About to felt for the 1st time...nervous

[dsabol]

Ok...I made my little bag out of Patons SWS, and now I want to felt it. I REALLY don't want to mess it up. hehe

 

Here are my questions, I think I know what to do, but if you could just let me know if I have these right....

 

1. It seems like what I need to do is put it inside an old pillowcase and tie it shut?

2. Then put some old jeans in with it?

3. And wash it on my hottest setting?

4. With 1/4 baking soda?

5. Checking every how many minutes?

 

Is that it? I made it larger than I really planned, just a little bit, so I'm willing to go with a really tight felting...if that makes sense.

 

I don't want to try this until someone gives me the nod, that I have it right...

 

(they need a picture of a guy biting his nails)

[dogymom]

It'll be fine!!!! I put mine in a zippered pillowcase, throw in a hot wash with a little dishwashing dertergent (dawn), a pair or two of jeans and a few tennis balls. Use fast agitation. I usually check every 5 minutes or so.

I like tight felting, too. Want those stitches to disappear.

When it's the size you want, rinse by hand in cold water, squeeze, and shape over a box, or over something in the shape you want.

Hope this helps! Have fun...It's addictive!

[sherryzzz]

I either use a zippered pillow case, or pin a regular pillow case shut with extra large safety pins (diaper pin size). On my washer, I set it on the hot water setting, heavy duty agitation, add the baking soda, and throw in some old jeans and let it agitate. I usually just re-set and re-agitate at least once more, maybe twice more. You should check yours, though, until you know how the combination of your water temp and washer agitation affects the felting process. Agitate until it's felted to the extent you want. I let my bags go through a cold water rinse cycle in the washer. When the rinse water drains and just as the washer starts to spin, I stop it, take the bag out and tug and pull on it to get it into shape, then put it back in the washer, flattening it against the side of the washer tub, and allow it to spin out. I've never had any problems with creases - but you'll want to check on yours after letting it spin for a few minutes at a time, checking to see how much water has spun out and making sure there are no creases.

 

Then I take the bag out, again tug and pull it into shape, and form it over something that is the same size (usually a ceral box stuffed with, and covered with, plastic bags) and let dry for a couple of days.

 

It's kinda going to be a trial and error process until you get the hang of how everything works - the kind of yarn, the water temp, the washer agitation, etc.

 

Good luck on your project!!!

[JCB]

Ok...I made my little bag out of Patons SWS, and now I want to felt it. I REALLY don't want to mess it up. hehe

 

I've felted a bag with the Paton's SWS. It felts up really fast and shrinks a lot... like about 50%. It makes a nice sturdy bag and I love the colorways. Make sure you check it after 5 mins.

 

Good luck, and show us a picture when it's done.

 

Joan

[Mary Jane]

I have felted only 1 tote bag and it came out great but I would have liked the sts to disappear more. Since I did that bag, I bought Jane Davis's booked called "Felted Crochet" (a great book!) and she said she never puts her felted items in a bag because they felt better/quicker without the pillowcase. I know others have had problems with the lint in the machine. Can anyone tell what problems have happened without the bag? I'm thinking of trying my next felted purse that way. Maybe if you felt a lot, it's best to use a bag, but how could it hurt the machine if you don't felt that often? Just wondering.

Mary Jane

[JCB]

I always use either a mesh laundry bag or a zippered pillow case. I've had no problems with stuff felting. As a matter of fact, I think it protects things like straps from getting tangled in everything. Unless you are married to a plumber, I suggest using a bag. The wool sloughs off fuzz balls and they can't be good for your washing machine's innards.

 

Joan

[sherryzzz]

There are a lot of fuzz balls created with felting, and I don't want to take the chance of those clogging up my machine. Also - there is the reverse problem that lint from whatever you have in the washer along with your felting project might shed lint and that it will embed itself into your felted project. So the zippered pillow case protects both your washer and your felted item.

[Mary Jane]

Thanks on the advice to what can happen (fuzz balls) if I don't use a pillowcase with felted projects. I wonder how Jane Davis avoids that, since she said she never uses a pillowcase (book- Felted Crochet) I did use a pillowcase, and I had to go through 4 cycles and the bag did felt, but I wish the sts would have disappeared more. Now I'm wondering if my water just wasn't hot enough. I think I might try pouring boiling water into the washer next time, as someone suggested. Thanks, Mary Jane

[JCB]

Thanks on the advice to what can happen (fuzz balls) if I don't use a pillowcase with felted projects. I wonder how Jane Davis avoids that, since she said she never uses a pillowcase (book- Felted Crochet) I did use a pillowcase, and I had to go through 4 cycles and the bag did felt, but I wish the sts would have disappeared more. Now I'm wondering if my water just wasn't hot enough. I think I might try pouring boiling water into the washer next time, as someone suggested. Thanks, Mary Jane

 

Wow... four cycles with SWS!!! I blink twice and it felted... almost more than I wanted it to. Maybe I should turn my hot water heater down before I felt the SWS. I love the yarn but wish I had more control over how quickly it felted, and how much it shrank. I can't see any stitch definition. But it did produce an almost boucle look to the felted fabric. I took a picture of the little purse... I'll try to post it in a while.

 

Joan

 

Joan

[kwilliams91]

I love felting! Just remember to check it every 5-10 minutes.

[dsabol]

Thanks everyone. If I get a chance, I'll try it tonight. I was gone all weekend and haven't had a chance to try it yet. I've got my fingers crossed.