Fulling & Felting. The difference.

[Aggie May]

I have found a great article in and old Vogue Knitting International, dated Autumn/Winter 1985/86.

The article is written by Deborah Newton.

She explains the difference between Fulling & Felting in this way.

Wool is made of fibres covered in tiny hooks, which when they are tangled together, do not come un-tangled.

Fulling is when you take a woven or knitted (& I guess crocheted) wool fabric & wash it in very hot water with something else like a rough towel to roughen up the fabric and cause it to matt together. (This usually happens when you dont want it to.) Fulling is usually done with agitation and warm water with baking soda and natural soap added. (Hot water speeds the process but you have less control) Rinse in :2snowcold water as temperature change helps the process too.

Felting is when you take the un-spun wool and matt it until the scales on the wool entangle. Felting is usually done by rubbing and scrubbing.

 

 

Have fun.

Colleen

[xantha]

Here's a free article over at fuzzy galore that covers the difference.