Instructions for Nuno Ruffled Scarf by Nancy Ballesteros
These simple instructions will lead you step by step through nuno felting an elegant Ruffled Scarf using Paj silk fabric, Superfine Merino wool and a bit of Silk Throwsters Waste. You have the option of felting a single Ruffled Scarf (Option A) or putting two slightly different shaped scarves together to create the effect shown in the photo on the right (Option B). Option A – Instructions for making one Ruffled Scarf which has a finished length of ~1.2 metres (~1.3 yards). Option B – Instructions for making two Ruffled Scarves. The first scarf is made from Option A. The second scarf will be slightly longer (~1.5 metres) (~1.6 yards) and folded in a different manner. The two scarves are laid out and felted at the same time. When finished they are sewn together at the centre back neck. Both scarves have a 1.5% shrinkage rate, or around 30%.
- Silk Fabric: 1.8 metre long x ~38 cm wide. If using 114 cm wide fabric this equates to tearing the width into 1/3’s. We recommend using a fine Paj silk fabric (~5 momme) or Tissue silk fabric (~4.5 momme).
- Wool tops: ~5 – 10 gms Superfine Merino Wool Tops. Treetop’s wools 1 metre = 25 gms.
- Silk Throwsters Waste: ~ 5 gms. Other decorative silk fibres or threads can be used.
- Painter’s Plastic or Bubble Wrap: Choose between using thin painter’s plastic, bubble wrap or if you prefer you can use both at the same time. Measurements ~ 75 cm wide x 2.75 metres long.
- Netting (tulle): ~ 75 cm wide x 2.75 metres long.
- PVC Pipe or Pool Noodle: ~ 75 cm wide.
- Olive Oil Soap: Grated and dissolved with hot water. Put this in an old milk bottle and poke tiny holes in the lid with a hot needle to make a watering can.
- Non slip matting or old towel: Do your rolling on top of this so it doesn’t slip around on the table.
- Glass Wash Board OR firm pool bubble wrap: To use in the last stages of fulling. If possible also purchase a large baking tray and fit the pool bubble wrap inside the tray so the water doesn’t continually escape (650L x 450W x 25H mm – sourced from catering supply companies).
- Bucket and old towels.
Option B – Two Ruffled Scarves One scarf differs from the other in length and the way in which they are folded. The finished scarves are hand-stitched together at the back of neck. Each scarf can be made from the same or differing fabrics types or colours.
- Silk Fabric: Cut one piece of silk fabric 2.25 metre long x ~38 cm wide and a second one 1.8 metre long x ~38 cm wide (same as Option A). If using 114 cm wide fabric this equates to tearing the width into 1/3’s. We recommend using a fine Paj silk fabric (~5 momme) or tissue silk fabric (~4.5 momme).
- Wool tops: ~15 – 20 gms Superfine Merino Wool Tops. Treetop’s wool 1 metre = 25 gms.
- Silk Throwsters Waste: ~ 5 gms. Other decorative silk fibres or threads can be used.
- Painter’s Plastic or Bubble Wrap: Choose between using thin painter’s plastic, bubble wrap or if you prefer you can use both at the same time. Measurements ~ 75 cm wide x 2.75 metres long.
- Netting (tulle): ~ 75 cm wide x 2.75 metres long
- PVC Pipe or Pool Noodle: ~ 75 cm wide.
- Olive Oil Soap: Grated and dissolved with hot water. Put this in an old milk bottle and poke tiny holes in the lid with a hot needle to make a watering can.
- Non slip matting or old towel: Do your rolling on top of this so it doesn’t slip around on the table.
- Glass Wash Board OR firm pool bubble wrap: To use in the last stages of fulling. If possible also purchase a large baking tray and fit the pool bubble wrap inside the tray so the water doesn’t continually escape (650 x 450 x 25 mm – sourced from catering supply companies).
- Bucket and old towels
- Silk Fabric: 70 inch long x ~15 inch wide. If using 45 inch wide fabric this equates to tearing the width into 1/3’s. We recommend using a fine Paj silk fabric (~5 momme) or Tissue silk fabric (~4.5 momme).
- Wool tops: ~.18 – .35 ounce of Superfine Merino Wool Tops.
- Silk Throwsters Waste: ~ .18 ounce. Other decorative silk fibres or threads can be used.
- Painter’s Plastic or Bubble Wrap: Choose between using thin painter’s plastic, bubble wrap or if you prefer you can use both at the same time. Measurements ~ 30 inch wide x 108 inch long.
- Netting (tulle): ~ 30 inch wide x 108 inch long.
- PVC Pipe or Pool Noodle: ~ 30 inch wide.
