Don’t Mistake Thick for Sturdy

Why did I add an image of a battered old hat to this blog?

This old Akubra hat, made from rabbit fur felt, has clearly seen many summers. It’s been used to hold water and animal feed, to carry kindling, to fan the flames of a campfire, to shoo flies—and of course, to keep the sun off.

The felt on this hat isn’t thick, but it’s definitely sturdy.

The Wrong Question

I often see posts asking, “How many layers of roving should I use for hats, bags, slippers?” And I think, you’re asking the wrong question.

The sturdiness of your felt isn’t determined by the number of layers—it’s determined by the type of fibre you’re using and how much you’ve fulled (shrunk) it.

Fibre Choice Matters

Your project should determine your fibre.

For example:

• Fine soft merino (18 micron or less) produces a beautiful, smooth finish but won’t be as hard-wearing as a coarser wool like Corriedale.
• If you want a fine felt similar to an Akubra (unless you can actually get rabbit fur), use merino but full it by about 60%.

Fulling—or shrinking—tightens and densifies the fibres, making the felt more rigid, more durable, and more weather-resistant.

Planning for Shrinkage

Start with a resist about 60% larger than your desired finished size.
You’ll need to work the felt hard to achieve that shrinkage—but once it’s there, your felt will be sturdy and built to last.

Sampling for Success

How do you know if your fibre is suitable?
How many layers do you need?
How much should you shrink it?

Simple answer: make a sample.
Then evaluate it for the purpose you have in mind.

• For slippers, you’ll need felt thick and strong enough to resist wear at the toes, yet insulated for warmth — more layers, tighter fulling.
• For a bag, you may want firmness without weight — fewer layers, coarser wool, and plenty of fulling.

The Bottom Line

Increasing the thickness doesn’t make your felt more robust.
Only shrinkage does that.

Just like that old Akubra hat — worn, softened, but steadfast — it’s not the thickness that gives it strength, it’s the density born of fulling and time.

This market bag has seen many years of use, and is still going strong. Made from Corriedale wool and fulled 50% it isn’t thick but has certainly  stood the test of time.