Saturday, September 3, 2011

What the Felt (or, good places to buy wool felt online)

I'm shopping for felt. This is what I do to relax after utterly failing to make chicken stir-fry (apparently).

Also, I find it soothing to write reports comparing the online retailers of products for which I shop after utterly failing to make chicken stir-fry.

Yep.

I rated these on a less-than-scientific system, mind you; most of these players sell a wide variety of sizes and blends, but I make small stuff and I don't need 100% virgin unicorn wool. Ergo, the target is for the smallest piece for sale with one dimension of at least 12", with a blend of minimum 20% wool.

The Felted Ewe
Colors: 26
Wool percentage: 20% ~ 35% wool to rayon
  Thickness: unknown
  Size: 12" by 18"
  Price: $1.35 each
     Per square inch: $0.0063
Shipping: $7.00 US, more international
Commonwealth Felt
Colors: 60+
Wool percentage: 20% ~ 35% to rayon, 100% wool and bamboo/rayon available
  Thickness: unknown
  Size: 12" by 18" (and 36" by 36")
  Price: $1.79 for 20%, $1.89 for 35% ($9.39 for square yard of either)
     Per square inch: $0.0083 for 20%, $0.0088 for 35%
Shipping: $8.15 and up
Weir Crafts
Colors: 15
Wool Percentage: 70% to rayon, 100% wool and 50% bamboo/rayon available
  Thickness: 1/16"
  Size: 9" by 12" (larger sizes available)
  Price: $1.75 each
     Per square inch: $0.0162
Shipping: $4.99 and up
Erica's
Colors: ~90
Wool Percentage: 20%, 35%, and 70% to rayon, 100% wool on same page
  Thickness: 1/16" for rayon blends, 7/64" for 100%
  Size: 9" by 12" (larger sizes available)

  Price: ranges from $1.05 to $1.50 based on color and blend, $2.15 for 100%
Shipping: ~$3.00+, varies widely depending upon size of order
Wool Felt Central
Colors: 98
Wool Percentage: 20% ~ 35% to rayon
  Thickness: 1/16" for rayon blends, 7/64" for 100%

  Size: 12" by 18" or by the yard (continuous)

  Price: $1.75 each, $8.50 per yard for 20%, $9.50 per yard for 35%
Shipping: $5.99+
Other Places to Find Felt
I didn't do the math for these: they were either too jumbled up, too expensive (but still pretty to look at), obvious places to look, or temporarily closed (Felt-o-rama will re-open in January 2012).
Colonial Crafts
A Child's Dream
Create for Less
Felt-o-rama
AND NOW I WILL EAT MY SAD CHICKEN STIR-FRY AS PENANCE. (〒д〒)