Merino Felted Slippers - a Walk in the Clouds

The moment we step into our home we say hello to our slippers. Perfect slippers, how to create them? Emphasis was on a personal desire to wear them barefoot, with a minimalist design that creates a SOFT & hugging feeling.

Look & feel is a personal choice, while barefoot 'screams' antibacterial, breathing, and moisture repellent. Synthetic slippers? Banned!

About a year ago, while looking for the perfect slippers, a whole new world emerged — wool felting. It was an obsession that took over the time, there were only questions and answers, till the first tryout. The range of possibilities in this creative space are satisfying, from fiber kind through fiber thickness and color. People a creating everything they can think of using these fibers, from a long time ago.

Wool FIBERS are antibacterial, breathing, and moisture repellent. There are two main processes in wool felting the dry and the wet. Dry involves the use of needles in a punching motion. Wet is utilizing soapy water and friction so that the fibers will interlock with each other.

MERINO FIBERS are the chosen ones because they have an available range of fine fibers that are very soft against the skin. They are also better for a hot climate since they hold you temperature if compared to other fibers that are warming. This project is all about the WET FELTING technique in which the fibers will interlock and shrunk, till the desired size. A rewarding project, since the slippers can be created at the same day and finished after they are dry.

An oversized and bendable pattern will be wrapped with many merino layers, a hole will be cut through and the pattern will be removed. These layers will be massaged and shaped to the final slipper shape, thanks to the soapy water and different tools that will speed up the process.

Its sole will be layered from brushed liquid latex. A great place for creativity since the slippers sole can be anything you decide. An old shoe sole that can be glued, a leather that can be sewed, liquid latex applied with brush, or it can stay as is, just wool. You can even go to a shoemaker for an anti slip option.

Liner is optional too, it is advised to wear them without any since the feeling is just like walking in a cloud. For those that do want one it can be made in the same felting technique or simply cut from a soft and preferable textile like flannel, another place for creative you.
Gray carded merino can be seen on the image, it has a thin layer of latex, so it will stay in place. This layer wears off very fast, so it is nice to have some premade.

Two different colors of MERINO fine FIBER (19 microns) give them this unique style. For a creative one, it means that there are multiple possibilities just by playing with the colors. A DIY on how to color wool fibers? The making process is a little more intricate than using just one color, this is for the ones that like some challenge. For a simpler project just eliminate the second color step and make the whole slipper with one color.

NOTE for the perfectionists:
1. At first play with the technique, just make some samples to feel the material. Make a small circle with two layers the way it is made with the slippers.
2. Make the first pair from a cheep wool, here you'll learn a lot!
3. Plastic lasts of the right size, a sheet sanding machine, and a metal shoe horn are the tricks!

PLASTIC LASTS | MERINO WOOL | SHEET SANDING MACHINE | METAL SHOE HORN | SOAP | HOT WATER | PLASTIC DRAWER LINER | BUBBLE WRAP | CRAFT FOAM | TOWELS | SPRY BOTTLE | DISHWASHING GLOVES | MASSAGE ROLLER | WOOD OR PLASTIC HAMMER | UTILITY SHEARS | SHARPIE | RULER | KITCHEN SCALES | GRATER | ROLLING PIN or PLASTIC TUBE | WATERCOLOR PENCILS |

optional for finish: | WOOL SHAVER | FELTING NEEDLE |
optional for sole: | LIQUID LATEX | BRUSH | BABY POWDER |
optional to use instead of shears: HUGE SEAM RIPPER

PLASTIC LASTS
Tool for a perfect look, a strong one is preferred since we're going to use it vigorously in a wet environment. The Final shape of the slipper will be determined by the lasts, the slippers will dry on them.
For this, project an EU 35 (US 5) the feet are 22.8 cm. The lasts were bought online for a much nicer price than it is now. Since this was an entirely new world, extra sizes were ordered cause of difference in size standards. Here is an online converter for shoe sizes.
EXTRA:

With some creativity, you can make a shoe lasts. A DIY project? It can be 3D printed, this is already an existing reality. Another option is to use some plaster, or some other construction material. Your mold can be any old shoe like a clog. Just remember to paint the molded lasts with some sort of paint to make it waterproof. Oh, and one more thing, make the lasts with the heel bone part, right at the beginning of the Achilles tendon. Lasts with a high ankle will be a bad option so look for the low ones.

