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Important to Know Before Felting:
It is important to record all the measurements and changes before and after felting. You will be able to either adjust or repeat the method to produce reliable and consistent results. Always test a sample. Different colored yarns may felt differently. Some colors have to undergo the felting more than once in order to achieve the desired result. As yarn will be going into very hot water, colorfastness can be affected. Again, testing a sample will give you an indication of how the color will be affected in very hot water. Any knitting that has been properly felted will have a distinct texture. The knitted or crocheted piece becomes very dense and matted. This will be one of the key criteria for determining that felting has occurred. * * * * * FELTING:
Put pieces in top-loading washing machine. Using low water level, run a Hot/Cold cycle for 15 min. Put in a pair of jeans or large towel (in non-interfering color) for extra agitation. Add 2 tablespoons of baking soda for a small load. After one cycle, check for size. Repeat as necessary. Run through the rinse and dry spin cycle. Lay felted piece onto a dry towel, away from direct heat or sunlight. Shape piece to correct measurements. Allow to dry thoroughly. Do not use a clothes dryer. If an edge ripples, baste a thread through the edge and gather in. Remove the thread after the felting is dry. AFTERCARE:
You have spent a lot of time and care completing these items through their knitting/crocheting and felting stages. A little thought to its aftercare will ensure that you will have these beautiful felted items for many years to come. After you have subjected your item to the felting process, you may think that it has gone through the most vigorous and tortured wash that yarn could ever endure. Now you assume that you can throw that felted item into the hot wash cycle along with your sheets. Do not do it! Treat your newly felted item with caution and care in order to avoid further distortion or shrinkage. Felted handmade items can always be improved with brushing. Even a slight pressing will give a smoother appearance to felted fabric. Always press lightly using a steam iron and a damp cloth. Never press down on the fabric but hold the iron just above the fabric. * * * * * Important Notes on Shrinkage:
Based on calculations using the recommended Patons® Merino Wool yarn, expect the following shrinkage: Knit: After felting, the sample is approximately 85% of the width and 75% of the length of the knitted sample before felting.
Example: a 4 x 4-inch sample before felting shrunk to approximately 3 1/2 x 3-inches after felting. Crochet: After felting, the sample is approximately 80% of the width and 95% of the length of the crocheted sample before felting.
Example: a 4 x 4-inch sample before felting shrunk to approximately 3 1/4 x 3 7/8-inches after felting Click the link to view these felting projects to get you started!
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