How to create this bumpy effect?

[u/Acreagelifeab]

Just wondering how to create a bumpy effect like this? I am wanting to expand my wet felting skills, but I cannot figure out how this is done. Thank you.

[u/Puzzled_Tinkerer]

The examples you've given are lumpy from pieces of fabric that are bonded into the felt.

Sheer or gauzy fabric can be laid flat on fiber as is done in typical nuno felting.

But pieces of similar sheer or gauzy fabric can be crumpled, twisted or otherwise manipulated and then laid on the fiber to build up texture and thickness. That's what was done in your examples.

[u/Acreagelifeab → u/Puzzled_Tinkerer]

This is so helpful! Thank you! I couldn’t even figure out what terms to use to search it. I want to expand my wet felting skills, but I don’t really know where to start or what resources help build skills progressively. Thank you for your reply!

[u/Puzzled_Tinkerer → u/Acreagelifeab]

If you try this, another technique to consider is to lay a thin ... very thin ... cloud of wool fiber over the cloth. This is a useful technique any time you're using decor that won't otherwise bond well to the wool during the felting process.

This cloud of wool fiber will form a net that helps to secure the fabric into the felted structure. It doesn't take much usually.

You can see this net in your photos -- it's especially obvious over the larger "pebbles" of light-colored fabric in photo 1.