Just wondering what is felting?

[Jempast]

I have heard people talking about felting on the ville and wondered what it was. :think

[MadeJust4You]

i'm having a problem with my first felting. I can't get it to shrink. The fibers are bonding together but not shrinking. Any ideas? Thanks

[RecycleCindy]

i'm having a problem with my first felting. I can't get it to shrink. The fibers are bonding together but not shrinking. Any ideas? Thanks

 

 

A couple of things to check... Is it 100% wool yarn? If it is then maybe you don't have your water hot enough. I know I have to set my washer to the hottest water possible and do the felting for at least 2 cycles with a change of the water so it's still really hot for a total of about 15 minutes total. Another thing is agitation. I put my item inside an old pillowcase and tie it in a knot. I set my water level low so it really get agitated hard. I also throw in a pair of old jeans to provide agitation which really helps the felting process. Hope this ideas help.

[losingmymind2]

The pH of the water also seems to make a difference. In my super hard water I add both baking soda and a small squeeze of liquid dish detergent, but at my mom's with her soft water I just add baking soda, and not as much.

[RecycleCindy]

The pH of the water also seems to make a difference. In my super hard water I add both baking soda and a small squeeze of liquid dish detergent, but at my mom's with her soft water I just add baking soda, and not as much.

 

Great info Kathy! I forgot to mention that I usually add a bit of liquid dish soap too but didn't know about the baking soda. Thanks for sharing that helpful hint.