Can anyone help with recycling cashmere project?

[buckeejit]

I've looked at an online tutorial which says to felt it but another doesn't say to & im confused.

I want to make a scarf & some bed socks from old jumpers & not sure whether to machine wash to felt or just start cutting panels to stitch together. I want to keep the softness-presumably the felting makes it stiffer & harder. Not sure if there are varying degrees of feltiness?

Any expert advice welcome