I'm ready to hand applique a wall hanging using felt. I've not done anything with felt before so I'm wondering if I can use a hoop to hold the felt while stitching the shapes. Will the felt stretch if I use a hoop? If I can't use a hoop what do I use to hold the fabric? Any suggestions would be helpful.

I just finished a wool applique and we did not use a hoop--the fabric has a lot of body and is "stiff" enough without stretching. The needle slides through the wool so easily--bet you will like doing it.

Thank you Rachel. I'll let you know how it goes.

I would also be afraid the hoop would leave marks in the wool that won't come out.

Are you using wool felt or felted wool? There is a difference in how it feels and how it stitches.

I usually just use a lot of applique pins to hold my wool in place.

I have done quite a bit of felted wool applique (not woolfelt) and I would definately not use a hoop. Wool is very stretchy and although it is "forgiving", it doesn't forgive stretching very easily!

When I have had to applique large pieces of wool, and am worried about the pieces lying flat enough, I lay the background out on the dining room table and put the appliques down on it. I always baste the appliques in place with a big running stitch.

I hope you enjoy doing it. I love it - it's addictive. I went from felting fabrics myself (prowled around at the local Sally Army store for wool clothing, after raiding our closets) to buying undyed fabrics and dying them myself, which is really fun...I am working on one now - hand-dyed and appliqued and embroidered with perle silk - so lovely to use.

Using wool felt. As suggested I'll just lay the background out on my table and pin the pieces then blanket stitch. I have only two fairly large pieces that I could use a basting stitch then blanket stitch. Thanks for the suggestions.

good ideas.

I would not recommend a hoop as it will stretch and distort your wool backgound. I have found that I just need to use a good needle and blanket stitch. Wool is probably the easiest and quickest applique you can do by hand. Looking forward to your pics. :mrgreen: