Warm and fuzzy

At some point, each of us has had the dreadful realisation that a treasured jumper has ended up in the washing machine, or worse still, in the clothes dryer. The end result is always a much thicker jumper usually several sizes smaller! So rather than berate yourself for not being the ultimate laundry goddess – take a step back and remember that instead, the shrunken fuzzy jumper makes you a textile artist!

Felting is considered to be one of the oldest textile forms, and there are many references to felt in ancient writings. Myths suggest that during the middle ages Saint Clement, who was to become the fourth bishop of Rome, was a wandering monk who discovered felting by accident. After stuffing his sandals with ‘tow’ (short flax or linen fibres) to make them more comfortable, he