Cobweb felt curtains

For awhile I've wanted to make felted curtains for the bathroom in my 1920's California bungalow.  I tried nuno felted curtains but I wasn't too pleased with them since I wanted something more lace like.  I decided on cobweb felt.  

Cobweb felt using Wensleydale wool roving

Cobweb felt using Merino wool roving

Before making the final curtains, I experimented with both super fine merino wool roving and also Wensleydale.  I added silk and other fibers as embellishment.  I really liked the look of the Wensleydale which is a long staple fiber and creates a large curl cobweb when felted.  The merino was nice too but felted more closely together than the Wensleydale.

To make the cobweb felt , I took a hank of the roving and placed it on the bubble wrap on my work table with the bubbles up.  Using my hands I spread out the wool to a size 35% larger than the final size I wanted.  I made sure that the wool was spread fine with lots of open spaces. I added embellishments to the top third of the each piece including using pieces of wool yarn hanging off the edge.

Using a ball brauser, I wet out the wool with warm water and liquid soap.  I covered it with another piece of bubble wrap with the bubbles down.  I rubbed the package with my hands and then used the electric sander to agitate the package. When using the sander, I always use caution, wear rubber soled shoes and use one of those heavy duty orange electric cords.  

I then used a pool noodle and rolled the package for 2 minutes.  I opened the package and rotated the two curtains and rerolled.  I repeated this for all 4 sides.  I then rolled without the pool noodle but with the bubble wrap, then rolled it on it's own.  I then used hot water to bunch it up and throw it on the table periodically opening it and re-stretching it.

Once felted and fulled, I rinsed the two curtains and put it in the spinner to remove the excess water.  I then ironed them. I hung them in my bathroom on thin rods.  I was going to sew a pocket to thread the rod through but decided to just loop the curtain over the rod with the yarn pieces hanging loose.

 I am so pleased with the curtains.  They let in so much light and although they have holes, they still allow for complete privacy.

 

Roman glass used for embellishment

A fish trying to swallow a bead.  I left the threads hanging to resemble a fishing line.