Journal · 2024-03-06
Needle Felting Explained: Wool Storage
You’ve shopped all over, gathering fiber from here and there and now you need to figure out how to store it. Storing it so it is readily available for those creative moments is really important. Not to mention, an organized stash will inspire you. A tangled mess, not so much.
Wool stays fluffier if you store it where it can breathe. It’s much easier for creative moments when you don’t have to search through bins and bags.
Needle felters tend to be creative when storing and managing all those fluffy bits of fiber.
From using mason jars to hanging closet organizers, plastic totes, and zip-lock bags, I’ve tried many ways to keep everything together.
When I was first getting started, I didn’t have dedicated studio space. This cart would follow me around to keep the essential supplies on hand wherever I could find a spot to needle felt.
My favorite wool storage solutions
My favorite wool storage solutions have been hanging shoe and closet organizers and re-purposed water jugs.
Wool weighs next to nothing so it’s easy to to store it in hanging storage.
Repurposed water jugs are my tip-top favorite wool storage solution
Translucent water jugs will keep your wool stash ready and waiting for your next creative needle felting adventure. And they’ll tempt you with delicious colors to inspire your creativity.
You can bundle them together and hang them from the ceiling if you are short on space.
I can stuff about 1/2 lb of wool in each jug.
Water jug wool storage is also great if you teach workshops. They keep plenty of wool contained and easy to access. They also travel well.
Keeping it Organized
These days, the most difficult thing for me is that I have no problem neatly organizing my various colors and types of wool when they are fresh and new. But when I’m working on a project (or many projects) and start pulling off tufts to felt with, the wool flies and the heaps of wool grow so big (no pun intended, sorry li’l Dolly) on my felting table that I can hardly find my pad and my tools.
If I’m good, when I’m done with my project I’ll sort it out and put it all back where I got it. But if I’m not, in a basket it goes until the day I find myself digging through it desperately searching for the one perfect bit of wool that I know is in there.
But typically, my felting pad is nothing short of a huge tossed salad. I happen to love tossed salad with lots of goodies in it.
Storing Wool Away From Pests
Did you know that in the past, nearly every town had a cold-storage facility and people used them to protect their wool garments and blankets from wool moths during the summer months? Wool felt is the oldest textile in the world and dealing with these pests has always been a concern.
If you are worried about it, there are measures you can take to make your stash (and your wool creations) less attractive. Read an excellent article about wool moths over at Star Magnolias.
If you have a large fiber stash and some extra space, an old fridge or freezer (clean and not plugged in) is a great wool storage place. They are very well sealed and can’t be easily entered by intruders. Raw, unscoured wool, should never be stored with or near clean wool.
Speaking of pests, I wrote about this in another post, but our dog and cat buddies can really do a number on your wool stash.
In conclusion, storing your wool stash is nearly as fun as creating with it!
