First time felter with a question

[srmc]

Today I will be felting my first bag and I have a couple of questions. I have read many different instructions on how to felt but there are a few things I do not understand.

 

I have read that I should put a little bit of soap in with my bag. I am also reading that I have to keep checking my bag until it looks the way I want it. So what happens if I get my bag to where I want it and the cycle is not completed? How do I ever get the soap out? Do I still have it go thru the cold rinse? I know I should not put it thru the spin cycle, so how to I get all the water out? Do I roll my piece in some towels to squeeze the water out?

 

Also, has anyone ever put their felted bag in the dryer? Is this a no-no? Does it continue the felting process?

 

Unfortunately my washer only has one load size (big) so hopefully all that extra water won’t be a hassle.

 

Thanks in advance.

 

Stefani

<a href="http://www.dreamsofnyssa.blogspot.com" target="_new">My Blog</a>

[RebeccaVelasquez]

because i've only felted once before and i didn't do that great of a job at it.... i'm leaving this one for someone else

[natalie058]

I'm so glad you've asked these questions, as I was wondering the same, I am about to felt a batch of change purses aftr Christmas and I don't really know how...

 

Could someone knowledgable give me step by step felting for dummies insturctions, or help me find some reliable info?

 

I'd really appreciate it!! THanks

[deneen]

Whenever I have felted I have done the following:

 

Put the bag in a pillowcase then tied a knot in it. Ran through two cycles of hot water (complete cycles, including spin). I did add a tad bit of soap to it (just a teensy bit). I also add a bath towel ot two to the washed to halep with the agitation. Then I took it out and let it air dry for a day or so, checking it and turning it inside out so it dried evenly.

 

Hope this helped.

[Guest SamplerLady]

Fulling or felting needs three components: change in temperature, agitation and changing the pH of the wool.

 

So, here's how I full an object. Run the smallest amount of the hottest water in your washer. Add soap and/or vinegar to the water. Put hard plastic toys, tennis balls, tennis shoes, jeans in the washer with the item to be fulled. Turn it on for the longest cycle possible. Check every ten minutes to see if it's where you want it. If necessary run it through the same cycle with the same components a second time. Putting it in the dryer will continue the felting process to some degree.

 

Your best bet is to crochet up a swatch with the same yarn and same stitch, and experiment in the washer if you have exact expectations on how you want the finished product to look.

 

If your item is fulled to your satisfaction at any time during the cycle, remove from water and gently squeeze as much of the water as possible. Fill sink about half full with the same temp water you just removed it from. Squeeze water through item until soap is out. Squeeze as much water out as possible. Roll up in a big towel and step on the towel to squeeze out even more water. Lay flat to dry.

[kaycrochay]

I have used a couple different methods for fulling:

 

1. Bucket and plunger. This works but it's a great big pain in the *** seriously. Takes like 2 hours to do what 20 minutes in a washer does. And that's with super-hot water, vinegar, home-made lye soap, the works.

 

2. Washer/Dryer. Unless your item is in a bag of some sort, like a pillow case, I DO NOT recommend placing towels in the load. Another pain in the *** is getting all the terry cloth pills off the item. I have again used super-hot water, and also lukewarm, and honestly, there was no difference. I have continued using the lukewarm (almost hot, maybe 110 degrees like to activate yeast-a reference for all you bakers) from the tap, and use a very small squirt of dishsoap instead of laundry detergent since it seems to make it a bit "stickier" or doesn't leave any softness in the water. Does that make sense?

I put the item in by itself, on the smallest cycle, and I even let it go through the spin cycle (didn't know not to!) with no ill effects. Then into the dryer it goes. I've had decent results with this method, nothing has fulled too much, but I think it depends on your stitching beforehand too. Like if it's real airy and full holes it would full more than if it was stitched closer, like how it would be done if you weren't fulling it. Does that make sense??