MERINO WOOL 19 MICRONS
This type of fiber is very fine and feels soft against the skin. For one color slippers EU 35, use 150g -170g For two colors slippers EU 35: top 100g and the inside 50g-70g.
NOTE:

For a bigger size add more of the inside color. Example, EU 38, top 100g, inside 80 g, for an EU 40, top 100g, inside 100g. More wool will produce a thicker slipper, so this is another creative place. The first attempts were made with a local merino wool of 19 microns. It created a fluffier & squishier feeling which is very nice too.

A funny thing happened to one of my tryouts slippers (it was labeled as #2). They were initially in EU 39, laying without a soul & sole. One day, there was this birthday of a coworker & a friend, an idea just popped up. What if this dry #2 can be reshaped to a smaller size of slippers? So, they ended up on the table, having a warm soapy bath with a nice massage. This was the moment of understanding that the wet felting is almost like a plastilina modeling clay. The clay is a non hardening one, just like the wool fibers that can be reshaped. It is a very forgiving media, only when you downscale their size. It is impossible to upscale, but toss the fibers again and reuse them. Another DIY project!

WRAPPING FOAM - the first "molding" tool.
Two thicknesses, 3-4 mm & 1 mm. About 40 x 40 cm of the thick one and 25 x 20 cm of the thin one. Our pattern should be flexible & bendable as cloth. Waterproof so that it will stay in place and hold the shape. Synthetic foam will not interlock with the wool, and it can also be reused many times.
PE foam is used as insulation, packaging while moving fragile things, parquet flooring underlay, yoga mats, or as a wrapping material.
Craft foam can work for this too, theoretically. Here is a place to boost your creative. The pattern should have some thickness (2-4 mm), the "blocker" can be of a thinner quality and can also be replaced with some nylon of a regular store bag. Some recycling is healthy for being happy!

SOAP& WATER - the "fairy dust".

30g of grated soap and 1L of boiling water. Any LIGHT colored bar soap of natural, pure, Castile, olive, palm is the first choice, can be replaced with a CLEAR dishwashing soap.

The soapy water interlocks the fibers, this is a real magic.
RUBBER SQUEEZE BULB for watering, remember that the water is warm.

A LOT OF MASSAGING TOOLS!!!
MASSAGE ROLLER - its main purpose is to move the soapy water between the fibers, and spread them to new spaces between the fibers.
PLASTIC DRAWER LINER - makes some extra friction and holds everything in place.
BUBBLE WRAP - each bubble is like a fingertip that will massage the wet fibers and help with the interlocking process. It works along with the sheet sanding machine.
SHEET SANDING MACHINE - A squared base that has a soft foam, the cheaper is the machine the better, we want as low RPM as possible. Look for the ones with a wire lever clamp instead of Velcro base, we want that soft pad. This will create vibrations that will boost the interlocking process.

Attached are patters created in AutoCAD by Autodesk, thanks to my recent acquired diploma as an Interior Designer.

There is an A3 format that holds everything, and the A4 format is in two separate papers.

Print the paper and cut along the black line. Place the big pattern on the 3 mm PE Foam/Craft Foam, draw with a Sharpie. Cut two of these for each slipper. Place the "Blocker" on a thin, 1 mm PE Foam/Craft Foam or a nylon from a simple bag, draw with a Sharpie. Cut two of these for each slipper. "Blocker" is a small pattern that will be used to block the interlocking process between the two colors. There is also a "HOLE CUTTER" this will be used as a guide for cutting the opening of the slipper. Also, there is a pattern for the insole.

NOTE: Cut with or without the black line. Make sure to make a smooth cutting line. The pattern is for a specific size EU 35. You can theoretically use it for EU 36, EU 37 & EU 38 sizes too, since the most important is the shaping step. If you are planing to use it for these sizes just remember to add more wool.

Pick some nice colors, the one that make you happy!

Pour 1L of boiling water into a bowl, while stirring add 30g of grated soap.
Leave it for 20 min so that it will get some nicer temperature. Let's prepare the space.

NOTE:
This mixture works better when it is a little hot. If your solution is cold and looks like a gel just warm it a little in a microwave or in a double bath.

The massaging table is prepared with the plastic drawer liner. On top, under a part of the plastic drawer liner, will be the bubble wrap. The pipe or the rolling pin will be rolled inside the bubble wrap. This way the water will stay on the plastic drawer liner while working. The warm water with the rubber bottle and the sanding machine is placed near.

Under the plastic drawer liner we will place the patterns as reference. Leave between them about 10 cm, also leave some space from the bottom and top.

