wet felted slipper tutorial

I AM A BEGINNER
That said lets get into this, this is the first pair I've created and I only hope to get better.
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First off obtain items such as
wool roving (as much as you can get for this project) or probably at least 200 grams for each foot if about a size nine to ten. Measure and cut template from bubble wrap, to size of foot needed. Lay out wool in different angles so that you can't see any gaps, make it quite thick and have about 5cm overhanging layer from the template all the way around. Dip hand into hot soapy water and sprinkle over wool until very wet.

Rub and pat gently so that the wool begins to form a skin, this is where you can do the pinch test. If the wool doesn't full apart in the pinch test its ready to flip over. In this case leave the 5cm over hanging layer dry so that you can fold inwards at the right time.

Sprinkle dry over hanging layer and fold inwards, gently patting and rubbing so that you slowly start to feel the wool shrinking and binding into one another. Fold inwards all the way around so it looks like a slipper sock is forming.

Place on bubble wrap bubble side up! fold over bubble wrap so it covers the slipper, pat and squish gently. Roll up bubble wrap and slipper so it looks like a sausage and squish the whole way along. Roll gently if needed but not too much. Unwrap it, flip the slipper into a different direction on the bubble wrap and roll it up again and squish and pat again.

Take slipper from bubble wrap and place on draining board take left hand and go from one end to the other gently rubbing it over the board so you feel the wool slowly hardening. This is fulling.

Continue and shape gently and then flip it over. Keep looking for wholes if there are wholes at this stage you can patch it up by gently patting dry wool into that area and then wetting it with soap not the liquid detergent but soap your hands thoroughly and pat the dry wool in so it is slick and feels that it will hold. Continue to full until hardened.

Take template out of slipper
Rinse in hot and cold water and then start throwing the slipper itself onto the draining board. I do mine each arm for 50 times. This just helps to seal the wool more and strengthen it.

Stretch it out and try it on, this stage is called blocking. You will probably need to pull it gently so it feels like its fitting. Make sure that the wool isn't thin before you do this otherwise you may need to start over. Once fitted take off and then stuff with paper or bubble wrap to help keep the shape when drying.

I hope you like my tutorial I am a beginner myself and am slowly learning the techniques. This is my own instructions and I would love it if you emailed me your photos if you made anything from this.

This tutorial is very basic and shows you how to make a seamless pair of slippers. My next tutorial will show you how to decorate them because of the color I'm going to decorate them with watermelon colors and will get a pair of soles to put onto the bottom to keep them sturdy.

Just so you know that the steps these photos show are from the template of bubble wrap and upwards. And as you can tell I'm a basic photographer. So I hope these make sense.

Please let me know what you think

happy felting