Sally Gulbrandsen Feltmaker: Her tutorials and techniques are as individual as she is—unique, experimental and always interesting.
An example of a wet-felted bird pod which I made last summer and which still hangs in my garden today.
Sally Gulbrandsen
How to Create a Wet-Felted Bird Pod on a Balloon
This is a great handcrafted project for you and the children to make as a gift or just simply for the fun of it. Why not add a little bird food to your gift and make someone feel really special? Perhaps a little' feathered friend' will take shelter there this summer!
Another fun little idea is to get the children to paint a little wooden board which says: 'Vacant Pod—one feathered occupant wanted—just as soon as possible please!'
Please share your results if you decide to tackle this project.
Bird pods can make such decorative items, and they can be used inside or outside. This is a group of pods I made last summer.
Sally Gulbrandsen ©
Some materials: piece of odd curtain net for covering the project before wetting it down with hot soapy water. Sponge for damping it down and some 'Fairy' liquid. Not too much. A little goes a long way!
Sally Gulbrandsen ©
What You Need
- Wool roving or wool tops (available on eBay, Amazon or Wingham Wool)
- Bubble wrap
- A 'Gertie' ball or alternatively a party balloon
- Old towels to catch the drips
- A kettle and a bowl for boiling water
- Dishwashing liquid
- A sponge
- Scraps of dyed wool or silk for decoration
- Tumble dryer
I prefer using a balloon as it is cheap and cheerful. It is also very easy to extract the balloon from the felted ball once it has felted.
Sally Gulbrandsen ©
Should You Use a Balloon or a Gertie Ball?
There's not much in the decision except the price! A 'Gertie' ball is re-usable and will not need to be filled with water. However, I prefer to use a balloon.
I add some water to the balloon to add a little weight before I blow it up. The water in the balloon also seems to assist the felt making process whilst the pod is in the tumble dryer.
A small piece of cloth inserted within the knot assists me to open the knot when I want to reduce the size of the balloon inside the pod. Doing it this way lets the pod shrink back a little more when you put it back into the tumble dryer.
1. Add a Little Water to Your Balloon and Blow It Up
Add a little water from the kitchen tap, about quarter full. Blow it up as normal.
Sally Gulbrandsen ©
2. Tie a Scrap of Fabric in the Knot
This is what your inflated balloon will look like when you tie a little piece of fabric in the knot.
Sally Gulbrandsen ©
3. Cut a Template From the Bubble Wrap
Cut a circle out of bubble wrap. The diameter should be sufficient to enable you to wrap the ball up in the bubble wrap with the end open, just short of the valve or knot in the balloon, Place on a towel or alternatively some bubble wrap,
Sally Gulbrandsen ©
4. Gather Your Roving
Your wool roving or tops will look similar to this. Buy roving or tops which is specifically meant to be used for felting.
Sally Gulbrandsen ©
Here is a close-up of my wool Roving. This batch is fairly thick so I split it as I work with it.
Sally Gulbrandsen ©
5. Split the Width to Make It Easier to Work With
You may want to split your roving to make it easier to pluck the fibre from the roving when you make your layers
Sally Gulbrandsen.©
6. Place Slivers of Wool on the Template
Begin by layering the fibers over a circular piece of bubble wrap.
Sally Gulbrandsen ©
Arrow shows the direction in which the small pieces of roving should be placed. Try to space them evenly without leaving any gaps. Gaps mean thin spots in your finished pod.
Sally Gulbrandsen ©
7. Lay the Next Layer 90 Degrees to the First Layer
Layer two - fibers have been put down at 90 degrees to the first layer.
Sally Gulbrandsen ©
8. Lay the Third Layer
Layer three - laid in opposite direction whilst trying to make it as even as possible. If you have any thin spots top them up a little. Felting is not an exact science, there is no wrong way, experiment and enjoy it. It can be very forgiving.
Sally Gulbrandsen ©
9. Decorate With Fibers
This where the fun starts. Time to get creative and add some decoration to your bird pod
Sally Gulbrandsen ©
Close-up of the decoration. Use natural fibers such as wool, cotton or silk.
Sally Gulbrandsen ©
10. Prepare Boiling Water and Dishwashing Liquid
Prepare a bowl of boiling water with a dash of dish washing liquid in it. Not too much, a little goes a long way! Take care not to burn yourself.
Sally Gulbrandsen ©
11. Cover the Project With Curtain Netting
Begin by carefully dabbing the middle of the pod with hot soapy water. Work carefully towards the edges of the netting. Add more water as you go. Once wet but not saturated, remove the netting and cover with bubble-wrap, smooth side up.
Sally Gulbrandsen ©
12. Wet the Bubble Wrap a Little
Once the wool is wet under the netting, cover with bubble-wrap as shown here.
Sally Gulbrandsen
13. Remove the Netting and Cover With Bubble Wrap
Carefully remove net and replace with bubble wrap again, smooth side up. Continue rubbing until you reach 'pinch test' stage.
