On Christmas Eve 2010, my friend Jan introduced me to the ancient art of felting. That afternoon craft project turned into full-blow obsession, resulting in Woolly Bullies, our new line of felted goat milk soaps. We began offering Woolly Bullies at art and craft shows last fall. The response from our customers has been overwhelming. After many requests, we are pleased to announce their availability in our online store.

What is a Woolly Bully?

sock monkey and gecko felted soaps A Woolly Bully is a select bar of our handmade goat milk soap that has been felted with 100% sheep and alpaca wool sourced from American farmers. Felting – or more technically “wet” felting – is the process of creating a felt cocoon around soap using wool roving and warm water. Wrapping the soap in roving and rubbing it against something rough like a washboard creates the felt as it fuses to the soap. The result is an all-in-one soap and loofah-like wash cloth.

Woolly Bullies are functional and decorative. Using tools of the felting trade, we embellish each bar with a unique design representing natural and seasonal themes and patterns. These designs are created free-hand, making each design unique and personal. We offer custom designs upon request, and are constantly adding new designs to our gallery.

Felted goat milk soap has many benefits and uses in the bath and around the house:

In the Bath …

Woolly Bullies are designed for use as an exfoliating scrub in the bath or as a hand soap in the kitchen. Woolly Bullies are especially good on problem areas, like elbows, knees and feet where you often need a more powerful exfoliator. For a complete skin rejuvenation routine, follow up a good scrub of felted soap with a massage using a lotion bar.

In the Garden and Around the House ...

Woolly Bullies are perfect for use as gardener's or mechanic's soap. Most gardeners’ soaps contain harsh detergents and exfoliators that can leave your skin feeling raw and dry. Felted soaps gently lift and wash away the most stubborn dirt and grime, while the rich, natural goat milk lather helps keep your skin moisturized.

Woolly Bullies are also excellent cleaners. You can use them to clean pots, pans, counter tops (including granite and composite), sinks and showers. Wool is gentle and will not scratch surfaces. Because wool is antimicrobial, Woolly Bullies will not get mold or sour smelling between uses like sponges and dish cloths.

How to Use a Woolly Bully

pattern designed felted soapA Woolly Bully is used like a regular bar of soap. Run the bar under warm water until it is saturated. Rub the bar in your hands until it creates a lather. You may have to rub the bar several times to get an initial lather. Once you get a lather going, rub the bar directly on your skin (if using in the bath) or on the household item you are cleaning (if using as cleanser).

To get the most out of a Woolly Bully, keep it out of standing water between uses. The bar should be stored on an elevated soap deck or in a soap dish that allows water to drain away from soap. If the bar cannot drain water, soap inside the wool will get mushy and the bar will not last as long as a bar that is allowed to drain properly. When stored properly, a Woolly Bully can last several months or longer even when used routinely.

As you use a Woolly Bully, the felt around the soap shrinks. When the soap is gone, you can use the remaining, decorative wool pad as a scrubber or wash cloth.

How to Order Your Woolly Bully

To order a Woolly Bully, follow these three easy steps:

1. Select a soap scent

2. Select a design from the gallery

3. Select a wool color

koala bear felted soapWoolly Bullies are made to order. We will match the colors in the design with the felt color around the soap. If you would like specific colors used in the design, simply send us a comment along with your order when you check out.

Woolly Bullies are the perfect gift when you are looking for something out of the ordinary. From holidays to wedding showers, Woolly Bullies can be created and customized for any occasion. Woolly Bullies are also available for wholesale and fundraisers.

We take requests! If you don’t see the design you want in our gallery, contact us, and we will do our best to make the design your want. We are constantly adding new designs to our gallery, many of which were requested by customers.

Typical turn-around time for Woolly Bully orders is 3-4 days, excluding shipping time and depending on volume.

Come See Our Spring Woolly Bullies!

We will have a booth at Maryland Spring Home & Garden Show, March 3-4 & 9-11 at the State Fairgrounds in Timonium, Maryland. We will be featuring our collection of spring Woolly Bully designs as well as new soap scents and spring and summer products.

Woolly Bullies on Facebook

Visit out Facebook page to see more pictures of Woolly Bullies that we offered at past art and craft shows, including our 2011 fall and holiday designs.