felting withdrawl with my front loader, anyone figured out a solution?

[mommabeehilly]

does anyone have any thoughts on felting with a front loading machine?

i've always had a front loader but i've always had knitting friends with top loaders and we'd just get together and felt. but since we moved, i have not been able to figure out how to felt with my front loader, kwim??? :

any thoughts?

[flapjack]

60 degree wash, leave it in the machine until it's done (in other words, just keep putting it in with your normal laundry). It takes me 3-4 gos to get a sweater properly fulled.

What helps is if you put it in with the heavy stuff- so trainers, the loose covers off your sofa, a couple of pairs of jeans. All of this increases the agitation. OR you could just felt by hand using the toilet plunger method which is pretty darned quick.

[mommabeehilly]

flapjack....
that's helpful thanks

but i am terrifically curious about the toilet plunger method....

please please share!!!

[SevenVeils]

Well, I would trust Helen first...

But my first thought when I read the title was, would shocking it work? Put it in really hot water for a while, then put it into really cold water while somehow agitating it?

Or there's always the laundromat.

[mamasthree]

I have good luck if I add some towels...it does take a little longer with the fl'er.

If it's just something small I hand felt--much faster.

[liawbh]

tennis balls!

[mommabeehilly]

thanks gals!
so far i've felted a hat and some decorations....i have a hard time "watching" for the right size...but it's working.

now my next problem is trying to make felt balls, which keep unravelling. hmmm???? any thoughts there?