felted bag - need help

[NoraC]

My MIL kindly knitted me a bag which is intended to be felted. She'd done one already for my SIL which is lovely. I bought a different kind of wool (Noro Kureyon) than what she used previously but it was recommended by the person in the wool shop I went to. She said that it felted wonderfully.

Unfortunately, when my MIL put the bag she knitted the washer, it barely shrank and barely felted. So I'm wondering what to do now? Do we keep on washing it and hope that it shrinks down or will it shrink and felt further?

I have no experience with this whatsoever, so any advice would be helpful. Thanks!

[Juvysen]

you could do it again or stick it in the dryer...

Sometimes it helps to stick a pair of jeans or something in the wash w/the piece to add some agitation and make sure the water's HOT. Kureyon should definitely felt.

[NoraC]

Thank you! I will try again. I've heard that top loaders are supposed to work better than front loaders, but I have a front loader with a sanitary cycle (VERY hot water) or I can use my mom's which is a top loader. What do you think might work better? Will also try to add something for added agigation.

Many thanks...I'm looking forward to the finished product (even if I can't claim to have made it myself!)

[Juvysen]

hmm... I don't know. I've always just used my top-loader. Probably if you throw something in for added agitation it'll help. If it doesn't you could try throwing it in the dryer, too, but I'm pretty sure you'd need to add something for agitation for that, too. I know you can felt things by hand, too. Knitty had a thing about hand-felting a few issues back.