DIY Network

Felt Ruff by John Ahr From "Jewelry Making" episode DJMK-412

In this second segment of "Fabric Magic," artist-designer John Ahr takes you back in time to the period of the ruff -- using felt.

The Materials list and step-by-step instructions are below.

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Guest John Ahr uses wool felt to bring back the period of the ruff as he creates a bracelet.

Materials --

Carded wool/fleece

Tools --

Soap
Hot water
Large bowl
Beach mat, sushi mat or wooden blind
Towels
Elastic cord
Large carpet needle or tweezers

	Figure A
	Figure B
	Figure C
	Figure D
	Figure E
	Figure F
	Figure G

Felt Ruff

1. Take a hank of carded wool and spread the fibers out to a width of about 5" (figure A).

2. Hold the hank in one hand and pull a length of wool from the end about 5" long.

3. You can add bits of other colors to the mix (figure B).

4. Divide the tuft into two parts and set one on top of the other. Repeat this process until you have approximately 60 similar tufts prepared. If you wind a thin piece of a different color around the outside, you can create a stripped spike.

5. Holding the piece between your hand is a good alternative to rolling the fleece on the mat. The warmth of your hands will help the fleece to felt, so just give the fibers a twist with your hands (figure C).

6. The next stage of the process is to use soap, hot water, and friction to start the felting process. Begin by wetting your hands and getting them soapy. Soap is a good felting agent because it opens the fibers and makes them stick to one another.

7. Sprinkle a little hot water onto the tuft of wool and roll it back and forth as if you were making a coil in pottery. Doing this on the rough surface of the mat makes the piece felt more quickly.

   Note: Hot water makes the fibers shrink, which helps the bonding process.

   Tip: Be careful not to use a soap that makes too many suds.

8. Remove any excess suds by rinsing and continue.

9. Place the fiber on a mat and start rolling (figure D). Once you have established a bit of a roll, you can either continue to roll and tighten it up or felt it to the point where it is ready to become a piece. If you want, you can trim it at this point to a shorter length and then continue to create a tight roll.

10. Once you have them to the size you want, rinse them thoroughly and let them dry. They will look like tiny cigars. You also have the option of not rolling it all the way to the end and leaving a little natural fleece showing for a different look (figure E).

11. Use a carpet needle or sharp tapered tweezers to create a hole through each piece. Once you have the hole made, string each piece onto heavy elastic cord to create a neckpiece or bracelet (figure F).

    Tip: If the hole gets a little big, you can felt it down.

12. Once you have enough pieces for a bracelet or necklace, tie the elastic cord down. The bracelet or necklace can be dipped back into some warm water and then the dryer, or you can take fabric starch to shape the points into the manner that you like (figure G).

RESOURCES :

Sculpture to Wear
Bergamot Station Arts Center
Santa Monica, CA 90404
Phone: 310-829-9960
Website: www.sculpturetowear.com

GUESTS :

John Ahr
Jewelry Artist
E-mail: ahrtontheedge@mac.com