This layer will create the bottom & inner part of the slipper. The patterns should be under the plastic drawer liner as reference. First place small pieces of fibers horizontally, then vertically. Leave about 2 cm of allowance over the pattern, this will wrap around on the other side.
Sprinkle some soapy water over the fibers, cover, roll on top with the pipe softly so that the fibers will stay in place. This will distribute the water evenly between the fibers. Work with the machine over for 4 sec each corner of the slipper, try to stay close to the middle so that the allowances will stay untouched.
Remove the cover and work with the machine over the wool, again in the center only. This will polish the fibers since this is the inside surface of the slipper. The allowances should stay in place. About 10 sec for each slipper should do it. Place over the polished fibers the patterns and wrap them with the allowances.
Now will continue with the second layering.

NOTE for the perfectionist: You can scale each layer of the wool while placing it so that it will be consistent. You can work clean by watering with just enough water so that it will stay in the fibers.

This will create the top and the inside layer of the slipper.
Place the fibers first vertically and then horizontally inside the pattern by leaving an empty place from the edges, about 0.5 cm. Sprinkle some soapy water, cover, roll with pipe, machine over the edges too, 4 sec on each corner of the slipper. Uncover, flip over and wrap the fibers that are at the edges. Gather the soapy water back to each piece with the hands.

NOTE: Always gather the water inside the slippers, we want it all there!

Bottom side of the slipper.

Place the fibers first vertically and then horizontally inside the pattern by leaving an empty place from the edges, about 0.5 cm. Sprinkle the soapy water, cover, roll with pipe, machine over the edges too, 4 sec on each corner of the slipper. Uncover, flip over and wrap the fibers that are at the edges.
Gather the soapy water back to each piece with the hands.

Top side of the slippers.

First place small pieces of fibers horizontally, then vertically. Leave about 1.5 cm of allowance over the pattern, this will wrap around on the other side. Sprinkle some soapy water, cover, roll with pipe. Machine over for 4 sec each corner of the slipper. Uncover, flip over and wrap the fibers that are at the edges.
Gather the soapy water back to each piece with the hands.

Bottom side of the slippers.
Place the fibers first vertically and then horizontally inside the pattern by leaving an empty place from the edges, about 0.5 cm. Soapy water, cover, roll with pipe, machine over the edges too, 4 sec on each corner of the slipper. Uncover, flip over and wrap the fibers that are at the edges by leaving them close to the edges. This is the side where we are placing the "Blocker". Gather the soapy water back to each piece with the hands.

Top side of the slipper.
Polish the center of the slipper, only the middle portion, for about 10 sec. Place the "Blockers" 3 cm from the bottom edge of the piece and in the middle from the sides. Place new fibers vertically and then horizontally, leave allowance over the edges of 0.5 cm. Soapy water, cover, roll with pipe, machine over the edges too, 4 sec on each corner of the slipper. Uncover, flip over and wrap the fibers that are at the edges. Gather the soapy water back to each piece with the hands.

NOTE for perfectionist: Make sure that there are no red fibers under the "Blocker" since this will be the top side of the final slipper.

Bottom side of the slipper.
Place the fibers, first, vertically and then horizontally inside the pattern by leaving an empty place from the edges, about 0.5 cm. Soapy water, cover, roll with pipe, machine over the edges too, 4 sec on each corner of the piece. Uncover, flip over and wrap the fibers that are at the edges by leaving them close to the edges. Gather the soapy water back to each piece with the hands.

Top side of the slipper and the final layering so place the fibers in an appealing way.
Place new fibers vertically and then horizontally, leave allowance over the edges of 0.5 cm. Soapy water, cover, roll with pipe, machine over the edges too, 4 sec on each corner of the slipper. Uncover, flip over and wrap the fibers that are at the edges. Gather the soapy water back to each piece with the hands. Polish the piece with the machine, without the bubble wrap, near the edges so that the fibers will interlock and hold better. About 10 sec each one.

NOTE: The machine should be with a smooth surface made from some sort of foam.

Now we'll polish the surface of the slipper so that it will be smooth & strong.
We'll use the soap, sanding machine and a big towel. This is a long process, the more you'll polish the nicer will be the surface at the end. About 5 min for each side, there are 4 sides in total, plus the edges too. Soap the surfaces of the pieces with a soap bar, be generous. Place the towel like a boundary so that it will absorb the soapy water that exits. At first polish with no pressure to interlock all the fibers at the top side. Then you can start to push gently the water from the pieces. By the end you can be more vigorous and really push the soapy water out as much as you can. The pieces will stay lighter and smoother by the end of the process.

