Felted AccessoriesWearable ArtMarie-Therese Wisniowski

Preamble
This blogspot has a number of related articles on felt and felted objects some of which have been listed below for your convenience.
Felted Garments
Fabric Construction - Felt
Nuno Felted Scarves@Felted Pleasure
Hallstatt Textiles

Introduction
Felting is one of the oldest methods of making fabrics. Primitive peoples made felt by washing wool fleece, spreading it out while still wet, and beating it until it had matted and shrunk together in fabric-like form. In the modern factory, layers of fiber webs are built up until the desired thickness is attained and then heat, soap and vibration are used to mat the fibers together and to shrink or full the cloth. Finishing processes for felt resemble those for woven fabrics.

Lilyana Bekic, Grey Corollarium (2009).

Felt has many industrial and clothing uses. It is used industrially for cladding, sound proofing, insulation, filtering, polishing and wicking. Traditionally felt is not used for "fitted" clothing because it lacks the flexibility and elasticity of fabrics made from yarns. It has a wide use in such things as hats, house slippers, and clothing decorations and pendants. Because felt does not fray, it needs no seam finish. Colored felt letters or decorations on white sport sweaters or other garments often fade in washing and so should be removed or the garments should be sent to a dry cleaner who knows how to treat them.

With the resurgence of interest in the making of felted objects over the last decade, felt as garments are now making an "indie" fashion statement.

Felted Accessories

Vanderbos – embracement #058 (2007).
Materials and Techniques: Industrial felt; sewn, steam molded.
Size: 65 x 50 x 25 cm.
Photograph courtesy of Mirjam Verschoor[1].

Gar Wang – Watermelon Hat (2003).
Materials and Techniques: Merino wool; wet felted.
Size: 50.8 x 25.4.
Photograph courtesy of Claus Wickrath[1].

Leiko Uchiyama – Mosaic (2009).
Materials and Techniques: Merino wool, silk fabric; dyed, wet felted.
Size: 160 x 50 cm.
Photograph courtesy of Kazuhiro Kobushi[1].

Sue Heathcote – Wrap (2006).
Materials and Techniques: Lamb's wool; machine knitted, hand manipulated.
Size: 184 x 28 cm.
Photograph courtesy of Noel Shelley[1].

Carol Ingram – Marketplace Wrap (2009).
Materials and Techniques: Merino roving, commercial merino pre-felt, paj silk, rayon, silk chiffon; hand dyed, wet felted, nuno techniques.
Size: 172.7 x 36.8 cm.
Photograph courtesy of Jody Brewer[1].

Uta Marschmann – Adere Elecko: Path to the Mill (2007).
Materials and Techniques: Merino fleece, natural indigo; wet felted, dyed, reserve technique.
Size: 160 x 50 cm.
Photograph courtesy of Alexander Heuberger[1].

Sheila Ahern – Cloche Hat (2008).
Materials and Techniques: Merino fleece, mulberry silk; wet felted.
Size: 16 x 25 cm.
Photograph courtesy of Joanna Tomaszewska[1].

Karoliina Arvilommi – Karelia Hat (2007).
Materials and Techniques: Finnish Landrace wool batting, yarn; wet felted.
Size: 35 x 35 x 20 cm.
Photograph courtesy of Liselotte Habets[1].

Bottura Sabrina – Column Hat (2009).
Materials and Techniques: Merino fleece; wet felted, handmade.
Size: 19 x 17 x 18 cm.
Photograph courtesy of artist[1].

Gar Wang – Broccoli Crown and Hole-Y Shirt (2003).
Materials and Techniques: Merino wool; hand dyed, felted.
Size: Crown - 30 x 23 cm; Shirt - 50 x 50 cm.
Photograph courtesy of Claus Wickrath[1].

Reference
[1] N. Mornu and J. Hale, 500 Felt Objects, Lark Crafts, New York (2011).