Questions about Felting Knitted Items

[Ann-Marita]

I need some questions answered before I start this next project.

First, do thinner yarns mean thinner felt? And thicker yarns = thicker felt? Can you hold two yarns together, does that work?

I understand that tightly knitted items do not felt well. Is that right? No problem, since I tend to knit loosely.

But does that mean that tightly twisted yarns do not felt as well as more loosely twisted ones?

Can you control the shinking process somewhat? Such as, stop the felting when/if an item fits, or keep going if it's still too big?

I'm making a hat, and I really want it to fit well. Are there any tricks to making hats fit well? How about how to make them stay on?

Can you really cut or puncture felted items and they won't deteriorate? Really? I'm thinking of cutting holes or putting eyelets in the hat, so a small cord could run through the holes to tie under my chin. But I think that metal eyelets would be a good idea. Whaddya think?

Can you pick up stitches on felted items? This would be so you could have an item that is part felted, part regular. For example, a bag with a felted bottom, and softer sides and top.

Finally...

What can you do with a felted sweater, what can you do with a felted sweater, what can you do with a felted sweater, early in the morning? But seriously, any ideas for felted or semi-felted sweaters?

[sarah_bella1050]

Wow, that's lot of questions! Lets see if I can answer a few of them. When you are felting you are making a fabric. Doubling your yarn will give you a thicker felted fabric just as it would give you a thicker unfelted fabric. To determine just how thick you want it do a test swatch and felt that. You should only felt in a top loading washing machine. After about 10 minutes reach in and grab the piece out and check the size and progress. Felting it longer gives you a thicker and smaller fabric. When you have reached you prefered size take it out and rinse out by hand. Do not allow the machine to rinse and spin it. Once you knit piece is felted it will be a solid fabric and will not unravel or fray when cut. There will be no stitches to pick up because it's a solid piece of fabric.

Oh and you can make anything with a felted sweater even underwear (although I think that would be a little itchy)

[starrmama]

Well, I'll try to answer a few...

If you felt by hand, you can control the felting more than if you're doing it in a machine. You'll be able to see as its shrinking up, and stop periodically to try it on... when its the size/shape you want, just stop Otherwise you can stand by your machine and check it every few minutes... I'd rather just do it by hand though.

I don't know that you could pick up stitches very well on something felted... unless you punctured some holes in it first for your needle to get through... a well-felted object will be thick, without any stitch definition or space left inbetween stitches.

I have a friend who's been making blankets with squares of felted sweaters that she sews together... but you could make anything - clothing, armwarmers, bags, etc etc... look on Etsy for some ideas

Even if you knit loosely, you may want to go up a few sizes of needles when planning on felting something. For example, I've been doing felted bowls with worsted weight yarn on #10 needles... instead of #7 or #8.

I think on your holes, I'd put the eyelets in and/or put a thick piece of string/cord or some type of metal ring through the place where you want the hole - that will hold it open during the felting process and probably be easier for you to run a cord through later.

Hope this helps! Are you on Ravelry? Tons of info on there in the forums about felting...

[flapjack]

It's possible to felt in a frontloader, and by hand. (Technically you're talking about fulling here, not felting. )

For your bag, I'd make a good thick bit of felt, puncture holes at regular intervals all the way around and use a crochet seam to attach your knitting to the felt.

If your hat fits well, it isn't going to need to be tied on. If you felt it to the right size, trying it on all the time, and then either improvise a last or wear it while it dries, it'll be perfect.

And yes, you're absolutely right that the more twist a yarn has, the harder it is to felt it. The added twist controls the fibres so it's harder for them to mesh together.