wet felting easter eggs

:: wet felting easter eggs. in the past, we have wet felted some wool balls to make acorns and wet felted some hearts using cookie cutters, but this was our first time wet felting easter eggs together. 

if you are using a plastic egg, i recommend taping the seam so that it stays whole throughout the entire process. i like to start off with wool batting, which felts really nicely when you use small wisps of wool. make sure you spread out the wool so it is thin and airy. alternate the direction you add the wool to the egg. add a few thin layers to your egg is covered with wool and now you are ready to start wet felting. you will need a basin filled with hot water (warm water for the little ones) and a little soap, we used an olive oil soap. cup the egg in one hand and then you are going to add "fairy sprinkle" (the littlest amount) of soapy water over the wool. be, oh so gentle and careful handling the egg at this point, to keep the wool in place. after you have sprinkled a little water over the egg, cup the other hand over the egg and give the egg very gentle "hugs" or pats. you will notice when the wool starts to felt and then you could add a little more "fairy sprinkles" and pat a little more, patting from hand to hand now. the wool will become firmer and now you could submerge the entire egg in the basin of soapy, hot water and rub on a washing board. to make the eggs firmer, repeat the process with a colored roving. allow to dry for a day or two and cut an opening, either 1/2 way across or 1/2 way zig zagged. finish with embroidery floss and a blanket stitch.

here is a little tutorial over at rhythm of the home that uses bubble wrap to help with the felting process, which would be great to use with younger children.

here is an excellent tutorial on making a felt ball, which uses a blanket stitch.