nPostednon September 15, 2014
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nManynof us wear hats a lot less than most people in history did. Felt wasna common material for men’s hats worn in fall and winter, back in thenday, and today is a typical “it’s getting to be fall” sort of daynfor men to get their felt hats out of the closet, dust them off, andnbegin to wear them again.
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nTodaynwe are urged to commemorate this once-crucial accessory by wearing anfelt hat. n
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nWhatnis felt?
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nHavenyou ever seen a felt tree? Or maybe a felt bush?
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Thenanswer, of course, is “no.” Because felt isn’t a material madenfrom a particular plant, but instead is a textile that is made bynmatting and pressing together fibers. Felt can be thick or thin, softnor tough—but its edges do not unravel, which makes it anneasy-to-use fabric.
Thenanswer, of course, is “no.” Because felt isn’t a material madenfrom a particular plant, but instead is a textile that is made bynmatting and pressing together fibers. Felt can be thick or thin, softnor tough—but its edges do not unravel, which makes it anneasy-to-use fabric.n
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nFeltncan be made of wool (which of course comes from the shearing ofnsheep) or from other animal fibers. Felt can also be made fromnsynthetic (artificial) fibers such as acrylic. Plant fibers such asncotton cannot be made into felt.
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nYouncan make felt by washing animal fibers such as wool, mohair, alpacanis warm, soapy water. The fibers swell up, and the scales on thenprotein fibers push outwards. Then you agitate the fiber in the warm,nsoapy water, causing the scales to grab onto one another and tanglenwith each other. Now we say that the fiber has been felted.
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Thisnfelting technique also explains why plant fibers don’t felt, becausenthe plant fibers are made of cellulose and don’t have scales. Nonscales to grab onto one another means no felt.
Thisnfelting technique also explains why plant fibers don’t felt, becausenthe plant fibers are made of cellulose and don’t have scales. Nonscales to grab onto one another means no felt.n
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nSomenof the nomadic people in Central Asia felt animal fibers in order tonmake their yurts, clothing, and tourist items such as decoratednslippers.
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nFeltnhats include men’s styles, women’s styles, cowboy hats, and costumenhats.
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nCelebrate!
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nMaken some other felt hats using DIY instructions found on this Pinterest board.
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nAlsonon this date:
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Author/ illustrator Tomie de Paola’s birthdayn
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nInternationalnDot Day
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nMysterynwriter Agatha Christie’s birthday
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nIndependencenDay in 5 Central American nations!
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nPlannahead:
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nChecknout my Pinterest boards for:
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nSeptembern holidays
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nSeptembern birthdays
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- Historicaln anniversaries in September
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nAndnhere are my Pinterest boards for:
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