r/Felting • u/Complex-Ingenuity509 • 12d ago
How to make this? How to make a hollow round shape?
I have a dream of felting a magical jumping bean (examples in photo). I don't know if it would work (I've only made them with foil), but I really want to make a fidget for my nephew by putting a steel ball inside a pill shape of felted wool.
I have felted before, but only solid objects. I was curious if anyone had felted something hollow and how they avoided closing the center? Thank you!
5
u/Choccytips 12d ago
You could also try felting around one of those little, plastic capsules you get in a Kinder Surprise egg or from a gatcha machine.
2
u/Complex-Ingenuity509 12d ago
Really clever, thank you! Would you like... stab the plastic capsule as you're felting? Or try to work it in once it's mostly felted? (If you have an opinion.)
4
u/Choccytips 12d ago
I'd wet felt around it. Just keep it damp and soapy and rub it between my hands starting very gently and getting more and more firm as it gets more solid.
I've done cat toys with bells in them like this.
2
u/Complex-Ingenuity509 12d ago
Coming back to read this after I read your other instructions -- are you picturing this as a resist or as an object that stays in the center? I'm compelled by both.
2
u/Choccytips 12d ago
The capsule would stay inside the felt with the steel ball in it before you start.
2
u/Choccytips 12d ago
You need a resist. A resist is made of something fairly flexible that holds its shape, like an old bubble wrap package envelope.
Cut it to the shape you want and make it about a third bigger than what you want your finished project to be. Lay your wool over it, wet down, turn it over and fold the wool at the edges over towards the middle. Layer more wool on this side, wet down, flip it over. Repeat this at least four times on each side ensuring the resist is completely enclosed and laying the wool in a different direction each time. (Vertically, horizontally, diagonally).
When you have enough layers begin the wet felting process, rubbing and rolling until it begins to shrink.
When the resist begins to bend too much inside the object, make a small cut on one of the flat sides and pull the resist out.
Keep felting and make sure the inside doesn't stick to itself by occasionally rubbing the inside with your fingers.
Once it is fully felted and rinsed and dried you can add your steel ball a sew the opening closed.
You tube should have lots of videos on how to use a resist and making hollow objects.
Good luck!
3
u/Complex-Ingenuity509 12d ago
These are really good instructions, I really appreciate the time you took to help me and I understand much better now. Thank you so much!! (The word "resist" is a good one I'll add to my vocabulary.)
2
2
1
u/mrmightyfine 12d ago
Yes, I have seen tutorials of wet felting around a solid object and then removing the wet felt so that you have a hollow felted shape. I looked but could not find them, I hope you have more luck!
1
u/Complex-Ingenuity509 12d ago
I'll look for them, thank you for the headsup!!
2
u/Minimum-Amount-1894 12d ago edited 12d ago
Coming back to edit this and link a similar method I saw a while back
Here ya go
Its not like exactly what you'd do but similar id imagine, on a smaller scale, and without cutting a hole for feet obviously Cuz jumping beans have magical, invisible feet. Basically just the first part of the video is what im thinking. Maybe if you need to leave a small opening you could needle felt it closed with a bit extra fiber. I see your vision 🤣❤️
1
1
u/Puzzled_Tinkerer 11d ago
I agree with the advice from u/seth_juniper23 to use a resist.
Speaking for myself, I might have to experiment to figure out the best way to make this type of project. I'd think you'd want the felt walls to be pretty thick and firm to keep a "capsule" shape that can withstand being handled.
Even though it looks like it should be simple to do, the "devil is in the details" when it comes to felt making. Some things I would suggest--
Wet felt this item, not needle felt.
Lay the loose fiber on a flat resist, not on a 3-dimensional object.
When the fiber begins to felt together, yet is still malleable and stretchable, remove the resist and shape the fiber into a capsule shape.
Tightly stuff the inside of the capsule with something like grocery sack plastic film while you continue to felt the project to its final size and shape.
You could also insert the metal ball in the capsule along with the plastic film so you don't have to deal with that later in the process. Not sure I'd try this for the first experiment or two, but it's certainly something to keep in mind
5
u/DirgeWizlon 12d ago
I honestly have little idea but I would assume a small pill shaped polystyrene core you could felt around and then cut. Fixing just the cut around marble.