Sally Gulbrandsen ©
14. Flip Over the Project
Flip the project over between two pieces of bubble wrap. It makes it easier to keep the decoration on the outside of the balloon.
Sally Gulbrandsen ©
15. Place the Ball on the Plain Side, Wrap It Up and Smooth It Out Carefully
Keep the bubble wrap on until you have wrapped the ball. Use the bubble wrap to help enfold the ball. Smooth out as much as possible before wrapping in the stocking.
Sally Gulbrandsen ©
16. Fit the Ball in the Stocking
Handy hint, fit your stocking over the back of a metal or wooden chair, pull one side of the stocking towards you and push your ball under and up into the waist of the stocking.
Sally Gulbrandsen ©
17. Wet With Hot Soapy Water and Massage
When the Pod is tied up inside the stocking, I give it a good soap up with some hot water and dish washing liquid and a really good massage to get rid of some of the bumps and folds. When I am happy with it, I pop it back into the tumble dryer.
Sally Gulbrandsen ©
18. Tumble Dry for 10 Minutes, Then Remove the Stocking
After about ten minutes in the tumble dryer, check to see if the stocking is becoming attached to the Pod. If it is, remove the stocking carefully by pulling it away from the wool and put back to tumble for a bit longer.
Sally Gulbrandsen ©
19. Deflate the Balloon a Little, then Tumble Dry for 10 More Minutes
At this stage I usually untie the balloon, remove a little air, knot it again and put it back in the tumble dryer for another ten minutes or so - this helps shrink the pod - which in turn thickens the fabric a little more.
Sally Gulbrandsen ©
20. Remove the Balloon
Close-up of my pod, a little thin perhaps!. I should have added a fourth layer! Different wool produces different results but felt fortunately is forgiving! There are many ways to 'tart' up your pod. More about this later!
Sally Gulbrandsen ©
21. Add the Finishing Touches
Time to add the finishing touches. Will add my touches to this Pod in the next day or so.
Sally Gulbrandsen ©
What to Do When Things Go Wrong
Sometimes things do not always go to plan. For help and advice on how to improve your Pod if things don't always go quite to plan, read my article called Wet Felting: What to Do When Things Go Wrong.
© 2012 Sally Gulbrandsen
Comments
Sally Gulbrandsen (author) from Norfolk on September 20, 2019:
Hi Billy, I believe this was one of my first felting tutorials. I wrote about macro photography at the start of my journey on Hubpages, and these are still some of my most visited hubs but somehow felting took over. More recently I have found myself working with leather and I love it but I expect to return to my felting in the next few weeks. Life has been tough these past six months but hopefully, things will return to normal soon:) Thanks for stopping by.
Bill Holland from Olympia, WA on September 20, 2019:
Was this your first article, Sally? I don't see a comment from me. It must have been before we knew each other. I love the pic of the four pods hanging outside. So very clever and colorful. Brilliant, my talented friend.
Sally Gulbrandsen (author) from Norfolk on January 11, 2015:
peachpurple,
I hope you do make a felt bird pod soon. I intend to make a few more at the beginning of Summer. I appreciate your stopping by to comment, thank you very much.
peachy from Home Sweet Home on January 11, 2015:
clever idea, those birdies are going to love this unique nest, will be make one soon, voted up
Sally Gulbrandsen (author) from Norfolk on February 10, 2014:
Suzanne Day
It is nice to know that wet felting is becoming so popular - such an an ancient craft and yet it seems to be evolving along with modern techniques and experimentation. Thanks for the vote up, beautiful and rated.
Sally
Suzanne Day from Melbourne, Victoria, Australia on February 10, 2014:
Gorgeous! I can sense some felting projects in the air for me (on top of the ones I have done already). Thank you for the useful tutorial photos. Voted beautiful & rated!
Sally Gulbrandsen (author) from Norfolk on February 10, 2014:
Tracy Lynn Conway
I really do hope you do try it. If you would like to learn how to a variety of felted items using a ball and some wool roving, please check out my other Hubs on Felting.
So pleased to learn that you enjoyed this tutorial.
Thank you
Sally
Tracy Lynn Conway from Virginia, USA on February 10, 2014:
I work with felt but never knew how to make a ball with a hollow inside, now I do. Thanks for the great tutorial! I hope I can try this one out soon.
Sally Gulbrandsen (author) from Norfolk on February 10, 2014:
VVanNess - glad you could stop by to pay my Bird Pod Hub a visit. I think you dogs are more likely chew it up in an instant as it is much softer than a huge tennis ball.
Thank you for the comment.
Victoria Van Ness from Fountain, CO on February 10, 2014:
That's really cute. I think my dogs might love that more simply because it looks like a huge tennis ball. lol I didn't know that it was possible to do something like this. Very nice!
Rebecca from USA on February 10, 2014:
Really cool project. Voted up.
Sally Gulbrandsen (author) from Norfolk on February 10, 2014:
FlourishAnyway - thank you for the lovely comment and the vote up. Your visit is appreciated as always.
