Felt Covered Soaps

This is a fun, clean (literally) project to do with your kids and a way to use up all those fancy bars of soap that you snagged from hotels or that came in gift baskets. Use them for washing hands, in the bath or make up a new gift basket with felted soaps for a fun gift.

Shopping list:

• Assorted Bar Soap - keep in mind these will shrink a little so don't start out with anything super small
• Wool Roving in different colors: check out the pre-dyed Clover Natural Wool Roving or dye up some White Roving with Dharma Acid Dyes.
• Tub of hot (but not too hot) water
• Smaller tub of cool water
• Towel

Let's get started!

Step 1: Set Up Your Workspace

Lay out your towel and put the tub of water on it, the towel will sop up the splashes and drips that kids, and 'kids at heart' are bound to make.

Step 2: Begin Wrapping the Soap

Wrap the soap in wool.

Pull of bits of roving in different colors. Start with one base color and wrap the soap a few times in different directions so it is totally covered.

Step 3: Add Accent Colors

Next, using smaller amounts and thinner/narrower strips, wrap a few accent strips.

Step 4: Begin the Felting Process

Felt the wool. This is the wet bit! Using both hands, put the wrapped soap in the tub of hot water and start rubbing it around, kind of like you are trying to form it into a ball. Keep rubbing for a bit.

Step 5: Check Your Progress

Now and then pull out your soap and check how felted it looks. If it's too sudsy to see dunk it quickly in the cool water. If it isn't felted enough go back to rubbing in the warm water.

Step 6: Finish and Dry

When it seems felted and before you have rubbed all the soap away set it aside to dry.

Step 7: Enjoy Your Felted Soap

Now you can use your felted soap! Display them in a dish for guests (maybe make a little note card so they know they are ok to use) or wrap them up for a cute gift. We bet it will be a little easier to get the kids to wash their hands.