making felted soap with a toddler
September 29, 2010
Words really aren't necessary to convey how much fun this was for all involved. The soft roving (from a local farm), the colors, the warm water, the plentiful bubbles - all combined for a lovely and entertaining sensorial experience for Finn. We used this tutorial from Rhythm of the Home and set ourselves up on the porch with plenty of towels covering the floor. Without furthur ado, I'll let the pictures do the talking ...
Wait, I need to insert some words here. The tutorial called for cutting up an old pair of panty hose to hold the wool in place as you felt it. Panty hose are NOT something that I have anywhere in my house, not even in the deepest crevices of my sock drawer. I do believe that the last time I was forced to wear a pair was at my wedding over six years ago. Instead, I grabbed a stockinette tube that I had on hand in my doll making supplies. Mistake. The stockinette adhered to the wool, and it was a headache to remove. Next time we do this, I'll get myself a pair of panty hose. And I know just where to find a pair. In my mom's closet.
Two beautiful felted soaps, great for washing up, eliminating the need for a washcloth. Finn's is the green/blue version (although I did provide a good amount of help to get it properly felted) and mine is the one with the sun. I added a bit of needle felting to mine once it was dry.
But you know what? Finn didn't end up using the soap in the bath that day. In fact, he didn't end up taking a bath that evening. He'd already had a good sudsing in the afternoon, as you can see!