How to Make a Wet Felted Tulip

Sally Gulbrandsen Feltmaker: Her tutorials and techniques are as individual as she is—unique, experimental and always interesting.

If Only Tulips Could Talk!

It is said that if tulips could talk, they would tell many a tale about their origin. However, since they cannot, this shall remain a mystery—except to say that it is likely that their origin lies somewhere in a corridor which spreads between Northern China and Southern Europe.

This tutorial explores how to craft a 3D wet felted tulip using a wire frame and merino wool roving.

Materials Needed

• 1 tulip
• 1 roll of beading wire or florist wire
• Small quantity silk roving in yellow
• Merino wool roving in red and yellow
• A little green wool roving to make the stem
• Paper template (see instructions below)
• Electric palm sander and a thick sheet of plastic, clear or patterned.
• Liquid soap, preferably olive oil soap
• Small electric palm sander (If no electric sander is available, use a heavy duty bamboo blind to roll the items in.)

Using Nature to Create a Template

Drawing is not my forte. Tracing an image is about as good as it gets. This is why I have begun this project with a botany lesson where I I was able to dissect a tulip in order to reveal its inner and outer beauty. Once done, I was able to understand what I needed to create a tulip which comes as close to the original as nature intended it.

Step 1: Remove the Petals

Remove the petals so that the tulip can allow you into its secrets.

Step 2: Observe the Inside of the Tulip

• You will see that each stamen has been carefully arranged around each style.
• 1 stamen is assigned to each petal, making a total of 6.

Stamen (Anther and Filament)

This image gives one a clear indication of how the Stamen (Anther and Filament) should be constructed when you start to recreate your very own Tulip.

Step 3: Make a Template of the Stem and Style

• Make a template using the parts of the flower.
• Trace around all the items.