Felting a Lambswool Jumper - Advice needed please please

[Tillyboo]

I've bought a lovely stripy GAP jumper from a carboot for 10p and want to felt it.

I'm confused over the best way to go about this after reading so many ways to go about it.

Could someone please give me a set of simple clear instructions - without me wrecking my washing machine

Thanks !

By 'felt' it - do you mean wash it so it shrinks and the weave tightens?

Yep,I want to make some Xmas decs or little animals.

Doesn't it make a mess of the washing machine ?

No - you just put it in a hot wash - it normally happens when you don't want it too

TB - just be brave, stick it on a really hot wash and I promise you it will be fine and come out perfectly felty. I just did it to one of DH's jumpers - he was going to put it on ebay (it's a posh one) but I nicked it and boiled it up before he could take any pics . I've now got my eye on a cashmere cricket jumper of his that he doesn't wear very often, it's all cables and ever so lovely - would make a gorgeous softie!!!!!! I have a horrible obsession of oohing and aahing at people's jumpers thinking to myself 'I could felt that and cut it up'

GM - I know it's terrible isn't it. My dh has two hideous and expensive jumpers that he wants me to put on Ebay as they are from posh London shops (gifts from his parents but he's not allowed to wear them - they really are gagging BUT like you say would make a fab softie)

You find yourself staring at people with nice jumpers on thinking what could I make with that ?

I've got an empty machine so I'll bite the bullet and chuck it in tonight. I'll let yoy know how it goes ...

go on, and stick those jumpers of DH's in too....'oops, sorry darling, I seem to have accidently felted those jumpers'

i did one by putting it in on a normal cycle, 60 degrees, with some detergent, washed it twice as it wasn't felted enough first time. next time, i'm going to be brave and chuck it it on the hottest wash.

the one i did was a size 18, came out looking like it should fit ds , i've already cut into it, it lovely thick felt, still soft and doesn't fray

Can someone explain felting to me, please? I have a couple of lovely patterned jumpers that don't fit anymore. If i felted them could i make a cushion cover? Can you cut and sew like fabric? Thanks

LK - I tried an old utility blanket, washed it at 90, twice, and it is still not right. I'm thinking it might not be wool after all, but I have no idea what else it might be

Chippy To felt wool jumpers etc (old scarves are good too) they need to be either all wool or as good as all wool. Stick them in the washing machine with a bit a of washing powder on the hottest wash you have, and that's it! They will shrink down to a much smaller size, so don't be alarmed by it! Once they are felted they can be cut up, won't fray and are all soft and thick. Have fun!!!

Well, I'm on the 3rd 95 degree wash now, it's shrinking slowly !

This is the last wash so it'll have to say as t is after this. it's 100% lambswool so thought it'd felt after one hot wash.

Maybe my machine is crappier than I thought?

You mean Gap jumpers dont shrink ??? this is important news .....

Right, I'm off to buy some right now... save a lot of unnecessary accidents in this household if we all had wool jumpers that didnt mind the occasional boil

Stick in a pair of old jeans or two to to help the felting process. Felting occurs through a combination of heat and abrasion, so giving it something to rub against will aid the process & possibly speed it up. To get a really good thick felt which won't fray when you cut it will probably take 3 or 4 goes... My best project of a 50p lilac cashmere jumper was nicked by my DD after the first go & was a perfect fit, so be careful who sees it mid-process. I shall have to wait until she grows before I can finish that project!!

Machine washable wool items don't felt up, they are made so they don't felt.
I got a lambswool jumper of my dads that was ancient. Tried everything including boil washing but it wouldn't felt!
You need untreated wool or handwash only items.

TB, my DD had that same jumper and I accidently felted it, so it'll work eventually!!!! (it got popped in with some towels on a boil wash!)

thanks, will give it a go when i've cleared the laundry pile

3rd wash complete and although the jumper has shrunk I'm not sure it's as shrunk as it could be (it did say handwash only). I may just put it through a quick 95 wash with a pair of jeans - just to see.

Thx for the jeans tip, it makes a lot of sense.