Stupid felting questions

[Miss Crochet]

Now these are probably really stooooooooooooooooooooopid questions but...

 

1. all the tutorials and threads I've read about felting say that when you are machine felting, you should stop every now and again and look at the to-be-felted object's progress. Am I right in guessing that these are top-loading washing machines? My front-loader won't let me open the door in the middle of a cycle (not unless I wanted to recreate the Biblical flood in my tiny kitchen) so should I just choose a really hot cycle and let the machine go wild?

 

2. (and I know this is a weird question, sorry, sorry) but what has stopped me from felting so far is the thought of running a wash cycle for a single item or just a couple of items. It just breaks my eco heart - all of that wasted water! Can I machine felt if I just throw my piece in with a load of towels?

[losingmymind2]

1) In a front loading machine it's just a matter of faith since you can't open mid-cycle.

 

2) Don't use towels, they fuzz up your project. Jeans are best, because of the weight of the fabric. Of course, with light colored felting, you won't want jeans that run.

 

If you are felting a small item, you can hand felt it in the sink. I use a potato masher and beat the daylights out of the project, stopping now and then to rinse in cold water and check the progress.

[Anniedo]

I always put my felted projects inside a pillow case and close with a rubberband. If you do this I do not see any reason you could not wash your towels along with the project since it will be protected in the case. I don't think I would add any kind of fabric softener though.

 

I have a top load machine and I stop and check often, not sure what you can do about the front load machine beside the hand felting.

[Krakovianka]

It's a matter of faith. I felt with a front-loader, and I've been successful about 99% of the time. I use a 60 degree celsius cycle, and I sometimes have as much as 50% shrinkage. But I like that--I like very firm felting with little stitch definition (the kind that that makes people say, "That was CROCHETED?" because the stitches are gone.).

 

You could toss a few small sample squares in with the towels to see how it goes. Be sure to measure before and after to get a feel for how much shrinkage to expect.

 

Also...my front loader has an "economy" button I can push to use less water. You could try that to reduce the water used/wasted.

[TonkaMama]

I totally understand how you feel about wasting water. When I finish felting, I add a little more water and throw in a load of dirty laundry. That way I don't feel like the water has been wasted. But I suppose that won't work with a front loader.

 

The reason you don't want to just throw in your projects with just anything is because the felted item will pick up the lint (although if you have them in a bag, they'd be protected). Your felted item will also produce lint, and a bag or case will keep it from clogging up your washer.

 

Old jeans work great for "beating up" your felted item. Remember that you're going to be using very hot water, so don't put in new jeans that could shrink!

 

Good luck!

[Miss Crochet]

Thanks everyone! I think I'll do an experiment with a load of jeans and a small felted purse on a 60°C cycle (don't know how much that is in Fahrenheit, but it's hot). Failing that, hi-ho, hi-ho, it's off to work with a potato masher and bucket I go!

 

I'll let you know how it goes. Thanks again for your advice

[craziebunny]

 

If you are felting a small item, you can hand felt it in the sink. I use a potato masher and beat the daylights out of the project, stopping now and then to rinse in cold water and check the progress.

:lolmore like stopping to give your arm a rest!!!!

[upc2000]

Now these are probably really stooooooooooooooooooooopid questions but...

 

1. all the tutorials and threads I've read about felting say that when you are machine felting, you should stop every now and again and look at the to-be-felted object's progress. Am I right in guessing that these are top-loading washing machines? My front-loader won't let me open the door in the middle of a cycle (not unless I wanted to recreate the Biblical flood in my tiny kitchen) so should I just choose a really hot cycle and let the machine go wild?

 

2. (and I know this is a weird question, sorry, sorry) but what has stopped me from felting so far is the thought of running a wash cycle for a single item or just a couple of items. It just breaks my eco heart - all of that wasted water! Can I machine felt if I just throw my piece in with a load of towels?

 

I had asked the same questions at a yarn shop the other day. the woman at the store told me that they didn't work because 1. they don't use enough water, 2. They don't use enough soap, and 3. They don't toss your stuff around enough to felt them.

 

Then she told me to use a friends.

[mamaoso]

Have to put my 2 cents in here.

I have a front-load washer. I can stop it in the wash cycle and wait til I hear the door unlock. (4 to 5 seconds). Then can check the progress of the felting. If I don't catch the washer before going into the rinse cycle then I'm srewed. Can't open it till the end..

I wash with some old jeans ( at least 3 pair).

I have felted 7 knitting bags- 9 totes - 11 pair of clogs- unknown amount of bags and purses-16 pair of slippers- 5 pillows and 6 chair cushions all in my front load washer...