# Felted Soaps



## Jenny M

Anyone else here do this? A friend talked me into trying it & taught me how to do it. I made up a bunch & they sold out at the craft show I did this past weekend. But that could have been a fluke. I was just wondering if any one else had seen these or had experience with them. I need to buy more roving but it can be pricey & don't want to waste my money when I need other supplies.

They are easy & fun to do, though, and probably a good project for older kids.


----------



## Faye Farms

I have never felted soap but it certainly intrigues me. I would like to try it at least once. (One thing that bothers me a bit about felted soap is that it may get gross with use. If used once daily do they dry out between uses? I must add I'm by no means a germaphobe either.) My mom is living with me for the winter and she just bought a HUGE batch of rovings. The colors are all so gorgeous I would love to try felting some soap with a little of it.


----------



## Jenny M

They do dry out between use & you really have to work to get the lather up but then you have this cool wash cloth/scrubby thing. I think people buy them because they are unique & colorful. Check out some how-to videos on line. It's so easy.

Where did your Mom get the roving? I am so jealous. I found some at Overstock.com but the skeins were so small. There is a yarn shop over in Kanab, UT & he has the best yarns in the world but the prices are up there. Do the fabric shops carry it? I'm such a newbie but was excited that people liked them so much.


----------



## Kalne

I've heard about these and wanted to try but I also thought they would get gross. Were you able to get a good enough price for them to cover the cost of the roving?


----------



## Tallabred

I got mine off of ebay. She had nice big rolls for a good price. If they do not give you weight do not bother - there is a reason that they give you inches instead of weight.

My computer crashed - I will look to see if they are still on ebay.


----------



## Tallabred

I did learn that less is better when felting. It can be hard to get the bubbles up - which seems strange since you get bubbles EVERYWHERE when you are felting.


----------



## Becky-DixieDoesAlpines

http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.ph...ade&ga_page=&includes[]=tags&includes[]=title
these are amazing!


----------



## Faye Farms

Jenny M said:


> They do dry out between use & you really have to work to get the lather up but then you have this cool wash cloth/scrubby thing. I think people buy them because they are unique & colorful. Check out some how-to videos on line. It's so easy.
> 
> Where did your Mom get the roving? I am so jealous. I found some at Overstock.com but the skeins were so small. There is a yarn shop over in Kanab, UT & he has the best yarns in the world but the prices are up there. Do the fabric shops carry it? I'm such a newbie but was excited that people liked them so much.


Mom bought her rovings here: http://www.mielkesfarm.com/index.htm She did a lot of research and this place had some of the best prices and selection. I had heard of this place from a soaping forum and had always heard good things about them. I had to added bonus of ordering a pound of raw silk with mom's order so I didn't have to pay shipping. I love the feel of silk in soap!


----------



## Tallabred

Which silk do you order for your soap?


----------



## Faye Farms

I ordered the "cultivated silk noil". The noil is just silk that hasn't been cleaned or processed further. There are bits of the cocoon in the silk. I haven't used any yet, but I strain my lye water before using anyways. I figure if any of the cocoon doesn't dissolve it will just get strained out.


----------



## Jenny M

The mielkesfarm website has a good tutorial about felting soap. I did not look much at their roving but will go back & check it out. Cathy, if you find that eBay shop let me know.

How do you think they get those little pictures to stay on those soaps? I start with a design but it always turns out different than what I planned. Those little owls are too cute!

I'm probably not making that much. The soaps are some left over rounds I had from another project. A resort near my house wanted a very specific shape, size, color, scent & it took me many batches to get something they would use. Some of the roving was cheap but the colors are not all that great. They were in a discount bin at the yarn shop. They can get the colors I want but it's pricey. The little packs from Overstock.com are kind of a rip-off but I did a couple dozen soaps out of one pack. I sell them for $3. They are about 2 oz of soap. I wrapped them in cellophane & tied with raffia w/ a little tag. People grabbed them up.

I had a customer ask me if I could make a dog soap with silk in it. Would the silk you have be good for that? what are the benefits of silk? I'm very interested! I found silk powder but the raw silk sounds better.


----------



## Faye Farms

For lack of a better description, silk adds silkiness to the lather. The soap I used with silk in it had an amazing slip to it.

I'm not a knitter so I don't know. Is it pretty common for yarn shops to have rovings? There is a specialty yarn shop in Wichita that I have seen advertisements for. I emailed them and asked if they had rovings but my email never was replied too (mini-rant, I hate it when businesses don't answer their emails!!). I don't get to their part of the city very often so I haven't had a chance to check it out. It would be nice to not have to order over the internet too.


