Felting with Caron One Pound

[chumchum]

Hi!

 

Does anyone know if it is possible to felt using Caron's One Pound Yarn?

It's 100% acrylic, but its so soft and feels just like regular wool yarn.

 

I bought a whole bunch of it from the Rah Shop b/c it was on sale...

 

I've done the customary blankets, scarves and hats and want to move on to purses.

 

Is this possible at all?

[donnalynn2]

Acrylic yarn won't felt. It needs to be wool in order for it to work...

[Roli]

Sorry, acrylic won't felt.

[viggie]

A purse doesn't have to be felted though

[chumchum]

True...but I bought the Pursenalities book by Eva Wiechmann and am DYING to try them out.

 

 

I'm thinking I might just try to knit one and see how it looks. Maybe try shrinking it in the dryer or something...

[crochetdiva]

I made a purse from that book with fabulous results!!! but I used Lopi 100% wool. Merino wool felts really well too. It needs to be wool because the fibres shrink significantly and matt together...this doesn't happen with acrylic because it is a man made fibre that doesn't shrink.

 

I can't wait to make the green plaid one in that book.

[donnalynn2]

True...but I bought the Pursenalities book by Eva Wiechmann and am DYING to try them out.

 

 

I'm thinking I might just try to knit one and see how it looks. Maybe try shrinking it in the dryer or something...

 

Have you ever tried shrinking 100% acrylic in the dryer? It doesn't work. I would hate for you to work on something you are hoping to "felt" and then being disappointed with the results.

 

I have several afghans made from family members and several that I've had for years and years. For example, my graduation afghan which I recieved for my High School Graduation in 1989 gets thrown in the washer and dryer around once a year. That would make at least 16 washings and dryings (but there have been more.) And my afghan has never shrunk. It was made with Red Heart Super Saver yarn which is pretty much the same thing as Caron One Pounders (except Caron is better IMO)

 

If you really want to felt and don't have any places nearby that sell it, try knitpicks. They sell some great 100% wool yarn for unbeatable prices!

[origami]

True...but I bought the Pursenalities book by Eva Wiechmann and am DYING to try them out.

 

 

I'm thinking I might just try to knit one and see how it looks. Maybe try shrinking it in the dryer or something...

 

It really needs to be an animal fiber. Some good felting yarns you can get are Paton's Merino or Cascade 220. I have found Paton's Merino at both Michael's and JoAnn's and it felts beautifully. Cascade 220 is carried at just about any local yarn shop (though not Joe's or Mike's, unfortunately).

 

You need to make sure that any wool you use to felt is handwash only and not superwash. 100 percent wool that is superwash (meaning it can be machine washed) will not felt. Lot's of people rave about Knitpick's and they have very reasonable prices.

 

Landscapes is a wool and acrylic blend that will felt and you can find it at JoAnn's. The reason it will felt is because the wool part is on the outside of the strand and the acrylic part is on the inside. It will felt to a very interesting texture.

 

Noro is mostly just available at LYS (local yarn stores) but is a self striping yarn that felts up into interesting patterns.

 

If you use a novelty yarn (ie. Fun Fur) with your wool when you felt, the fun fur will not felt but will "pop out" and provide an interesting contrast to the felted material.

 

Some more felting advice:

 

I find half double crochet to be the ideal felting stitch.

 

Use a ZIPPERED pillow case when you felt so you don't clog up your washing machine. Not a mesh bag but an actual pillowcase. I usually buy them at Walmart.

 

I use eucalan soap when I felt because it comes out of the felted item easily. It seems to make the felting process easier.

 

You can do some extra shaping when you take the item out. When I make a felted bag, I will often stuff it with recyclable plastic grocery bags to help give the knit bag some shape.

 

I have had better luck felting with crochet than with knitting, personally. Might just be me.

 

Other fun ideas: double strand your yarn. You can combine colors this way.

 

When you make your felted bag, be sure to post it so we can see it!

[chumchum]

Thanks guys!

 

You've all been so helpful. I guess I go get my lazy self to the Rag Shop and buy some wool yarn.

 

I wasn't a label reader when I bought all of those one pounders. But I also have 25 Bags to Knit which doesn't require felting.

 

Thanks again everyone - I really appreciate it.