Has anyone tried felting?

[redwino]

I've just taken up knitting again and am going to have a go at felting (that is washing item hot so it goes alll felty!) Has anybody tried this? I am halfway through knitting the item from pure wool and it is going Ok. If anyone has tried this could I have some tips on the actual felting process.

yes i have done a felting course where we used sheepswool tops and bubble wrap to make felt.Have not done it in the machine-except by mistake with dh jumper

Yes I did it. I made a bag for our choir mistress. She is using it every week now.You need pure wool that CANNOT be washed in the washing machine. Then you wash, pummel and knead it in very hot water, until it is felted, takes quite a time. I did mine in a hot, nearly boiling handwash first and then again in a pillowcase in with a white wash in the machine. You can see a picture of the project on my profile.

Ooh - Im knitting a bag to felt too, in Twilly's Freedom Sprit!

I love the look of felted bags - let us know how it comes out redwino!

I teach felting to my Y8's. You can buy "tops" which are wool. You lay your design down on a J cloth, fold j cloth over (you need bubble wrap underneath).

Cover in boiling water, roll 100 times in each direction. Cover in soap, repeat rolling process, cover in boiling water agin, and repeat rolling process. Leave to dry. Creates lots of bubbles....

Oh, and roll with a rolling pin ( this is called "fulling")

Thanks fizzbuzz,
Sounds like fun that way and also a good outlet for PMT at the same time!

It is great fun! Naughty boys really behave during feltmaking.

Sometimes people have done rugs with classes, but instead of rolling it, 30 kids have walked on it in bare feet