----------



## Jenny M

The person who wanted the silk in dog soap wanted it for show dogs. To make their coat silky & help with de-tangleing. He thought it would work. I don't know if it would or not. I might give it a try

I know, I don't like buying things that need to a specific color over the internet - the color is always off. The little yarn shop in Kanab caters to all the fiber artists in the area - quite a few - & then there are all the Mormon ladies that knit & crochet all winter when it's too cold to do anything else. The guy that owns it has some very exotic yarns & keeps roving for the felters. The other day when I was in there he was knitting some lacy thing out of baby alpaca yarn & had strung real silver & real crystal beads on the yarn. It looked like something a movie star would wear. I don't think it's the usual kind of yarn shop.


----------



## Sondra

I bougth an old pure silk skirt at a junk store and put stips of that in my soap. Really liked the feel of the soap, and have enough to probably use in any soap I make now til I'm gone  am going to have to try this felting


----------



## Kalne

Ohhhh, I've always wanted to try adding silk to my soaps. If I premix my lye water do you think it would still work? I don't see why not. You just dissolve it in the water, right? Then strain? Hmmmm.

We have bought roving from etsy and at local craft shows. I could go into serious debt looking at all of that stuff. LOL


----------



## Sheryls Brat

you put real silk material in soap?????


----------



## Narrow Chance

I made felted soap waaaaayyyyy back when I first started making soap. 
I think I got a small package at Michaels.. or Craft Lobby. Just enough to try to see if I like it. 
I can't sell them.. have only sold the ones I made every once in a while.. to people who are intreged by the wool. 
I admit.. they are fun to make.. and work great. I used one.. but can't get passed the thought of the wool being a continual washcloth. 

I've used the silk... I never could get it to dissolve in my lye solution. 
(what was I doing wrong?)


----------



## Sondra

Rett was it pure silk? cause this skirt dissolved almost immediately. 
Is this wool (rovings) you are talking abt actually yarn or wide pieces of carded wool?


----------



## Narrow Chance

I used silk noil(sp)? Got it from another soaper.. then ordered me some. 

The roving was in a package of about 4 colors.. was about 4 inches wide.. and sort of flat. Worked perfect for the soap. (I can't find my package.. but still have some bits of red left) 
BTW.. I learn how to do it from about.com.. from ummm.. Fisher? The soap guy there. Also.. a placemat made of bamboo worked well for me to felt the soap with.


----------



## ellie

If anyone wants to try alpaca roving, email "claudia klaus" <[email protected]>

I cannot speak to the relative cost but I got $5 worth which is probably enough to do 20 bars or more, and alpaca fiber has good marketing possibilities.


----------



## Jenny M

Once again, at this weekend's show, I sold out. I had only time to make a couple of doz. They were gone 30 min into the show & people wanted more. 

I wanted to post a photo but can't seem to. Sondra, I read your instructions but is not working for me. I use Office Picture Manager to resize. I'm just brain dead this week, I think.

Ellie, yes, alpaca is big around here. I'm going to look into it. 

Also, I'm still learning this so have made all the mistakes. Yes, and for sure, less is best! If it's too thick it takes forever to lather in the shower. But the "ick" factor doesn't seem to come up. I think it's just the uniqueness, probably.


----------



## Sondra

send me the picture Jenny will get it fixed for you


----------



## Jenny M

Thanks for fixing my pic, Sondra.

Here's what my soaps look like. I am a beginner at this so I never know how they will turn out but at least they are colorful.










[attachment deleted by admin]


----------



## mill-valley

Those are really neat!! I can see why they sell well.


----------



## Sondra

Very very pretty


----------



## K-Ro

Wow, those are really pretty.


----------



## Guest

Very nice felted soaps, I have going to try this and never seem to have the time, I get my Alpaca roving from a friend for free too.. 
Barb


----------



## Sheryl

Ok, I'm confused :/ how do you get the "felt" on the soap? Is it only on one side? Why do it? Is it for kinda like a scrubby side? I assume it stays on when you are using the soap? Kinda like a built in wash cloth? 

Sheryl


----------



## Sondra

Sheryl it is totally wrapped you might like to read this whole thread. but mielkesfarm website has a good tutorial about felting soap
http://www.mielkesfarm.com/felt_soap.htm


----------

