Tuesday, November 4, 2008

Felting magic

I felted today!
I took my 100% wool sweater, placed it in a pillow slip
and secured the opening with a rubber band.
I place the sweater and a old pair of blue jeans,
(these are to help with agitation)
into the washer machine.
I added a cup of liquid detergent.
I set the washer on heavy soil, hot water, cold rinse.



Every five minutes I checked the sweater.
After twenty minutes I could see the wool of the sweater had changed.
I bought the sweater up to the kitchen sink and
soaked it for another five minutes in hot water.



I could feel the fibers change.
I could feel the magic happening!

I rinsed the sweater three times.
After the soap was rinsed out I laid the sweater on a towel.
I cut the sweater apart at the seams after I had felted it.
It would not ravel that way.

I blocked the felt pieces flat on towels out in the sun to dry.
I cut the silk dress I was using for lining into flat pieces.
The size of my bag was determined by the size of the silk.

It took about two hours to sew the bag together. Simple right sides together construction. I added a piece of interfacing to the felt to give it extra body. The velvet braided belt made an excellent handle.
I have enough striped felt left to make a hat and a coin purse.
I am smitten with felting!

4 comments:

Lisa at Greenbow said...

What a good job Sherry. I love the bag and can't wait to see the hat and coin purse that matches.

I have read about this techinique before but never tried it.

ICQB said...

I love felting too - it's a little bit addictive. And you described it perfectly; the change just like magic!

p.s. my word verification letters for this comment are 'rousses' - which reminds me of 'rodents of unusual size' (R-O-U-S-es) in the movie, The Princess Bride: )

Q said...

Dear Lisa,
I am having so much fun. Using the old sweaters is working out nicely.
My daughter calls this "up- cycling".

Tomorrow I will make the little coin purse for my bag and I have an idea for a headband hat. I shall be felting another sweater too.
I would like to get lots of felt done so I can do all sorts of projects. I need a teapot cozy for November!
Sherry

Q said...

Dear icqb,
Felting IS addictive! I l;ove the way the wool feels as it felts and fulls. Amazing. Felting is an ancient craft.
I want to learn dry felting next.
Sherry