Sally Gulbrandsen (author) from Norfolk on February 10, 2014:
Glommer Twin Fan
Glad you found the Bird Pods - they really are very simple to make, definitely a project the little birds will appreciate as much as you will enjoy making them. Thanks so much for your visit and your comment.
FlourishAnyway from USA on February 10, 2014:
This is a beautiful tutorial, and I love that it is for the birds. Your photos and descriptions are marvelous. Voted up and more.
Claudia Mitchell on February 10, 2014:
I really have to try felting. This is absolutely beautiful, the project and the hub. Well done and now to figure out how to felt. Wow!
Sally Gulbrandsen (author) from Norfolk on November 12, 2013:
Hello DDE. It is always so nice when you stop by to check out my Hubs. I certainly plan to keep on writing and to share more on this subject - watch this space as I am just about to publish another. !. Thanks for the Vote up. I appreciate your comments as always. I am so lucky to have such a loyal follower.
Devika Primić from Dubrovnik, Croatia on November 12, 2013:
How to Wet Felt a Bird Pod in Merino Wool Fibers - A Photo Tutorial, incredible about this hub topic. You have certainly caught my eye with this title don't know how I missed it. So beautifully presented and a wonderful decorative suggestion. Keep on writing and sharing your informative hubs.Voted up,useful beautiful and interesting
Sally Gulbrandsen (author) from Norfolk on October 22, 2013:
Not sure how I missed your comment purl3agony. It appeared to have a little note next to it which said not spam - never seen that before .
Sally Gulbrandsen (author) from Norfolk on August 19, 2013:
hazel hewitt, I would say that this is more a decorative item than a real bird nests. I personally hang mine on a patio. I would suggest that some firm wire could be threaded into the plait to prevent the pod from actually swinging. I would not re-use the item if a bird had lived in it once. A new one can easily be made very cheaply. I agree also, that we need to be responsible .bird's nest parents'. I appreciate your advice and also your visit. Thank you very much. Best wishes, Sally
hazel hewitt on August 19, 2013:
This is a very cute ornament and lots of fun. But please check with your local Bird Protection organization before recommending this as a possible bird home. According to Massachusetts Audubon society, it is very important to be a responsible 'bird's nest parent' and keep any nest boxes regularly cleaned. (They also say nest boxes should not swing.)
Donna Herron from USA on April 16, 2013:
I need to try this! Pinning now and voting up!
Sally Gulbrandsen (author) from Norfolk on April 08, 2013:
Fanfiber I will add something in a couple of days. I did another tutorial on Bird Pods using the Balloon method which I feel gives a better finish. You could try the template method too. Place your fibers on both sides of a round template and once you have reached the pre-felt stage, remove the template through a small hole and insert a balloon with some water in it and complete the project in the tumble drier. Keep letting some air out from the balloon until the pod shrinks to the size you require.
If you have any thin spots on your current pods you could try to needlefelt a few extra fibers over them or sew on some flat felt flowers or leaves. I am sure the birds won't mind! Thanks so much for your comment, it is much appreciated. https://discover.hubpages.com/art/How-to-felt-a-Bi...
FabFiber on April 08, 2013:
Hi Sally - this was a great tutorial! I made 6 pods at the same time but also experienced thin spots on a couple of them. Your tutorial says "There are many ways to 'tart' up your pod. More about this later!". Do you have a link to that information? I would like to check it out and see what my options are. Thanks so much!
Sally Gulbrandsen (author) from Norfolk on April 05, 2013:
You don't necessarily need a dryer, you can do this on a ball and bounce it on a hard surface. Check out my other instructions for a bird pod made on a balloon or a ball
https://discover.hubpages.com/art/How-to-felt-a-Bi...
LongTimeMother from Australia on April 04, 2013:
What a great idea. I live off the grid with solar power so I am never likely to have a dryer. However I can think of a few people to suggest this idea to. Your instructions and photos are brilliant. Voted up and awesome!
Sally Gulbrandsen (author) from Norfolk on January 08, 2013:
Thank you Natashalh, I appreciate your visit and especially your comments.
Natasha from Hawaii on January 08, 2013:
Fantastic and beautiful - I'm pinning this one, too! I never would have guessed felted projects could be so durable. I really want to felt now!
Sally Gulbrandsen (author) from Norfolk on December 31, 2012:
Thanks for taking the time to stop by, much appreciated.
Mathivathani Sakthivel from brisbane on December 30, 2012:
You've taken a great effort...i love this hub.
Sally Gulbrandsen (author) from Norfolk on December 08, 2012:
Thank you so much! felting is wonderful! This technique can be used equally well for making beautiful hats using the 'Gertie' ball. There are few rules for felting, experiment and use whichever method works best for you. There is always an element of surprise - you never know quite what it will turn out. There is something so glorious about making your own felt. The most important thing though, is to experiment and to enjoy what you are doing! Thank you for the share on facebook.
Nicola Thompson from Bellingham, WA on December 08, 2012:
This was a great tutorial. I've shared it with one of my friends on facebook. I look forward to seeing more of your hubs :)
