100% Merino...Never done this before...

[Shellybrook]

So, I have this yarn I bought about a year ago. http://images.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://www.yarncountry.com/images/product_images/autunno_c.jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.yarncountry.com/Di.Ve-Autunno-c218.aspx&h=240&w=240&sz=17&hl=en&start=9&um=1&tbnid=evZ3q0U3f2U2DM:&tbnh=110&tbnw=110&prev=/images%3Fq%3Ddi.ve%2Bautunno%26um%3D1%26hl%3Den%26sa%3DN%26ie%3DUTF-8

 

click the link, the color # is 48162.

 

I happened to be on a road trip with my sisters to visit my other sister. Met her future SMIL...and I'l be darned she's a knitter...with a yarn shop in her upstairs bedroom. Of course I just met the woman and started petting her yarns. Anyway, my sister was taken by the newly felted bag that she had sitting on the ironing board, awaiting its lining. This inspired me to start making a similar bag. Very simple. So I'm making it about 1/4 to 1/3 bigger than I would want the finished product to be.

 

I intend to put it in the washer on hot....How long? Do I have to put something inside of it so that each panel doesn't felt together? Should I put it in a pillow case? Is there anything special I should do or not because its 100% wool?

 

I was just browsing and I think that felted crochet is much prettier than felted knitting. It seems that with crochet you can still see the stitches, where as knit just turns into a fabric.

 

OH...I have a short haired dog. He likes to spend time close to my crochet....usually a trip to the dryer works to relieve the crochet of "Angus" hair...with felting should I be concerned that my dog may become a permanent part of my project or is there another option?

 

Thanks for any suggestions.

 

[dubbee]

You will not be putting it in the dryer..You'll air-dry it.

No the pieces will NOT felt together.

Yes, you may put it in a pilliowcase.(I usually don't)

You should put it thru @ least 1 hot/cold cycle.(Some of the ladies periodicall check on the peice to see if has acheived the look they desire) I don't have or care to take that kind of time, so I'll just put it in a cycle and get it out later, block/shape it and let it air dry.

Enjoy and get ready to "get hooked" on felting.

Be a great title for a book, huh? "Hooked on Felting". Hmmmm

[angieInCA]

I would really suggest you make a swatch and felt it so you have a better idea of how your wool will react to the felting process. That way you can determine how large to make the piece and how long you will want to leave it in the washing machine.

 

 

The stitch definition on the final item is a result of how much time it spent in the water during the process.

 

The longer it is in the hot water the less stitch definition you will have. I have felted both knit and crochet and had both felt with a lot of stitch definithion to no stitch definition at all. IT all depends on how long it's in the hot water and/or how fast it felts.

 

I always place my items in a zippered pillowcase because I don't want all the excess fuzz going down my drain. The pieces will not felt together.

 

If you put the item in the dryer it will continue to felt and shrink, so air drying is highly suggested. As for the dog hair, if it gets felted in you will never know.

[Shellybrook]

Its in the washer right now...I should just bring a chair down to the basement, because i just keep walking up and down the stairs. it looks good so far.

[Shellybrook]

I am HOOKED!!!!

 

Basically all I have to do is run the project through a normal wash cycle....and she's good 2 go!

 

Only live and learn on this one is a purse strap that I made, didn't felt flat. I attached the strap before I felted the bag...I can probably just cut it out, but I think I'm going to just leave it until I see how it all looks dry. Boy can I see how it will take DAYS for it to dry.

 

This really could get expensive....wool is far more costly than acrylic.

[angieInCA]

Pictures Please

[Shellybrook]

Ah yes...pictures...My greatest regret is that I didn't get a "before" shot.

 

http://www.members.aol.com/Shellybrook/felt.jpg

 

So in looking closer after leaving it alone for the day...I can scrutinze that its not as "square" as it could be where the handles are attached inside the bag. Otherwise for a first project I'm pretty pleased. I think I used too much soap. I didn't think I used but a quick squirt of dishsoap but it sure did leave alot of bubbles in the washer.

 

I guess you live and learn what works for you.

[losingmymind2]

The amount of soap and/or baking soda to use depends on your water chemistry. I've felted in two different places, one with very hard water and one with very soft, and for me, it usually takes more time in the soft water; but I expect that also depends on the wool.

[classic crochet]

I have the bug now too. Your purse looks great!

[sherryzzz]

While the bag is still damp, tug and pull it into shape. Do the same with the handle, tugging and pulling on it width-wise and smoothing it out. You can also stuff the bag with plastic bags, or pull it over a cereal box covered with a plastic bag and allow it to dry - this helps to keep the shape as it dries.

