Fulled hat idea... but how to proceed?

[Captain Hook]

I've been considering two things and finally put them together, but I don't know where to go from here.

 

I'm frogging a large wool sweater, made primarily with worsted, deep-violet yarn. I've been wanting to full at least one thing I made with it.

 

I've also been wanting to make a hat similar to one from Pirates of the Carribean: The Curse of the Black Pearl, the floppy-brimmed faded purple number worn by Anamaria (the first photo under "For those into girls"), the female pirate who nearly smacks Jack's face off. I absolutely love it and I want to design something similar to crochet.

 

It finally hit me that this wool yarn I have was a pretty good match for the color, and it would look great fulled.

 

The problem? I've never fulled anything in my life, and I have no idea what size hook to use or how big to make the hat, because I know it will shrink a lot, but not exactly how much.

 

I know I can make a swatch and full that and see what happens, but a swatch is not a whole hat. Does anyone have any advice on how much bigger to make the hat, what size hook to use, et cetera?

 

Also, does anyone have any ideas about fading wool? I'd really like to make the hat have patchy fading like the one I'm modeling it after, although if that's not reasonabley possible I will forgo it.

[threeolivemartini]

ok first and foremost.. and you probably dont wanna hear it.. do some swatches.. a few small ones with different hooks and stitches.. and full them measure them first.. then measure after .. that will give you an idea of ho wto proceed.. as for fading .. I dont know how.. because I do know that bleach will severly damage wool.. if not melt it if left on too long.. hope i have helped..

[jpr54_]

i purchased fiber trends hat instructions -

crochet hook size k

gauge 11 hdc and 9 rounds=4 inches before felting

brown sheep wool

 

the wool used is also important-

i agree that test sample be made-

 

i have the patterns and wool but have not started this project-i want to complete my present sock project-

 

on web there is lots of info on felting

 

joanne

[jpr54_]

http://www.fuzzygalore.biz/articles/fulling.shtml

i just found this interesting site with explanation

[Captain Hook]

Thank you both very much!

 

Elizabeth, thank you. I will try a couple of small swatches, but as the yarn is frogged, I can't dedicate too much yarn to it. I'm glad you told me about the bleach. I was considering trying a very dilluted sollution sprayed over the hat in a fine mist (although I would have tested it, first), but now I don't have to waste any yarn on that. Thanks!

 

Joanne, thank you so much! I will try a size K hook and hdc before I try anything else. It seems like an excellent place to begin.

 

I googled and googled and googled last night, and I was having trouble finding the info I wanted, although I did find a couple of things that I think will help me, for instance, that a fulled hat should be fitted to one's head, and dried over a large bowl.

 

Thank you for the website, that is a very good one! That's quite a lot of information, I will be sure to read the whole thing.

 

Open question: I don't suppose it's even vaguely possible to frog fulled swatches, is it?

[jpr54_]

try to use other search engines to get info-

there are other search engines beside google

www.dogpile.com

www.about.com

www.askjeeves.com

joanne

[jpr54_]

http://www.peak.org/~spark/feltlistFAQ.html

[Captain Hook]

Joane, quite right, but there is a reason Google is as popular as it is. It works differently from other search engines, and brings considerabley more results than other engines are even vaguely capable of. Of course, when one gets 15,000 hits, I admit that can cease to be an advantage. I have developed rather a loyalty for Google, though. I have tried the engines you've listed, and prefer Google, but thank you for trying. Thank you for the link! I will check it out.

 

UPDATE: I checked out the link, and it seems to revolve entirely around felting (true felt making) rather than fulling. Thank you, anyway, though.