Why The Felt Isn't This Working????

[DaycareMama]

So im trying to make a big felt christmas tree and snowman for the kids to be able to decorate and change on their own but I can't get felt that wants to stick to each other

Looks like this.....

http://www.johnnyinadress.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/12/248-1.jpg

Seems like such a silly question but seriously what am I doing wrong? I even tried the hard hook loop velcro things and they wont even stick.

whats the secret?

[Lyss]

Just so I'm understanding right: its the felt that's not staying together right? Like the ornaments aren't sticking to the tree?

I've noticed that sometimes the smaller pieces don't stick as well, I've read that the more wool in the felt easier it is to get them to stick together but I usually just pick up whatever's at my local walmart and for $.20 each I assume there's not that much wool in it. Maybe for what you're doing you need felt with a higher wool content?

I can never get the cute printouts I see all over the web (that they say to just laminate and adhere to felt) to stick.

[LK5kids]

I do lots and lots of flannel board stories and activities and my board is covered in flannel not felt. The story pieces are made of felt or pictures I've colored and then laminated that I stick sticky back felt to (I've always gotten my sticky back felt at Wal-Mart). My pieces stay really well on the flannel. Is your tree made of felt also? Maybe that's the problem. The other thing is possibly it's on a wall like the picture and it's too upright. My flannel board is always tipped back a bit.

Also, I'd bet the felt at Wal-Mart doesn't have any wool but if you are using flannel and placing felt shapes on the flannel it works great. I know Wal-Mart used to carry flannel in bulk in their sewing dept. but I know lots of Wal-Mart's got rid of that dept. They had flannel with designs that were pastel colored but I know they also had dark colors like black because I had made a flannel board covered in black flannel. I think they probably had dark green too.

I just tried some felt pieces on my flannel board and kept it very upright and they did stay in place. The tree in the picture could be flannel but flannel is thinner than felt and you would have to cut it with a pinking shears or it would unravel. Oh, gosh I got it! The tree is felt and the pieces are flannel. That would work for sure!

Okay, going back and looking at that tree.....the pieces do look like felt. The presents could be glued on but they are felt for sure. I can tell. One of the shapes do look like they have a backing like velcro....I'm not sure what to say now:confused::confused::confused:

[LK5kids]

Okay, I was just looking at the Christmas Crash thread by Country Gal. She's asking for ideas on activities for Christmas. Heyhun77 gave a long, detailed list of all the activities planned at her center and she lists a felt Christmas tree with foam pieces backed with velcro to decorate that's on a wall I believe. Maybe you can message her and she can give you details!!!

[Meyou]

Honestly....that's really weird. I can only think that you have some odd kind of man made fiber felt that doesn't "stick".

I use normal felt from the fabric store for my pieces and my boards and everything stick fine. My boards lean against that wall at a slight angle but I've also had them mounted flat with no trouble. If I put velcro on a piece it would stick so well it would probably ruin that section of the board. I glue regular felt to the back of my laminated pieces.

[Scout]

This is exactly what I am trying to do right now! My problem is that the scissors don't seem to want to cut the felt!:confused: Is there special scissors I should be using? My dh says yes. I had the kids trace cookie cutters for the ornaments yesterday & am excited to get them all cut out for them to stick on the tree. I hope mine will stick, I never thought they wouldn't!

[SunshineMama]

You need really sharp scissors for the felt. I just made a tree. If you have glitter or anything on the felt, it will weigh it down and not stick as well. Other than that, maybe you just got a strange batch of felt??

[Crystal]

Glue the pieces to sandpaper. The sandpaper will stick well to the tree and won't cause the felt to pill.

[Lilbutterflie]

For those that have done this... what is the best way to stick the actual Christmas tree to the wall??

[Thetotspot]

Pp...i have been trying to mull this over in my brain for months knowing i wanted to do this as well. Some people said they used command strips but no way will those stick flannel or felt on anything for long. My plan is to use spray adhesive to stick the tree to same shape of cardboard. Then command strip the heck out of the cardboard. That should work

[heyhun77]

Okay, I was just looking at the Christmas Crash thread by Country Gal. She's asking for ideas on activities for Christmas. Heyhun77 gave a long, detailed list of all the activities planned at her center and she lists a felt Christmas tree with foam pieces backed with velcro to decorate that's on a wall I believe. Maybe you can message her and she can give you details!!!

Mine is felt for the tree, definately not flannel, and then I used craft foam for the pieces with velcro on the backs. We've used this tree now for about 5 years.

[heyhun77]

For those that have done this... what is the best way to stick the actual Christmas tree to the wall??

I've done it a few different ways depending on where I was teaching. In my home I have plaster walls so I used the command velcro strips and stapled the felt tree to the one set before pushing them into the strips on the wall. I also had a panneling piece on one wall for our art line and my last year in my house I put it on there with the same stuff. It stuck way better than on the plaster.

Last year we had sheetrock walls with wallpaper and I just stapled it to the wall. This year's classroom has block walls and I haven't quite figured out how to put it up but I'm thinking it'll be on the back of one of the laminate shelves with command strips again.

When I'm back in my house next year I will be using command strips and just putting it on the door in our living room so it doesn't pull off the plaster.

[DaycareMama]

Just so I'm understanding right: its the felt that's not staying together right? Like the ornaments aren't sticking to the tree?

I've noticed that sometimes the smaller pieces don't stick as well, I've read that the more wool in the felt easier it is to get them to stick together but I usually just pick up whatever's at my local walmart and for $.20 each I assume there's not that much wool in it. Maybe for what you're doing you need felt with a higher wool content?

I can never get the cute printouts I see all over the web (that they say to just laminate and adhere to felt) to stick.

Right. Nothing sticks to nothing. Its like it will stick for a tiny second than the smallest littlest breeze will come and its on the floor.

[DaycareMama]

sorry to double post but i can't figure out how to do a multiple quote message :confused:

So the felt I have I got from walmart. Maybe thats the problem... the wool count? I have tried to stick everything to this crud with no luck.

I think i will break down and buy some more and see what happens. Heck I will just play with it all in the store and save some money

Funny thing is that I have a felt board our CCRR gave us thru a grant eons ago and nothing sticks to that. So there it sits collecting dust. A nice big, self standing one too. Such a shame.

THEN.. I also have this.....http://www.discountschoolsupply.com/...&Brand=&Price= and i will be darned but nothing sticks to that either!!!!!!

Seriously driving me crazy!

[Crystal]

sorry to double post but i can't figure out how to do a multiple quote message :confused:

So the felt I have I got from walmart. Maybe thats the problem... the wool count? I have tried to stick everything to this crud with no luck.

I think i will break down and buy some more and see what happens. Heck I will just play with it all in the store and save some money

Funny thing is that I have a felt board our CCRR gave us thru a grant eons ago and nothing sticks to that. So there it sits collecting dust. A nice big, self standing one too. Such a shame.

THEN.. I also have this.....http://www.discountschoolsupply.com/...&Brand=&Price= and i will be darned but nothing sticks to that either!!!!!!

Seriously driving me crazy!

You should try gluing your pieces to sandpaper and then cutting them out so the whole back of the story pieces are covered in sandpaper. It works like a charm and it is inexpensive. Just make sure you get a grainy sandpaper, not the smooth finishing sandpaper.