Felting without the washer-- help! =)

[yarn_monkey]

I've made my bag with Cache and now I'm trying to figure out how to felt it. I don't have a washing machine at home, so we go to the laundromat and I can't really justify spending the money on the washer for one purse. Besides the fact that I don't know how many times I'll have to put it in. So, I was planning on felting it by hand. Sounds like a good plan, but I can't find good directions on how to hand felt a FO on the internet. Can anyone point me in the right direction or tell me? I need help! lol Thanks to anyone and everyone who can help me out.

[angieInCA]

get a big (5 gallon) bucket a clean (new) plunger and very very hot water. Add a little baking soda and soap to the water and then aggitate with the plunger.

 

I guess you could do it in your sink but i figured a bucket would be taller.

 

Once the bag felts, plunge it into cold water to stop the felting process. Rinse in cold water and then wrap in towels to remove the water and then block to dry.

 

I have never done it by hand but I have read from other people that it takes some work but the advantage is you can really keep an eye on the felting process.

 

Good luck!

[smokeyp81]

I have felted by hand before.....my advice is splurge on the washing machine!

 

I used a clean 5 gallon bucket and the hottest temperature water I could get from the tap (I never use soap....everything felts fine without it) I bought a clean plunger and went to work on it.....After 1/2 hour it still wasn't felted to where I like my items to be (no stitches visible). I had water everywhere....it splashes like crazy. My arms were tired....it was awful! I had used Paton's classic merino for the yarn. It usually felts in my washer in about 15 mins.

 

Just my 2 cents!

[yarn_monkey]

Thanks ladies! Now I can start felting as soon as I get myself a clean plunger and a 5 gallon bucket. Woohoo!

 

And trust me, I definitely want a washer (for some reason the AC is never working at the laundromat ). We have the hookups, but no way to get it here without paying for delivery/installation. One of these days though!! Heehee, one of these days when we either aren't struggling college students or one of these days when we move into a place with a washer.

 

Hey, at least I'll get a good workout with that plunger!

[losingmymind2]

I think you'll have more control over the felting by hand than in a machine; if it doesn't go fast enough with baking soda in the water, and a DROP of dish washing liquid without bleach in it. Depending in the pH of the water, sometimes the soda just isnt' enough if the water is already soft. With my hard water at home, I didn't need soap, but with mom's naturally soft water, I do add some to the baking soda.

 

As for a washer...places like Lowes and Home Depot and Sears offer installation and delivery, or at Lowes you can rent a truck really cheaply to take your stuff home. Do you have a friend with a pickup, van or utility trailer? If the connections are already installed, it's EASY to hook up a washer.

Have you tried Freecycle? People would rather give an old but working model away than pay to take it to the dump. Just make sure you have NEW hoses, they're likely to dry rot over time. Installation is easy enough I can do it: screw connectors on, plug in, and level the machine so it doesn't walk away from the wall during the spin cycles.

[MullersLaneFarm]

You can also felt by hand with an old washboard or bamboo mat (think placemats, rugs, blinds). Soak purse in hot water, baking soda & a little detergent, then wring it out. You will want the purse wet but not sopping wet.

 

Scrub the purse on the wash board or bamboo in the direction you want it to full (get smaller). When the purse cools down, pop it in the microwave to heat it up again. When fulled to where you want it, place in cold water, blot dry and block

[charitas32]

i feltedby hand once, it is a good upper body workout,i would recommend washingup gloves and some uptempo music to keep you kneading i kinda rubbed the layers of the bag together but it took nearly an hour!

[coolhockeymom]

I felted once but I didn't use a plunger or a bucket I boiled water on the stove as soon as it start boiling I shut off the stove stuck what I was felting let it sit for about five min then used a wisk to agitate the water

 

I thought it turned out ok

[jgarvin6]

I would like to make a pair of felted overalls for my dd, but after all the work of crocheting them i don't want to end up with a pair that is too small for her after felting.( she is almost 6 so it really is quite a bit of work to crochet overalls)Is it possible to felt with cold water in the wash so that there will not be so much shrinkage? I would also like to do this with a skirt if i ever find a pattern i like.Also would it be possible to needle felt them with a felting tool so that i could avoid the shrinkage altogether?

[smokeyp81]

I would like to make a pair of felted overalls for my dd, but after all the work of crocheting them i don't want to end up with a pair that is too small for her after felting.( she is almost 6 so it really is quite a bit of work to crochet overalls)Is it possible to felt with cold water in the wash so that there will not be so much shrinkage? I would also like to do this with a skirt if i ever find a pattern i like.Also would it be possible to needle felt them with a felting tool so that i could avoid the shrinkage altogether?

 

 

You need the hot water for the felting process. As far as it shrinking too much, you just need to stop the washer often so you check on the progress. Felting in a washing machine isn't an exact science. Results vary depending on lots of things.....type of wool, how hot your water is, how much agitation your washing machine makes, etc.

 

I wouldn't recomend needlefelting a whole pair of overalls or a skirt. I only needlefelt embelishments on already felted items. Hope this helps.

[silkymist]

http://www.knitpicks.com/images/pdf/handfelting.pdf