Everything You Ever Wanted to Know About Felting
If you've always wanted to try felting, check out these handy tips
Even if you've never tried it, you've probably heard of felting. What is it, exactly? Well, felting is more or less what it sounds like: a process that turns your softly knit products into a heavy, felt-like texture.
Why would you want to do that?
For various reasons, really, but mainly to make the product stronger. You tend to felt knitted products like bags, wallets, or even slippers. If you tried to use a handknit bag as a regular purse, you'd probably wind up with a huge hole - especially if your purse looks anything like mine! A felted bag provides a much stronger product.
There's really nothing to felting, but if you're not familiar with the process, it can seem intimidating. These simple steps will have you felting like a pro in no time flat.
1. Make sure you're using the right yarn
There's nothing worse than going to all the trouble of knitting a beautiful bag only to discover that your yarn doesn't felt properly. Fortunately, most yarns will felt in hot water -- at least, they will if they're natural fibers. Anything claiming to be "machine washable" probably won't work. But if you're using wool, alpaca, mohair, angora, or any other natural fiber, you should be just fine.
2. Knit your piece
Next you have to find a really great pattern and knit yourself a bag, a bowl, a pair of slippers, or what have you. You're probably going to want to go for a slightly looser knit on larger needles so the end result will felt properly.
3. Get Felting
Now that you've knit a beautiful product, it's time to start felting. The good news? It's really easy. In fact, you've probably done it by accident before to the odd handknit sweater or scarf. In fact, it's as simple as throwing the thing in the washing machine.
Well, just about, anyway. Actually, the first thing you need to do is throw it in an old pillowcase or lingerie bag (to keep from clogging your washing machine with lovely loose fibers).
After that, put the machine on hot water on its strongest cycle with just a touch of soap. The item will shrink and condense as the cycle proceeds. Let it run about twenty minutes, then check every five to ten minutes until you're satisfied with the look.
And that's all there is to felting your own perfect bag, purse, or wallet!