One can start many projects with Border Leicester locks dyed in various colors. Once dyed, the tightly curled structure of each lock has to be picked apart so that the fiber lies in a more open web.
To make pre-felt, I lay out sheets of wet, soapy web and agitate the bundle just enough for the fibers to begin locking together.
Once dry, you can cut the pre-felt into shapes and arrange contrasting colors in decorative patterns. A second round of agitation yields a shrunken version of the original image, sturdy enough for years of use.
Wetting and agitating long strips of fiber instead of flat sheets makes a pre-felt "snake." This can be treated as yarn and knitted into a thick, soft rug. Christien Meindertsma has some amazing examples of giant yarn projects on her website.
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| Dyed locks before and after "picking" |
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| Pre-felt ready to be cut into design elements |
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| Felting shrinks the pre-felt (seen on right) significantly |
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| Strips of webbing make a pre-felt "snake" (seen on right) |
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