apartment therapy changing the world, one room at a time

Felting is like the caramelizing of the textile world. Just as I will eat almost anything that has been caramelized, I will buy almost anything that is or possibly could be felted.

Felt. What is it good for besides protecting floors from scratchy furniture? Get it wet and what happens? Get it caught on something and it snags. Drop crumbs or food on it and it's a nice bug hotel. Please enlighten me.

it can easily be washed and re-blocked. it really cannot snag. i make alot of felted items - including pet beds!

click212,

I'm guessing you live in NYC? No wonder you're paranoid about bugs. What happens if you drop a crumb on a carpet or one gets stuck in a cloth napkin? Or do you only have concrete surfaces?

Felt is a versatile material that can, as icedesign says, be reblocked. You can cut it into shapes and it won't fray around the edges (thus saving on hemming). It's soft and cozy. What's NOT to like?

Thanks madsarah,

Really, no I come from NYC but now I'm an expatriate. Yes, the first thing that comes to mind are bugs. I have no rugs, I hate the things. I have three cats and of course keep my place clean. I am a clean freak for health reasons.

Felt was something we did in middle school back when there were arts and crafts classes. We made pot holders, and lots of other ugly things, kids are great at. Things like felt and shaggy rugs bring to mind parallel universes. For me, perhaps only for me, felt is a cheap by product of the fabric industry and although it has great utilitarian uses, I find it only beautiful when made into fedoras.

click,

I can completely understand your point, and would have felt (no pun intended) the same way until I started getting into Scandinavian design. There is so much being made of high-end felt--lampshades, bowls, beautiful materials for upholstery--that I have fallen for the stuff.