What A Difference Wool Makes

Sometimes I'm stubborn, okay most of the time.  I hadn't worked with felt much since childhood and figured, you know felt is felt.  I do strive to use natural materials, but aren't there always exceptions?  Since having my kids I have been looking at more kid centered crafts, and many of these involve felt.  On the websites and books they usually state to use wool felt.  I did the price comparison and wool felt is quite a bit more expensive.  So, I just kept using the other stuff.  I finally decided a month or so ago that if everyone keeps talking about it, then it must be worth using.  So I ordered some (as I haven't found a local shop that carries it).  Okay, everyone is right!  I am never going back.  It's amazing how much nicer to work with the wool is.  Plus the wool just looks nicer to start with. 
I made my son his birthday crown last year using, you guessed it, the poly felt. (The stars are wool as they were added this year).

I made my daughter's out of the wool felt this year.


Yes, L's has had a year of rough play behind it, so maybe next year I should pull them out to compare again.  But I think these pictures speak for themselves.  I didn't use a pattern, just what I remembered from reading The Creative Family: How to Encourage Imagination and Nurture Family Connections. Which if you haven't checked out this book, you should.  I now know that birthday crowns are a Waldorf tradition, but reading this book was my first introduction to them.
I'd like to say that from now on I'll listen when people call for a better quality material.  Yes, let's leave it there, I'd like to say that I'll listen.