 

3. Lastly, I have used a textured cutting board (read it somewhere, decided to try it) and rubbed the item against it (like one would with a washboard) and it did seem to have some effect, tightening the area I was rubbing/scrubbing a bit more than the rest, but that was another pain in the *** method... Maybe if I had a real washboard?

 

The major recommendations I would make:

Make a test swatch.

Use shampoo, dish detergent, or body soap instead of laundry detergent (to strip the fibers of natural oils better and allow more tangling).

RELAX AND ENJOY!! Even if it turns out unexpected, it's still one of a kind!!

 

:*ctree

[srmc]

<span style="font-family:comic sans ms; color:navy;">Thanks to all for the assistance.

 

It helps knowing I can just put it thru the rinse cycle. <img border=0 src="http://img28.photobucket.com/albums/v84/crochetville/veryhappy.gif" />

 

I am done with my bag and I am off to felt it now. Wish me luck. And it is true. If it does not turn out exactly the way I want I can always make another and keep this one for myself as this is a gift for my mom and she is fine waiting. Of course knowing her she would want it either way.</span>

 

<span style="font-family:comic sans ms; color:navy;">Stefani

<a href="http://www.dreamsofnyssa.blogspot.com" target="_new">My blog</a></span>

[Guest SamplerLady]

Kay, the temp change is the key to the fulling. You can wash in cold rinse in hot. The shocking of the temp change assists in the fulling. There's nothing wrong with letting an item that's to be fulled go through the spin cycle.

 

You want to abuse the wool to cause it to full. So beating, scrubbing, agitating, spinning with water added, whatever will be abusive is good.

 

When washing a wool garment that you don't want to full, then you don't want the spin and rinse cycle. If your spin cycle shoots water into the basin when it's spinning, that can full a garment some (and it will do it unevenly).

 

When washing large wool items or cleaning wool to spin, fill the tub with HOT water and some soap (Dawn or shampoo is my fav). Add item and DO NOT agitate. Just let it soak for a half hour or so. Spin out the water. Remove object. Fill again without soap but can add vinegar to help remove soap residue. Add object. Soak. Spin out the water. Remove object, block and dry flat.

[srmc]

<span style="font-family:comic sans ms; color:navy;">Thanks for all the help with my felting project. I was very confident that I knew what I was doing. My project turned out great. I have to wait until my film is developed before I can post a pic.

 

The one thing I did not like was that not all of my project felted. I used two different yarns. I used Lion Brand Landscapes yarn for the majority of the bag and 100% wool for the handle. The handle felted so well - I just loved it. The Landscapes not so much. Lion Brand states that it will felt but I just was not happy with it. I put it thru 2 full cycles and threw it in the dryer. In the end though I was happy with it and even though I told myself I would not try to felt with the Landscapes again - I just may make another bag. LOL! I do know that I so loved the way the regular wool felted that I will definately be making myself a bag with just the 100% wool. Now if I can just find some pretty colors.</span>

[MarvieN]

Stefani, I recently ordered from an ebay store and they always have wool and wool blends. HEre's the link if you want to check them out.... <a href="http://stores.ebay.com/Frankfort-Ave-Needlework_YARNS-THREADS_W0QQcolZ4QQdirZQ2d1QQsclZallQQsotimedisplayZ2QQtZkm" target="_new">Frankfort Ave </a>

 

My order isn't here yet, but it always takes a while to get my stuff since I'm way over the ocean lol.

[Guest SamplerLady]

Different wools will full differently. Merino fulls very well, and other wools will full some or alot or or or or.....

 

One of the things to remember now is that brand of wool will only full slightly, so you can use it for a project you only want to full somewhat.

 

Although I never do it :evil It's always recommend one does a swatch to see how the fulling will go. If one makes them big (say 12 x 12) they full down into very nice potholders, hot mats, coasters..... (Think Just In Case [JIC] Gifts--things to have on hand "Just in case.")