The following post is from Micaela of Mindful Momma:
source: Micaela Preston
Valentine’s Day may be right around the corner, but there’s still time to whip up a quick gift for your sweetie. These simple felted coasters are made from re-purposed sweaters that have been shrunk in the wash, giving them new life as felted wool. Better yet, they are calorie-free and handmade with love!
Here are the simple steps to create a one of a kind Valentine’s Day gift:
How to Felt a Sweater
Have you ever accidentally put a wool sweater in the wash? Then you know how easily it shrinks. The wool turns into thick felt that is super soft and easy to work with because you can cut it and the edges will not fray. Felting a sweater is easy to do in your home washing machine.
- Choose sweaters made from animal fibers such as wool, angora, alpaca or cashmere.
- Sweaters should have no more than 10% nylon or other non-animal fiber or they will not felt properly.
- Wash sweaters in HOT water with detergent and dry in a hot dryer.
- If you are using a front-loading washing machine, throw in a couple of tennis balls to add some friction.
- For a tighter felt, wash sweaters more than once.
- Note: every sweater will come out differently. The more you felt, the more you’ll know what to expect.
- Don’t have any old wool sweaters at home? Pick up a few at a garage sale or thrift store.
Coaster Directions
Start by cutting a 4″ x 4″ square out of your felted sweater material.
source: Micaela Preston
Next, cut out a heart shaped piece of felt in a contrasting color. (I used a cookie cutter to create the pattern.) Obviously you can use other shapes like a star or a circle to make coasters for any time of year!
source: Micaela Preston
Stitch the felt heart onto the square using embroidery thread. I recommend using thread with variegated colors for a little extra contrast. A straight stitch is easiest, but if you are up for something a little more snazzy, try a blanket stitch as shown below.
source: Micaela Preston
Voila! Your coasters are finished and ready to use!
Have you ever felted old sweaters? What have you made with them?
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Micaela Preston is a green lifestyle writer and marketing consultant with a passion for sustainable products and brands. Her award winning blog, Mindful Momma, focuses on living a green and healthy lifestyle while balancing the realities of life with young children. Micaela lives in Minneapolis with her husband and two boys. When she is not writing, she is busy whipping up a healthy meal or the eco-craft du jour. |
How to Make Coasters Out of Felted Sweaters is a post from Life Your Way
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