All Castle-Craft Felt Figures are constructed by building up layer upon layer of wool. Different types of wool, derived from different sources and from variations in the production processes of washing, teasing, carding and combing, may be used for different layers within the figure. The layers of wool fibre are locked together using a barbed needle (hence “needle felted”) to create the desired shape.
Some figures consist of several shapes joined together, using the same needle felting process. Some figures, even with the tightly felted dense wool construction, require extra support and are constructed around an internal wire armature, making them unsuitable for young children and pets to play with.
Most figures made at Castle-Craft are between 80 and 250 millimetres high. The stands on which the figures are displayed are a fixed part of the design and mostly made from, repurposed, up-cycled and recycled materials.
Mushrooms mounted on driftwood.
Whale mounted on beech wood block
Mushroom People
A Woodland Gnome.
Snow People. Approximately 20cms high on sawn log disc stands.
Owls in the moonlight
Rainbow Highland Coo
Colourfull Highland Coos.
Mushrooms mounted on timber slices
Snowmen doing snow things.
Care for felt figures.
Humidity
Felt can be affected by moisture. It is best to avoid keeping felt items in damp areas like bathrooms or outbuildings or anywhere they can get wet.
Light
The dye used in some wools can be affected if directly exposed to a strong light source for a long period and may loose its vibrancy.
Pests
Moths and beetles, the same sort that are attracted to the wool in your clothes, will also be attracted to felt products. The same precautions used for protecting your wardrobe will work for felt products. Moths and beetles are sensitive to smell and deterred by some natural scents such as lavender. The same commercial products available for protecting and treating clothes will work for felt, if you need to use them please read the instructions
Cleaning
A gentle flicking a duster over the felt is usually sufficient, stubborn dust on the surface can be lifted with low tack tape, like masking tape.
Natural wool, even the washed, teased and carded wool used in felt, is reasonably stain resistant, a liquid spill can usually be blotted off with an absorbent tissue.
If you need to clean a stain from your felt item, cold water, mild soap, gentle dabbing, and air drying is the best option. Remove as much dust as possible, mix the soap into the water (do not apply the undiluted soap directly to the felt) and gently dab over the stain. Make sure to remove any soap residue with a damp lint free cloth. Dry with a towel, press down slightly and gently to remove as much water as you can then leave to dry. Do not use heat, ether for washing or drying, heat and wool does not mix, heat is likely to shrink the felt and the shrinkage will not be even throughout the item.
If a spot clean is not going to suffice then some small items can be cleaned by dunking in cold water, no soap, for a few a few minutes and then gently squeezing out the water. Squeeze gently, don’t spin, mangle, twist, or wring. And do be aware there may be a wire armature inside a felt figure.