we are blessed to have many amazing people in our lives, both friends & family.

this week, orin, aydin, and i made gratitude soaps as a way to thank them for, well, being there. felted soaps are simple & yet so beautiful... while felting, the boys and i talked about who we were making them for, remembering all that each person/family has done for us.

they turned out brilliant! (you should give it a go...)

materials needed:

wool roving
bar of soap (preferably natural)
a tub/bowl of hot water
a few drops of dish soap (to get the process going)

first separate the wool into thin, but long wisps.

then wrap the wool around the soap, both length-wise & width-wise, being sure to cover all the surfaces.

dip the soap in the hot water, being sure to hold the wool in place so it soesn't slide off/around, and add a few drops of dish soap to the top. rub your hands all over the durface of the bar...back & forth, and in circular motions. make sure to rub all the sides, flipping & turning it in your hands...dipping the soap into the hot water, as needed.

keep this up until the wool has felted down & forms a snug case around the soap (this could take anywhere from 5 minutes to 10 minutes depending on both your wool & your soap). if it is still fluffy, keep rubbing a bit longer. once the wool is snug around the soap, rinse it with cold water to set the wool & to rinse off the suds. gently pat dry with a towel & allow to dry overnight, turning once.

once dry, you can needle felt on any number of decorations/designs... enjoy!