Wet Felt Ball or Worm - ideal project for children

Balls and worms are great first projects and children find them very fun to make!

• Wool tops /roving
• Bowl of warm/hot water that you can put your hand in, with a few drops of washing up liquid in
• Old towels

Have a bowl of warm water with just a few drops washing up liquid in at the ready. Felting happens better with less soap and bubbles. Keep topping up /changing the water every now and again to keep it warm. Rinse with fresh water at the end. You can squeeze out excess moisture in old towels, to help dry.

Take a length (30-50cm) of the multi-coloured wool and split it along its length so that you are working with less fibre at a time. When making the balls, roll up the wool really tight, wrapping in different directions as though you were winding up a ball of string (rather than round and round on the same spot). If the ball goes out of shape or the fibres are going all over the place, you can tame them with a felting needle (better to have a few responsible adults doing this part than or at least under their supervision). When you first begin felting, dip the ball in the water, then begin rolling very gently, until the outsides are firmed up, then gradually increase the pressure. To test if the ball is felted, throw it at the table - if it bounces, its done! When finished rinse with clean water. Press out excess moisture on a towel. 

Take a length (about 30cm) wool tops. Split into 3 or 4 down its length. This will make 3 or 4 worms. Dip the wool into the bowl of soap and water. Rub back and forth between the palms of your hands to felt the wool, you will begin to feel it go tight and felt together. When finished rinse with clean water. Press out excess moisture on a towel.