By now you’ll know that here at B&M Felt we love felt, and we work with it on a daily basis. Below is a small smattering of basic tips, techniques and tutorials for using, cutting and sewing felt yourself at home. To see just some of the possibilities of our felt, see our retail design store Bug & Megs and for even more inspiration our blog is a constant source of felt goodness. We will add to this resource over time and we’re working on some video tutorials of our own too! Feel free to drop us a line if there’s anything you’d like to see here.

Cut
To cut the felt the best bet, and our preference, is a decent scalpel blade or stanley knife from any hardware or craft store, and use a steel ruler for a perfect straight line. Curves are a bit trickier. Either draw out your shape onto the felt first using a fabric texta (available at craft and fabric stores), then cut it carefully by hand, or trace around a solid object, like a dinner plate or cup. Of course you can always use scissors, but we strongly recommend investing in a really good pair of craft scissors, they make the world of difference.

Die cut
You could also get a die cutting company to cut it out for you. The advantage of this is a perfect cut, and perfect repeat impressions. They’ll either make a die with a blade on it and cut it out using a press-machine, or use a computer guided knife. Just look up ‘die cutting’ and say you want to cut 2/3mm wool felt.

Sew
Our 100% wool felt can be sewn wit

h a regular domestic sewing machine, however for best results use an industrial machine. Most machines handle 2mm thick felt like a dream, some machines start to struggle with double thicknesses of 3mm felt. You may be able to experiment with the tension of your thread to improve your own individual results.

Unless you have a very heavy duty industrial machine, hand sewing is the best bet (and frankly most attractive) way to sew the 5mm wool felt. Prior to popular beleif, size 12 Ballpoint needles are the best for peircing felt as dense as our 100% wool felt. Most lighter blends and hand felted felt can be sewn with standard 14/16 needles and thread on a regular domestic sewing machine.

Tutorials

Add a touch of warmth to your winter with these felt house slippers. Courtesy of HomeLife.com.au

Futuregirls’ tutorial on how to whip stitch felt is excellent: View tutorial here.

Felt Fortune cookies tutorial thanks to Martha Stewart. And a felt tote bag tutorial too.