First time felting.

[CLLinda]

I've finally gotten brave and made a little knitted make up bag and flower and I'm getting ready to felt it.

 

Any tips would be handy.

 

[stitchgirl]

I don't know what kind of wool you used (different brands felt differently), but my advice on first time felting is to just keep checking it until it's felted to suit you. It's fun - I love to felt. If you're doing it in the washer make sure you put it in with something that will give it alot of agitation and the hottest water you can get. Then just keep checking. Good luck - you'll have fun!

[Krakovianka]

Here are my tips:

 

1. Make sure your water is HOT. If your hot water tank isn't really hot, add boiling water to the load. The water should be hot enough that it is uncomfortable for you to touch more than a moment.

 

2. You need friction as well as heat. Add old towels or something to the load.

 

3. If your item felts unevenly, you can spot-felt parts by hand.

 

4. During the felting process, you can remove the item from the hot water, and plunge it into cold water. You don't have to do this...but I do it this way when I'm hand felting (because the water is so uncomfortably hot to touch), and I can feel the fabric growing firmer under my hands when I do it. Return the item to the hot water, and the process can be repeated.

 

5. While your item is wet, the wool will stretch into any shape you want. When it is dry, it will no longer be stretchy, and it will hold its shape very, very well.

 

Good luck and have fun--I love felting.