NOTE: You can mark each slipper at the bottom with contrasting fibers and polish them into the pieces. Just place a small piece of different color fiber and hold the machine on it for 5 seconds. The fibers will interlock with the surface, and they will stay there forever! This will also help you know which one is left and right. After the shaping, in the upcoming steps, it will be a little hard to distinguish between them, so this is strongly advised.

Soak the pieces in clean water by pouring it over. We just want to fill them with water again.
Roll, each one of them, with the short side inside and gently press so that the excess water will exit. Make sure to do it carefully so that the "Blocker" will stay in place. Now the rolling begins! This stage will set fibers before we will cut them and take out the pattern. This type of rolling also shrinks them. Each piece will be rolled 4 times in different directions, twice on the long side and twice at the short. Each time count when you push the roll till 100. Remove the access water by soaking it in a towel.

Let's open up this "present" with extra care?
Use a seam reaper or shears to cut a small hole in the center, gently, so that the "blocker" will stay whole. Make sure you're cutting it from the top side of the slipper, and then take out the "Blocker". Now make a bigger hole so that you'll have access, with your finger, to the connection line between the white and the red layer, through that hole. Use the watercolor pencil and mark this connection line at the top of the slipper. This is the line that will guide us while we'll cut the top layer.

NOTE: Pick a WATERCOLOR pencil with contrasting color, it will be easier to see. Any color is fine because it will wash off easily, as long as it is watercolor pencil.

Now we'll cut the top layer, the watercolor line will guide us. Cut from it about 0.5 cm inside so that will have this small dent to make it flush and nice.

Cut it smooth and precisely with a big seam reaper or if you can do it with shears, then go for it. It is important to make a smooth cut.

Now we'll draw the line that will be our slipper opening.
Place the provided pattern of the "HOLE PATTERN" 1 cm from the bottom red edge. Draw the lines with watercolor pencil and cut smooth. Take out the big pattern.

So, here we go! We've placed a nice "clay" on our table, now it is time to shape it and give it some "love".
If you thought that we are finishing, happy to inform you that this is only the beginning. Let's have some fun! Basically, we're going to do a lot of rolling and counting. It's just like a meditation. With every rolling, the pieces will shrink and be more like a real slipper. We'll pay attention to the back side of the slipper and make sure that we have a high back side. We'll use, a lot, the roller and the time (our main tool) with extra patience.

So, first we'll rub the inside of the slipper with our gloves. The gloves are creating a better friction. Start with the bottom and move to the sides. Then close the opening along the long side of the slipper and rub the sides. Roll the roller over both sides. Roll the slipper and count to 100. Rub the cut edges against the plastic drawer liner. This will make them sturdier. Open the slipper flat on its bottom and fold its back side over to the center, roll with the roller.

Wash lightly, soap the inside, squeeze, roll, massage, rub stretch, use anything to help the shrinking process.
Roll the pieces along the long edge and the short edge from both sizes, count 100 each time. You should finish it in 30 min.

Wash again lightly, soap, squeeze, roll, massage, rub...
Roll the pieces along the long edge and the short edge from both sizes, count 100 each time. You should finish it in 30 min.

Now it's time to try the slippers on the lasts. See how close we are to the final shape and also compare if there are any differences in sizes. If there are, just roll the bigger one a little more. By now the slippers will be tighter compared to the soft feeling at the beginning. This toughness is a good sing of the interlocking fibers.

We are closer!

Now we'll shape the slipper on the lasts. Rub the slippers on the lasts and massage them. Always compare them and see which one needs more rolling or an extra massage. Here any tool will come in handy, roller, pipe wrapped with a piece of plastic drawer liner for rubbing, mallet for braking any bumps. A small last, or any hard tool, that can be rubbed to mold the slipper tighter.

At the end wash them with HOT & COLD water three times, this will settle the slippers better.
Remove the slippers from the lasts and RINSE them in a washing machine with 400RPM (reminder that this is a wool).

Straight from the washing machine onto the shoe lasts.
Here again, you can use the mallet and any tool that will make a tighter molding of the slipper. Leave them to dry before the finishing touches, a day or two.

What a journey! So, so rewarding! Hope it will inspire people to make interesting projects that uses natural fibers instead of synthetic ones, at least for their slippers.

It took about 6 hours to create these "clouds".

OPTIONAL
Shave them and correct the line between the colors with felting needle to make it look straighter and nicer. Brush liquid latex onto the bottom side to create a sole, or leave them as is. Insert the insole or better without it.

So, so squishy, soft & hugging, also a dream that came true.

That's all folks!

Irena Tsibulka
P.S. my speaking languages are Russian, Hebrew & Romanian, so sorry for the mistakes.