Can Felt Be Ironed? Working with Felt from Ironing to Care

Yes, you can iron felt. Sometimes felt can get a little wrinkled when stored for a long time, or even arrive with some wrinkles from the supply company. The temperature at which you should set your iron depends on the fiber content of the felt. Read your iron’s instruction manual for the suggested setting.

I always start at a lower temperature and then increase it if my fabric still isn’t flat. Iron steaming with water isn’t usually needed for felt fabrics. If you’re really unsure about how the fabric will respond do a small tester beforehand.  

“Felt” can be both a noun and a verb.

The noun describes a fabric or cloth that is made using pressure, matting, or heat to compress the fibers together. It can consist of man-made fibers (like polyester), natural fibers (like sheep’s wool), or even a combination. Felt fabric usually comes in relatively thin sheets or rolls, and is available in a wide variety of colors, patterns, and even textures.

“Felting” includes the technique of needle felting that produces three dimensional items (as a finished product).

There are many methods for manufacturing felt fabric, some of which you can even do yourself (like wet felting in a washing machine). It’s such a versatile material, so experiment with different techniques like sewing, gluing, folding, etc.!  

What are the best scissors for cutting felt? Another reason I love working with felt: it cuts very easily with a good pair of fabric scissors.

Cut your felt out on a clean, flat table surface and store it in a bag or box to keep it dust- and debris-free. 

Felt can pill (get fuzzies) a bit and also show marks from stickers.  Gently remove any unsightly fibers by placing your pair of scissors parallel to the fabric and trimming.

You can clean felt that has stray fibers on it with a piece of clear packing tape or a lint roller. That’s my favorite way to get fuzzies and lint off quickly and inexpensively.

I also don’t recommend getting felt very wet, as it can warp the fabric a bit. If you take good care of your felt items they will last for years!

Much like ironing, be extra careful when washing felt. It’s a durable material, but can possibly shrink or warp if you machine wash and dry it (especially at very high temperatures). For example, if you’re making a wrist pouch out of felt, wash a sample one to see if it shrinks.

You won’t have to wash felt crafts or accessories very often, but if it’s an item that has gotten a little dirty it’s usually best to hand wash and lay it flat to dry.

These suggestions can help you make the most of your next felt project, so enjoy your crafting!