Can I felt this???

[Lollie2639]

Was wondering if I made this using regualr 4 ply acrylic yarn (like walmart brand or red heart) can I felt it?

 

Would I have to make it using a size or two bigger hook???? I tend to crochet tight.

 

CrochetRN

[AidanM]

http://www.crochetville.org/forum/showthread.php?t=9322

 

This thread will tell you how to felt acrylic yarn. Be prepared to laugh, a lot.

[deneen]

You can only felt 100% wool. It cannot be blend, it cannot be superwash wool.

[Aggie May]

What you might be able to do is brush your acrylic.

A light wire brush would do it. I would suggest that you start off with a fairly tight stitch so go down a hook size and up a size of pattern. It will brush easier if it is stiff.

Make a small sample first and giveit a brush.

Otherwise use just pure wool but make sure it is NOT machine washable.

Have fun.

Colleen:cheer

[origami]

Was wondering if I made this using regualr 4 ply acrylic yarn (like walmart brand or red heart) can I felt it?

 

Would I have to make it using a size or two bigger hook???? I tend to crochet tight.

 

CrochetRN

 

I have seen felting wool at JoAnn's so you do not necessarily have to go to a more expensive LYS to find wool that will felt.

 

From what I understand, Cascade 220 is excellent felting wool. I do not think either JoAnn's or Michael's carry it but I have heard that Michael's may be stocking it in the future. It comes in a variety of nice colors. Noro Kureyon is another felting wool that comes in lovely variegated colors.

 

Do not use white wool for felting because the bleaching process messes up the felting capability of the wool.

 

It is best to use a larger size needle or hook if you're going to be felting. Felting happens when the fibers agitate in the wash so you need to make the stitches larger for this to happen.

 

Other natural fibers are supposed to be able to felt too. But synthetics wil not.

[marlodc]

The only blend that I know of that can be felted it Lion Brand Landscapes. It felts beautifully. I really love this wool. A less expensive yarn is Lion Brand Fisherman Wool. You can dye this with kool-aid. I have pictures and patterns on this page.

 

http://www.marloscrochetcorner.com/patterns%20for%20sale.html

 

 

 

marlo

marlo's crochet corner

http://www.marloscrochetcorner.com

that girl blog

http://www.marloscrochetcorner.com/blog/index.php?cat=1

[xantha]

high percentage wool blend yarns will full (say, 80 wool/20 acrylic), but they full unevenly because the wool fulls but the acrylic does not. Sometimes this results in a puckered item. It's best to swatch it if you want to try it... 100% wool is best. Acrylic, well, melts.

 

Yarns I like to full:

 

* lb fisherman's wool (you can dye it and then full it, what fun!)

* noro kureyon (gorgeous color variations)

* lamb's pride bulky and worsted (fulls really well!)

* reynolds lopi and lite lopi (smiley's yarn has this on sale often)

* cascade 220 (your mid-grade LYS probably carries this)

[PJ]

I like Paton's Wool, KnitPicks too.

 

 

Although, I may have to search for a substitute. I saw this on pbnj's blog... http://www.savethesheep.com/

 

I'm not sure where Paton's wool comes from, but I'm going to look into it. The site says that since it's hard to tell the exact origin of most wool (it routes through China), the best thing to do is avoid it altogether. I'm going to see if I can find some "sheep friendly" wool, though.

 

OK, off my soapbox now.

[dudleyspinner]

[i'm going to see if I can find some "sheep friendly" wool, though.

 

OK, off my soapbox now.

I get my wool from a USA producer. So none of it is Australian wool.

Deb

[PJ]

Which one? I'm looking at Brown Sheep and Peace Fleece right now and so far they look okay. Mainly it's Australian wool that's has the issues.

[noricum]

Patons is a Canadian company, so I think they would be okay.

[dudleyspinner]

PJ, Brown Sheep and Peace fleece,those would not likely have any Austrailian wool. But you would have to ask. They may import merino to blend with us fiber.

Merino is not grown very much in the USA. Partly because of the problems that Aussie producers have, they have very wrinkly skin, and heavy fleeces, and crutching problems. I raised sheep for about 15 years, and never saw any at the sale barn. There were crosses, corriedale, polwarth, rambouillet, are a merino cross, and have soft nice wool, good for felting.

 

 

My supplier is kind of a trade secret, I know that sounds silly, and possibly rude. Sorry if it seems that way. But I buy roving, dye and sell it. I've had some bad experiences with giving out too much information, and it bit me.

Deb

[PJ]

Dudley, I think that's kind of what PETA was saying, that it's often hard to tell the original source of the wool due to importing/exporting, but that merino is where the main issues are (that wrinkly skin area is, I think, where they do the "mulesing"). I think I will try to Brown Sheep and Peace Fleece (I like their history, anyway). I'll email KnitPicks as well to see where they get their wool, and I'll post any feedback I get.

 

And don't worry about not letting me in on your secret source. I work in a business where confidentiality is everything, so I completely understand.

[AidanM]

Australian? Are you sure it isn't New Zealand? I've heard that most of the world's wool comes from NZ. :S

[dudleyspinner]

Pj, and anyone who wants some. I have wool from two ewes, Thelma and Louise. They are treated like queens, they are my BIL pets. Anyone who want some raw wool, just let me know, I will give it to you, just reimburse me for the shipping. It is grey, wool, fairly long staple, about 3-4 inches, because they don't get bred, (it really is virgin wool) the fleece grows long.

It is not yarn, just wool shorn a few weeks ago. I also have directions on how to crochet with unspun roving, so you could create with this, just by putting locks end to end and using it like yarn.

Just thought I would offer.

Deb

dudleyspinner@yahoo.com

[ullenastar13]

oh i've used noro kureyon and some wool from elann.com i've not used any wool from knitpicks.com but i'm sure it would do nicely!

Deb, i'd be interested in that fleece you're talking about! i've emailed you

[PJ]

Just a follow-up...maybe I should've started a new thread, but anyhoo...

 

I emailed KnitPicks regarding the source of their wool yarns, and their wool comes from Peru. Here is the response I got....

 

 

As for the Merino wool, it is from Peru. Bob and Kelley Petkun, owners of Knit Picks, have spent a lot of time down in Peru where the yarn is made. They have been to the mills, visited with the workers and spent time in the fields where the herds of sheep are. They feel that everyone, including the animals, are treated fairly and ethically. The Petkuns are socially conscience and would not continue business if there was poor treatment of animals from the sheepherders. We do appreciate your concern though, and if you know anyone who is also concerned about this subject in relation to our company, please feel free to pass this information along.

 

It's pretty much what I expected to hear back, but it's nice to have my mind put at ease. Also, it looks like PETA and Australian wool farmers have come to an agreement...the wool farmers have a plan in place to phase out mulesing. http://www.savethesheep.com/f-moratorium.asp