With all the excitement and busyness of the festive season, we can all become frazzled. Children especially may become over stimulated, stressed, anxious or frustrated.
While many activities can add to the excitement of the season there is one craft that is rhythmic and soothing. It’s the perfect antidote for children and adults.
The art of wet felting is
mindfulness in action!
A Traditional Craft
Wet felting is a traditional method of interlocking and compacting wool fibres using warm water, soap and rubbing to cause friction which binds the fibres together. Using this method you'll create felt which is a soft, pliable insulating fabric that has been traditionally used to make clothing, rugs and even tents (yurts).
Relaxation Training
The action of repeatedly pulling rovings to make your felt layers trains you to relax. If you are tense and tight as you pull the fibres the wool will lock and you won't be able to pull it. Yet if you relax your shoulders and arms and gently pull the fibres magically separate forms fully pillows of wool.
Mindfulness
Layering your wool roving to create your pattern is absorbing. You’ll find time slip away for your children and even yourself as you create your design. Children become attentive with how they place the wool rovings in their felting layers making sure they interlock, the rainbow colours are where they want them, and there are no holes!
A Rhythmic, Soothing Activity
The process of wet felting the wool layers together is rhythmic and soothing. Gently massaging the fibres causes them to felt together. You’ll discover that gentle rhythmic hand movements are effective while hard or rough movements tear your felt apart. As your group wet felts their creation they will naturally calm down and become mindful of their actions. Felting is a practical activity that shows children the benefits of gentleness and patience.
An advantage of wet felting, especially for children is that if you get tired or distracted you can put your project to one side and come back to it later either the same day or days later. By dipping or adding water to your felt project you’ll be able to continue felting.
The soothing, repetitive methods you’ll learn as you create your felt makes it the perfect craft for people who may experience stress, anxiety, frustration. The process participating in a traditional craft that has been passed down through the ages gives continuity while the actions of wet felting are relaxing and calming to both young and mature.
When you choose a Bright Crafts Felt Making workshop kit you’ll learn a variety of basic felting skills and be able to create many different forms of felt including flat and 3D felt. With your Bright Crafts Beginners/Introductory Felt Making workshop kit you’ll be able to make - a Pet Rock, Felted Soap and felted balls which you can use to make a Bag Tag.
Ready to bring some relaxation into your summer activities check out our Wet Felting Kits here or contact Kimberlie at Bright Crafts today.