felted soap

[PippiL]

How do you felt a design on top of the soap, I have an idea but would like to know from somebody more experienced.
Like this
http://www.etsy.com/listing/96378200/ha ... _search_ty

 

[Birdie Wife]

Those are gorgeous designs! I can't see all around the soap but I think they are needle felted separately and then the soap is slotted inside. The description says they are reusable so there must be an opening somewhere.

Some people make soap jumpers by knitting/crocheting a little sleeve for them, putting the soap inside and then rubbing it in hot water to felt it around the soap. This makes a very tight fit and I don't think it would be resuable. I don't think this is what the maker has done here because the designs are very neat.

 

[Genny]

Pippi ~ I saw your Cardinal you felted for your mom the other day on FB and I just have to say that it was gorgeous & you really caught on to felting really quick.

 

[lizflowers42]

It looks like they made the felt jacket first before adding the soap? My only experience with felting has been accidental!

 

[2lilboots]

It looks like they made the felt jacket first before adding the soap? My only experience with felting has been accidental!

Yeh I understand that one completely. I turned an adult sweater into childs sweater with a thoughtless toss into the washing machine.....duh!

 

[sweethavenarts]

I don't think you can necessarily reuse one of these for soap again, they get too small with use. You could re purpose the little felt pouch, though.

 

[paillo]

or they may be needle felted designs on a wet felted bar. they're sooo, sooo pretty, but price description is confusing, implying $51 for a bar of soap?! i think maybe it's for all four in the set.

 

[Lolly58]

Just looked on Etsy. They are $51.00 a bar, however if you buy 4 you get 15% of the total price.

 

[sweethavenarts]

oh, and I stumbled across a tutorial for soap like this, I didn't keep the link though, sorry.
You needlefelt the design, gently felt the design to wool, then felt the wool to the soap. Makes sense- every time I see one of these I imagine needle felting ON a bar of soap and all I can see is broken felting needles.....

 

[maiseycat]

The only tutorial I could find has you needle felting after you have felted the soap http://frugalkiwi.co.nz/2009/10/felt-me-up-needle-felting-soap/

 

[Frugal Kiwi]

This is Melanie of the previously mentioned tutorial. I always wet felt a base, then needle felt on top of that. As long as you have the good needle felting habit of plunging your needle in a straight up and down motion-not angled which puts too much strain on the needle-you shouldn't have any trouble with breakage.

Some of my felted soap work is attached.

 

[maiseycat]

That is so awesome you are a member of this board! I think your soaps look great!

 

[Frugal Kiwi]

Thanks, maiseycat. I'm more of a fibre artist who occasionally makes soap than a proper soaper, but this forum is definitely the best place to come for help in the soap realm.

There is no way you'll get the clean lines of the gorgeous crewel-work look of the soaps from Etsy by needle felting then wet felting. The design would inevitably get muddled about as you wet felt and the wool shrinks.

There is a link to my wet felting soap tutorial in the previously mentioned link if anyone needs it.

 

[sweethavenarts]

Sweet! I WILL have to try it then!

 

[sweethavenarts]

Some of my felted soap work is attached.

I <3 that panda bear. So much.

 

[Frugal Kiwi]

I <3 that panda bear. So much.

Thanks! I have to admit, the chicken is my fave. It is the tiny wattle that gets me.

M

 

[AngelMomma]

All those animals are SO CUTE!!!

 

[lillybella]

I did get my soaps felted! Felting is so relaxing & so easy!!! I love using the Merino Wool. It is so soft!

To do a design after the soap is felted, a transfer pen can be used to transfer a design onto the felted soap to follow as a pattern.

 

[sagehill]

Don't the felted soaps get moldy or something?

 

[Shannon_m]

The answer might be obvious, but I need to ask anyway. Why do you felt soaps??