- Olive Oil Soap: Grated and dissolved with hot water. Put this in an old milk bottle and poke tiny holes in the lid with a hot needle to make a watering can.
- Non slip matting or old towel: Do your rolling on top of this so it doesn’t slip around on the table.
- Glass Wash Board OR firm pool bubble wrap: To use in the last stages of fulling. If possible also purchase a large baking tray and fit the pool bubble wrap inside the tray so the water doesn’t continually escape (26Lx 18W x 1H inch) – sourced from catering supply companies).
- Bucket and old towels.
Option B – Two Ruffled Scarves One scarf differs from the other in length and the way in which they are folded. The finished scarves are hand-stitched together at the back of neck. Each scarf can be made from the same or differing fabrics types or colours.
- Silk Fabric: Cut one piece of silk fabric 88 inch long x ~15 inch wide and a second one 70 inch long x ~15 inch wide (same as Option A). If using 45 inch wide fabric this equates to tearing the width into 1/3’s. We recommend using a fine Paj silk fabric (~5 momme) or tissue silk fabric (~4.5 momme).
- Wool tops: ~0.5 – 0.7 ounce Superfine Merino Wool Tops.
- Silk Throwsters Waste: ~ 0.18 ounce. Other decorative silk fibres or threads can be used.
- Painter’s Plastic or Bubble Wrap: Choose between using thin painter’s plastic, bubble wrap or if you prefer you can use both at the same time. Measurements ~ 30 inch wide x 108 inch long.
- Netting (tulle): ~ 30 inch wide x 108 inch long.
- PVC Pipe or Pool Noodle: ~ 30 inch wide.
- Olive Oil Soap: Grated and dissolved with hot water. Put this in an old milk bottle and poke tiny holes in the lid with a hot needle to make a watering can.
- Non slip matting or old towel: Do your rolling on top of this so it doesn’t slip around on the table.
- Glass Wash Board OR firm pool bubble wrap: To use in the last stages of fulling. If possible also purchase a large baking tray and fit the pool bubble wrap inside the tray so the water doesn’t continually escape (26Lx 18W x 1H inch) – sourced from catering supply companies).
- Bucket and old towels.
Figure 1
Lay this folded scarf on top of your bubble wrap or alternatively you can lay it on top of a thin piece of painter’s plastic. You will now be using the wool to fill in the middle space. Make sure to cover the edges of the folded fabric. Don’t be too heavy handed with the wool, ~ 5 – 10 gms (~.18 – .35 oz) should cover the entire length of the scarf. Lay the wool longwise along the length of the scarf with maybe a few pieces of wool going crosswise now and again (this is an optional design feature). You are looking to have the scarf shrink mostly lengthwise, so this is the direction in which you lay the majority of the wool fibres (see Figure 2). Remember that the wool now needs to travel through two layers of silk fabric to felt, so don’t lay it too light either.
Figure 2
Finally decorate the top of the wool with long strands of Silk Throwsters Waste (or other types of silk fibres) (see Figure 3).
Figure 3
Those using Option A and felting only one scarf should now skip down to “Wetting out the Fibres” section and continue with the instructions.

Next, where the two folded-in edges meet, lay ~ 1 cm (~0.4 inch) width of wool down the entire length of the scarf. (see Figure 5). Remember that the wool now needs to travel through four layers of silk fabric to felt, so don’t lay it too light. Figure 5
Now fold the smaller folded-in section of the scarf on top of the larger section so that the wool you just laid down is sandwiched inside a new fold (see Figure 6). No wool should now be showing. Make sure the wool is tucked neatly into the new fold so as to leave some fabric free to form a ruffled edge.
Figure 6
The two scarves will now be wet-out and rolled at the same time.
Figure 7
Once wet, remove the netting and roll up your work in the plastic or the bubble wrap. My favorite is to use both. First lay down the bubble wrap then the wetted out scarf which is then covered with the painter’s plastic. I feel this just helps to keep in the moisture. You may like to use the no-roll method described on this website(Click here) or you may now roll up your work around a pvc pipe or pool noodle. Once rolled up I usually place this roll in a towel and use a non-slip mat on the table top. You are now ready to commence the hardening (rolling) phase.
. Figure 8
As you continue tossing your work, notice it beginning to shrink. You should continue the tossing process until the scarf has shrunk at least 30%. The more you toss, the more it will shrink and the better it’s texture.
Figure 9
The following items can also be used for fulling but aren’t quite as effective as a glass washboard: the ridges on the top of plastic storage boxes, a plastic paint roller tray, hard pool bubble wrap, or failing that the ridges on the drain board of your sink.
Figure 10
Figure 11
Figure 12
When dry for Option B, hand sew the two scarves together at the back neck (see Figure 13).
Figure 13