Hat making step 4

Now your fibres are firmly matted and you have had a cup of tea we will go on with the next step. With your hat covered on both sides with bubble wrap, roll up the package like as swiss roll as shown above. It may be slightly tricky as the cardboard is probably still stiff but it can be done.If the package is very wet squeeze it out over the sink or you will get wet feet!

Next you need to place both hands on the roll and roll it back and forth on your worktop. Roll about 50 times in one direction and then open your package and smooth out any wrinkles which have appeared. Smooth out both sides. Roll it all up again but with another side of the hat facing you and repeat. Keep doing this until all four sides have been in the middle of the roll. Undo the package and have a good look at your hat. Poke it gently with your finger tip. Do the fibres move around or are they firmly stuck together? If they still move around you will have to repeat the above step. Eventually you will notice that the hat shape is starting to shrink and the cardboard has to bend to fit in. This is when you cut and take the form out.

Decide where your opening is going to be. If you are making a beret it can be in the middle of one side or slightly off centre so it will sit at a jaunty angle. With the shape of hat I am making here I cut the straight edge.

Now very gently take out the form. The felt is still quite fragile at this stage and can easily stretch or even tear so be very gentle and ease it out.

Turn the hat inside out and check to make sure the inside is well felted. If it isn't put the bubble wrap on and rub and roll as before. Now squeeze any excess water out, turn it back to the right way out and arrange it on the bubble wrap so that the bits which were at the sides are now at the back and front. Make sure there is not a ridge. If there is rub them until it goes. Then roll up as before and roll again. Each time you roll check that the insides are not beginning to felt together. If they are gently separate them and roll inside out. Repeat this until the felt feels firm and sturdy. The next bit is really hard work so go and have another cup of tea. Maybe a biscuit as well.