Wet Felting Wool Shrinkage Calculator
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Daniela Kretchmer
- Updated: Oct 27, 2023
- Felting, Popular Posts, Wet Felting, Wool
Use this wool shrinkage calculator when wet felting to easily determine how big your wool layout or resist should be. It also includes a free printable cheat sheet with common sizes and wool shrinkage percentages.
If you’re new to wet felting, I recommend reading my ultimate guide to wet felting post. But you can also look at my various wet felting projects.
Table of Contents
Printable Wet Felting Shrinkage Cheat Sheet
I created this handy cheat sheet as a quick reference guide to find the measurements you need when wet felting. It includes common lengths and sizes for the final projects and shrinkage rates from 20-50%. This way you can keep it with your wet felting supplies and always have it as a reference.
You can also download it from the shop.
Download the Wet Felting Shrinkage Cheat Sheet
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Wet Felting Wool Shrinkage Calculator
Calculate how big your wool layout or resist should be based on the size you would like it to be after felting. Input one size at a time (e.g. length or width)
What is the Wool Shrinkage Rate?
Wool shrinks at different rates, typically between 20-50%. In order to get an accurate shrinkage rate, it’s a good idea to make a sample with the wool you intend to use for your final felting project. You can then use the sample to calculate your precise rate.
Note: The calculator uses 30% as a default because I have found that to be a reasonable average for most wool. Therefore in a pinch, feel free to use 30% in your calculation. However if the measurements are important and you don’t want to waste your wool, definitely wet felt a sample.
How to Use a Felt Sample to Calculate the Shrinkage Rate
To make a felt sample, start with a 10 inch by 10 inch square of wool fiber and wet felt it completely. Measure the sides of the finished felted fabric. Subtract that number from 10 and multiply by 10 to get your shrinkage percentage. For example, if the sides are now 7 inches, subtract 7 from 10 to get 3. Multiply 3 by 10 to get 30. This means your wool has shrunk by 30%. Then use this number in the shrinkage calculator to calculate the sizes for your actual finished felting project.
Wet Felting Projects
Daniela Kretchmer
Daniela is a lifelong crafter who loves to share her passion for crafting. Through classes or learning on her own, she likes to say she'll do pretty much any craft aside from scrapbooking. Her current personal obsessions include garden crafts, felting, and spinning yarn.
4 thoughts on “Wet Felting Wool Shrinkage Calculator”
Thank you for this wonderful tool!! I am just starting out down the wet felting road, so I KNOW it will be VERY helpful! 🙂
You’re very welcome! It definitely comes in handy. I’d love to see what you start to felt! Fair warning though, it’s incredibly addicting! haha
Thanks so much for the tool! Also your you tube tutorials are excellent!
Thanks so much! So glad you like the videos and the tool!