Felting?

[Quinadal]

I might sound dumb, but what is fulling and felting?

[Kathleen]

It is when you take a natural fiber, like wool, and machine wash it until it shrinks into a thick, soft, fuzzy-like fabric that makes great hats and purses. Here's a purse I made from 100% wool, lined with pink velvet, to give you an idea.

 

I know its hard to see the stitch up close, but it is just a tight sc that is felted.

[Julie]

Yes, like what happens to that great wool sweater you had when it accidentally got washed in the laundry. It shrinks down and felts into a perfect sweater-shaped hot pad or coaster. Except we're doing it on purpose to make purses and hats and slippers and things.

[Quinadal]

Thanks! I just couldn't figure out what everyone was talking about!

[calamele]

So I just bought some beautiful 100% wool yran that I want to turn into a felted bag....my first attempt. Does someone have any suggestions for where I can find a technique? I have found lots of websites that talk about carded wool, but not already crocheted items...does it matter???

[mistiaggie]

so, only wool does this? if i washed my acrylic or cotton afghans this wouldn't happen? Cause that would suck for me!

[RebeccaVelasquez]

he he he.. only wool

[Becks]

Could I ask a silly question too??

Is the item crocheted first, then washed to "felt" it?

 

ALSO, (oh!, wait, this is TWO silly questions!! LOL!! ), would this work with wool tapestry thread as well?

 

I have bags and bags of wool tapestry thread from who-knows-where; many without color numbers or names on them. Couldn't they be crocheted into things and then washed to shrink too?

 

in advance for anyone patient enough to reply!

[xantha]

Is the item crocheted first, then washed to "felt" it?

 

Normally, yes.

 

Felted yarn does exist out there that you can crochet with after the yarn has been felted (as another aside, I have some wool roving that is lightly felted from being in a bag for too long at the shipper, which I am spinning in its lightly felted state).

 

But normally you crochet the item first and then agitate it to full it.

 

would this work with wool tapestry thread as well?

 

Good question. Does anyone know if wool tapestry thread is normally superwash or not? I know they treat it with stuff to make it mothproof and colorfast, but since you're generally not washing anything made with the tapestry thread, I would guess they don't bother to spin it out of superwash wool...

 

Becks, what you can do is crochet up a swatch with the wool tapestry thread and then try to full it. Try going from hot to cold water and rubbing it with your hand or another item if you don't want to waste the water in the washing machine on just a swatch. You should be able to see if it starts to full or not...

 

Hope that helps. I bet someone else will have other suggestions!

[Becks]

Thanks Xantha!

Now I have a couple (ok, a LOT), more questions. (Groan!)

 

I will first try to make something using only the yarn with labels stating 100% virgin wool. These include these...

 

http://img258.echo.cx/img258/5677/wool0019qc.jpg

 

The front of the labels are here

 

http://img258.echo.cx/img258/6976/wool0021ao.jpg

 

and as you can see; they are from all over and all different brands.

 

Spinnerin,Brunswick-Brunsana, Bucilla, (U.S.A), Scovill; Dritz, (Australian), Lady Handicraft, (England).

 

I also have a lot of these

 

http://img258.echo.cx/img258/8492/wool0036og.jpg

 

But what is 100% Orlon? It says acrylic Fibers. Will it work as well?

 

Here's the front of the label..

 

http://img258.echo.cx/img258/8451/wool0049jb.jpg

 

Oh! ALSO, since these are to be shrunk, is it best to use a larger size hook and double crochet? Or is it best to be small (use a smaller hook with single crochet), so that when it is washed and shrinks; it will felt better? Kind of be more tight. Know what I mean?

 

I'm really sorry to take up all your time.

 

Advanced s for all your help!

 

Thanks again!

 

Beck

[threeolivemartini]

Yes the tapestry wool will full.. 100% virgin wool will work.. as long as the label doesnt say SUPERWASH

 

this process does not work on synthetic (acrylic ..orlon.. rayon)

Use a slightly larger hook and a sc or hdc.... crochet loosely.. the fibers need to move around to get a good full

swatching is a great idea.. you can even do that test in the sink if you dont want to use the washer.. put it in hot water swish it around a few minutes and rinse with cold.. that should do it enough to tell you it will or wont..

[Becks]

so much Elizabeth!

 

This is going to be really fun,...... and interesting. I love to expirament!

 

Great idea about testing out a bit of yarn in the sink first! I have so much without any labels at all!

 

I'll let you-all know if this works,...or even if it doesn't.

I can see it all now.....

 

(voiceover)

*Hideous yarn experimant goes horribly wrong. Film at eleven.*

 

[threeolivemartini]

HA.. and if you are unsure of content a simple burn test can help you .. synthetics will melt.. wool will smolder and go out .. so will cotton but i dont think you would mistake cotton for wool..

 

also .. another test.. wool will melt in bleach.. so take a small cup put some bleach and a snip of yarn in there and let it sit.. if it disentigrates.. its wool..

[crosette]

So....what is the difference between fulling and felting?

[threeolivemartini]

its the same thing....

[xantha]

So....what is the difference between fulling and felting?

 

Technically speaking, fulling is when you use the process with cloth that you have already knit/crochet/woven. Felting is when you use the process with raw wool without structure beforehand.

 

Fuzzy Galore has an article on it here.

 

That said, colloquially felting is used to mean fulling, so while it's not technically correct, it is acceptable and people understand what you mean.

[viggie]

Thanks for the explainations! I'd never heard of fulling or felting until I joined this forum...crazy.