On my deck at the moment, waiting on the sun tomorrow, is a rock wearing a wooly, wet coat. When the covering on the rock has dried - and it may take a day or two - I will cut a cross into the dried wool and release the rock. What will be left will be a felted vessel. The corners of the cut will be folded back and likely secured. What will be revealed will be a surprise.
It has been many months since I have hand felted around rocks and it is very satisfying to do so once again. The rocks are selected, carefully and thoughtfully, from the beach. The one in use at the moment has been acting as a doorstop for the kitchen door since I brought it home a few weeks ago. It is a chunky oval and weighs perhaps a pound and a half (I will weigh it tomorrow and see how close I am in the estimation), the size of a large mango and much the shape.
First I strolled through my stash of fleece in three suitcases. It took some time to choose a selection of what seemed right, what looked as if it would meld well together, what felt right as to amount of each. A length of cowichan wool in an amber colour got added at the end.
The batts or chunks of fleece (each about the size of a salad plate) were wrapped around the rock, hither and thither, this way and that, with many adjustments until it all felt of a uniform thickness. Then the length of wool got loosely wrapped in gift-wrap ribbon fashion. At this point it was all loose and casual. (Jump with me now into the present tense and let's do this together). I hold the wrapped rock gently but firmly under a tap of hot water and get it wet. Then I squirt some dish detergent over it. And start to squeeze it. Both hands. Back and forth, back and forth.
The rock is heavy and my wrists begin to ache from holding it over the sink so I put it on the counter, search out a sushi mat (thank you, Kaz!) put the rock on it, and roll it back and forth. Back and forth. Back and forth. It doesn't really feel like it is doing anything. So back to my hands but this time I leave the rock on the counter and squeeze it there. It becomes very soapy and several times I rinse it out under the hot water tap, mop up the soapy counter, rinse off my soapy hands, add a bit more soap, continue to squeeze. Squeeze, turn, squeeze, turn..............
After perhaps twenty minutes a change occurs and the wool works its magic (Google and find out what actually happens in this process - it is fascinating!) and begins to full, begins to become felt. It happens slowly but definitely. You can feel the difference. My gaze comes back from a meditative distance and I stare at the rock. It looks different. Firmer. And my hands, with some ancient knowing, move from squeezing to rubbing, to smoothing, to congratulating the wool. Another rinsing.
I put the rock down again on the counter and continue the rubbing, the smoothing. Finally the wool feels firm, drawn in on itself, clinging to the rock.
It gets a last rinse and squeeze to exude as much water as possible to hasten the drying time. Put out on the deck. Waiting on the dawn tomorrow and hopefully a day of sun.
Update: several days later. That initial rock weighs just over three and one half pounds; no wonder fruit by the pound always costs more than I think it is going to be: I must lack the gene of estimation! It took days to dry and I have still not cut it open. In the meantime I felted another rock, this one longer and thinner.
Once, when making soap, partway through the rather tedious job of stirring and stirring and stirring to get it to thicken (saponify), I wondered what would happen if I stuck the bowl in the frig. I did so, after putting a large printed sign on it saying THIS IS NOT FUDGE OR PUDDING BUT SOAP AND WILL BURN YOUR MOUTH IF YOU EAT IT - THIS IS NOT A JOKE - ASK ME!!!!!!! Love Mom (I wonder if my kids, who are all grown up now, remember that: must think to ask them.) Anyway, the soap did its thing all on its own! A similar thought occurred to me while felting the rock. No - not put it in the frig - but 'shock' the fleece with hot and cold water during the encouraging squeeze period. I think it worked. It seemed to felt a bit faster. I didn't want to rush it or lose the meditative quality of the process: I was mainly curious.
Both rocks have nice tight coats on them now and await being released. A trip to the beach on the weekend combed several more rocks-in-waiting. One had grooves around it and I am wondering if I can felt it and then turn the vessel inside out so the ridges are on the outside. Will have to see.
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