Bonded fabrics have no warp or weft, no grain, no right or wrong side, and no beginning or end. There is no right or wrong way to cut out patterns on bonded fabrics. This makes them extremely versatile and cost effective to use. As with woven fabrics, the tighter the fabrics are pressed together, the stiffer the material. Tradition and folklore say that bonded fabrics were invented when pilgrims packed their new sandals with sheep's wool to prevent blisters. The fibers of the wool became bonded together to make a fabric. In the Middle East there is a similar story about a traveler who filled his shoe with camel hair. If you put your woolen jumper into the washing machine on a hot wash it will shrink to a stiff board. You will have made a bonded fabric called felt. Pressing fibers together and applying moisture, heat and friction produces felt. Felt has been used for over 1000 years to make clothing and tent-like dwellings. Felt was used in Turkey in about 6500 BC. This makes it the oldest method of making textile products. Today it is used to make hats, slippers, blankets, toys and jackets. It is pliable and versatile. Felt can be used in appliqué and embroidery. Bonded fabrics can be shaped during manufacture. Felt hats are shaped as they are made. You can make your own bonded fabrics by pressing together fibers and bonding them with glue. Traditionally, natural fibers were used to make bonded fabrics. Today, they are also made of regenerated and synthetic fibers. Bonded fabrics are cheaper to manufacture than woven or knitted fabrics. Modem bonded fabrics like Tyvek (made by DuPont) are durable, washable and chemical resistant. They do not fray and can be cut using lasers. Other non-woven fabrics include J-cloths, tea bags and Vilene, used for interfacing garments, and mending.