[Shellybrook]

Great Suggestions! I actually did stuff it with a plastic bag. Instinctively I tried to tug and flatten the handle, but it was to no avail, its REALLY felted.

 

So I have now another question for all you pro felters. I was surprised at how thick the end result was. The bag that I saw that inspired me was not as think. So the question is, do different types of wool felt at different degrees of thickness?

[angieInCA]

Yes, that is why it is wise to swatch each new wool you use.

Other factors are how long you let it agitate in the hot water and how hot your water is. Shorter time in washer = less felting and shrinkage.

 

My experience also has been that crochet felts thicker than knitted items.

 

There are so many factors involved. When I felt I use a splash detergent and and about 1/3 cup baking soda in the smallest load my washer will do. I check it every 10 min. or less and have a bucket of cold water handy so if it starts felting quicker and thicker than I want I can remove it and plunge it into the cold water to stop the felting process. When the fabric is really wet and not over felted you can easily streatch and block it. I find if I let it run through the spin cycle that is when I get most of my twisting and funnky felting. I use small boxes or large coffee cans with plastic shopping bags over them to block them.

 

I have this plastic case that holds my Staple gun and staples that happens to be the perfect size for most of the medium size purses I make.

[Krakovianka]

Hey! nice bag! I love felting--my felted bags are fairly thick, but I use a big hook (K), and felt a *lot*--probably to 50% shrinkage, or close to it. (I don't have a lot of options--I have a front-loading washer, so in it goes, and I hope for the best.) I think knitted felting comes out a big thinner?

 

I've been using a felted bag all winter, and it is a workhorse. It looks like new, too. The handles/bag do not stretch at all (after they are dry!), and I've been impressed. The only thing I did, when it began to "pill" a bit, was to shave it.

 

Welcome to the world of felting! It's addictive...

[sherryzzz]

Great Suggestions! I actually did stuff it with a plastic bag. Instinctively I tried to tug and flatten the handle, but it was to no avail, its REALLY felted.

 

So I have now another question for all you pro felters. I was surprised at how thick the end result was. The bag that I saw that inspired me was not as think. So the question is, do different types of wool felt at different degrees of thickness?

 

did you use two strands of wool held together, or just one? With crochet, you should only need to use one strand because the yarn already gets doubled up with you form your crochet stitches. I usually use an L hook and hdc stitches and get a nice weight fabric.

 

And length of time agitating will also increase the amount of felting and your fabric will be thicker. Try checking your item peridoically while felting it.

[Lisaizme]

I didn't know to put soap or baking soda in the water and mine felted anyway!

 

Take a look.

[angieInCA]

I didn't know to put soap or baking soda in the water and mine felted anyway!

 

Take a look.

 

Yes it will felt without soap or baking soda of you have normal water. I sould have said I have very hard water so I used the soap and baing soda. The Baking soda changes the ph level of the water so the fibers will open up and it will felt faster, The soap is to help suspend the baking soda in the water. It's all about chemistry. The first time I tried felting in my washing machine it took 3 cycles, it was because of the extremely hard water. Now with the baking soda it usually felts in about 15 min.

[Lisaizme]

What is "normal" water? I think we have very soft water as I grew up with hard water. I always feel like I still have soap on me when I get out of the shower.. and use two rinses when I wash clothes to get all the soap out (and I only use about 1/2 the detergent recommended and still get good suds).

[angieInCA]

What is "normal" water? I think we have very soft water as I grew up with hard water. I always feel like I still have soap on me when I get out of the shower.. and use two rinses when I wash clothes to get all the soap out (and I only use about 1/2 the detergent recommended and still get good suds).

 

Sounds like you have soft water. There are testers you can buy but I have terrible scale build-up any where the water hits = very hard water

[Shellybrook]

Lisa, that is beautiful!!!! I'm so impressed!

 

I have VERY hard water, but I didn't realize that the soap/baking soda was because of water PH. I just used it because I read somewhere that you were supposed to.

 

This is the part I can't figure out...Why aren't more people felting?????

[Lisaizme]

Thank you.

 

I started a new thread with this question, but haven't seen a response, so I'll ask here.

 

Has anyone felted with Moonlight Mohair.. either alone or as a carry-along?

 

I know I could swatch.. but I'm lazy and thought I'd see if anyone else had tried it and would share their results.

[Shellybrook]

I personally havent' used it, but maybe you could edit the title of your other post to include "moonlight mohair".

 

I don't get the impression that felting is a heavily traveled thread section for some reason....but if posters are intrigued by the wool type they might click in. Just a thought.