exact length of the template but add at least an inch or two inches around the template.
Step Three: Add Another Layer Of Wool To The Template
After creating the first layer of wool on the template, add another layer of wool.
The first layer is unidirectional (it is in one direction) but when it comes to adding the second layer, make sure it is applied at ninety degrees towards the first layer on the bubble wrap materials.
Step Four: Synthetic Netting Coverage
This step involves the covering of the template (after the addition of the second layer of wool) with synthetic nettings.
Then, you should sprinkle the template with water and use your hand to rub it with soap for a few minutes before removing the nettings.
Step Five: Turn The Template To The Other Side
Turn the template upside down and fold in the wool extending beyond the template by running them with soap. Then you start laying wool on this side as you did in steps two and three.
Once you are done applying the wool, cover the template with nettings, sprinkle water, rub it with soap (by hand) for some minutes and remove the nettings.
Turn the template again and fold in the extended wool, then start adding a second layer of wool and repeat step four. Repeat this step until the wool sticks together and hardens.
Step Six: Cut Holes
Use scissors to cut holes in both templates for you to wear the slippers easily. Then remove the bubble wrap template.
Step Seven: Wrap The Slippers In A Bamboo Wrap
After wrapping the slippers in the bamboo wrap, roll them back and forth.
Change the position of the slippers and roll it back and forth again with a bamboo wrap. Repeat this for a few at least an hour (fulling process).
Step Eight: Dry The Slippers
Finish the holes you created in step six and dry the slippers. Once it is dried, you can start wearing your felted wool slippers in your house.
Tips
Although adding an inch to the size of your template is important, you should never skip the fulling process; else, your slippers will fall apart when you attempt to wear them. Ultimately, do not skip any of the steps.
Conclusion
It is easy to make felted wool slippers, but you must not skip any steps to achieve the best result.
You can, however, dry the slippers quickly by placing them on warm surfaces, such as a radiator.
Lastly, you can also use transparent beach shoes in place of bubble wrap materials to create templates.