now finished with pictures added....1st felted bag in washer!

[scc51055]

I made the watermelon felted bag from the free pattern offered by annie's attic.

 

It was really easy, mostly sc and then a reverse sc along the top. I think it turned out well so far. I used patons classic wool in the blue varigated instead of the suggested colors.

 

I just put it in the washer, hot water wash.......and heavy duty soil level.....i am scared.....not sure if i am doing this right and wondering what it will look like when finished!

[Jess.in.WI]

*giggles at the smileys*

 

Best of luck! Can't wait to see the finished project!

[Hooked]

I know that feeling. For my first and only felted project I used 5 or 6 skeins of Lion Wool and hdc around in circles for months. (hdc is only slightly less boring and hard on the hands as sc) Lots of trepidation that I might ruin months of work and $30 worth of yarn. My bag turned out great. I still haven't lined it or finished the handles. Maybe this year!

 

Be sure to post pix!

[rae-dean]

this may be goofy but i am new and so here goes. i knitted and knitted a big old swatch of wool to do some felting. washed it and dried it.so cool looking.but it was so small a piece.i just read u can get an old wool sweater and wash it and dry it to felt it and then cut out your pattern from the old sweater. i thought this was a faster way and am anxious to try this soon.hugs rae-dean

[Krakovianka]

Hope your felted bag comes out great! I did my first one a few weeks ago (why am I crocheting with wool in July?). It may seem very mis-shapen--stretch in out over a plastic-covered box to dry, and it will hold its shape beautifully. Can't wait to see it! I'm addicted to felting.

[scc51055]

I had to send it through another cycle....i think i like it now.....it has to dry and then i have to put holes in it to fed the straps through.....i am not sure if i want to put a nick in the yarn to do that! i guess since it is felted it wont unravel?

will post pics when i have it totally finished.

[angieInCA]

I had to send it through another cycle....i think i like it now.....it has to dry and then i have to put holes in it to fed the straps through.....i am not sure if i want to put a nick in the yarn to do that! i guess since it is felted it wont unravel?

will post pics when i have it totally finished.

 

If it is felted enough you will be able to cut it without worry of unraveling:)

[scc51055]

here are the pictures that I promised.....not sure they are in the right order or not but at least I got this far. I think it should have felted more....think my washer maybe the problem, it is pretty new and the clothes dont sit in the water very long at any point in the cycle. if i do this again it will put it on the soak cycle and try that....thank you for looking!the top one is before any felting and the middle on is the finished bag and the bottom one is after the first felting. i used the shoe to see how much it changed.(pics are clickable)

[Aelita]

Wow that's awesome I love the pattern and color.

[Krakovianka]

That's great! The design is neat. What kind of handles are you planning? Did you felt those, too?

 

BTW, I felted a swatch for testing, and when I was done, I cut a piece off with scissors. It is like very thick fabric--no fear of unraveling at all! I have a front-loading washer, so I can't take something out to check it during the process--have to toss it in and hope for the best. So far, I've been lucky.

[scc51055]

Yes i felted the handles it is just a long chain....i can open the washer but am unable to lenghthen the cycle or change anything unless i start over. i thought that when it was finished you wouldnt be able to see the stitches, but i still can. i did cut into it for the handles and dont think it will unravel...

[misssmaggie]

How pretty !!! Thanks for sharing!

[Krakovianka]

When I made mine, I made a long tube of 4 sc. I crocheted in the round, without joining each round. It was like a long spiral. I "invented" it myself, although I later read about the technique (called "i-cord") somewhere else. It felted into a round cord with no stitch definition whatsoever, and I cut it with no problem. I was able to crochet about 8 feet of it in one evening, which ended up being about 6 feet after felting.

 

I've heard of putting felted items through the washer 2 or even 3 times. I did a 30 deg. C cycle on my front loader, and still had some stitch definition, which I didn't really want. So I put it through a second cycle at 60 deg. C. It really came out nicely, and there is not a TRACE of stitch definition left, but I probably won't use the 60 cycle again. I think my bag shrunk by 50%!!!! Fortunately, it was huge to begin with, and the final result was fine.

 

Can't want to see yours all finished!

 

I was thinking about that chain...I wonder how 3 chains braided together would felt...or even just plain yarn (multiple strands) braided together would felt.

 

I wonder if I can spare some wool to do some test felting...

[scc51055]

sadly i must say it is finished....it is the picture up against the white door! i am going to try this again and see what i can change! thanks for looking

[angieInCA]

Looks great! Now you've been bit by the felting bug:clap

Remember for future projects that all wools (brands and colors) felt differently so watch each item you do closely. Every item I have felted has taken different time to achieve the look I want. Most of the time I get the results I want in about 15 min. agitation but it does vary with each item. Also if it seems like it taking too long or to many cycles through the wash to get the final results you want then check your water temp. It might not be hot enough. If you don't want to adjust your Water Heater temp then just add a pot ot tea kettle of boiling water to your wash when you start felting. Hot water is a must for fast easy felting.

[scc51055]

thanks for the info.....i think the problem i had is that the water doesnt stay in my washer for long and it only uses a tiny bit of water....it is one of the new efficiency ones....so i think i will use hot water and a soak program the next time.....

[Krakovianka]

This is sort of funny...I thought those two pictures--of the bag/shoe and the white door were just ONE picture. Just a trick of angles or something. Anyway, I didn't click on them, and the small picture is a little dark, so I thought the bag hanging on the door (with handles) was a different bag from the one on the floor.

 

Silly me. I think your bag looks good, and you will get lots of compliments if you carry it around!

[clocke]

That is a very pretty bag. Congrats on your successful felting!!

[scc51055]

thanks! i think i am ready to try again