What is Felt? || About the Artist

Felt is the result of the oldest known textile process, the compression of tangled fibers. Archaeologists have discovered samples of feltmaking that reach back to 6,000 BC, making it older than spinning, weaving, or knitting. The oldest fragments of felt-totemic swans, embellished saddles and hats-have been found in Central Asia, Scandinavia, and the Mideast, where nomads felted their tents, or yurts, from the fiber of pack and herd animals. Wool can even be so tightly felted that ancient warriors used it as armor.

Feltmakers depend on the miraculous way the tiny scales of wool fibers open and interlock under the right conditions-moisture, change in ph, warmth, friction, and compression. These tangled fibers create a material that gets kudos for practicality: it is durable, lightweight, warm, and water-resistant. But it is also a textile artist's dream. The versatile stuff can be sculpted, dyed, sewn, embellished, and combined with other fabrics, such as silk and cotton. From warm cloaks and clogs to cobweb-light scarves and curtains; from hats, bags, vests, and vessels to rugs, toys, and table runners-felt serves an endless array of purposes, all the while offering the natural beauty and benefits of wool.