|
Post by tracey on Dec 5, 2016 7:50:53 GMT
Hello all. I have purchased a 100% wool sweater from a charity shop and wish to felt it and turn it into a bag. After reading many tips on the web I would appreciate your thoughts on these four suggested points.
1. What temperature to set the washing machine - 40 -50 - or higher degrees? 2. One tip was to put the item in a pillow case tied with a rubber band as felting an item creates 'wool fuzz balls' that may ruin your machine!! 3. Add other items to the drum, jeans etc, to create agitation. 4. Threading a pair of tights through the arms will prevent the arms from felting together, but if this is the case then surely the body would felt together too!!?
All advice appreciated, thanks.
|
|
|
Post by wolgelukkig on Dec 5, 2016 10:42:40 GMT
It all depends on the amount of control you want over the process of felting. But it is for a bag, so not too critical. 60 will do the job but I would prefer a 40 degrees cycle and do the rest of the process in the dryer. Give it 5 or 10 minutes and repeat that until the felt is the way you want it. Put it in a pillow case is a good advice because it is a real pain when you find woolnubs felted in in your laundry weeks after the felting. Adding more stuff will give you more agitation so more felting but I would not want that. Better to control it afterwards.
|
|
|
Post by tracey on Dec 5, 2016 12:41:57 GMT
It all depends on the amount of control you want over the process of felting. But it is for a bag, so not too critical. 60 will do the job but I would prefer a 40 degrees cycle and do the rest of the process in the dryer. Give it 5 or 10 minutes and repeat that until the felt is the way you want it. Put it in a pillow case is a good advice because it is a real pain when you find woolnubs felted in in your laundry weeks after the felting. Adding more stuff will give you more agitation so more felting but I would not want that. Better to control it afterwards. Thanks very much for that information Madeleine, it all sounds good to me.
|
|
|
Post by Shepherdess on Dec 5, 2016 15:30:11 GMT
I myself would just run it through the washer and dryer with a regular load a couple of times. I would not put it with towels. they are abrasive and would also collect fuzz. But jeans would b good I would use the hot cycle . This has worked fine with wool blankets I have felted to make nametags and Lamb coats. I didn't have a problem with fuzzies later. I am using a top laded not a front loader.
|
|
|
Post by koffipot on Dec 5, 2016 15:42:50 GMT
I tried felting some old lambswool sweaters a while ago, they didn't felt, (probably superwash wool) but shed huge amounts of fluff.
|
|
|
Post by tracey on Dec 5, 2016 16:05:02 GMT
I tried felting some old lambswool sweaters a while ago, they didn't felt, (probably superwash wool) but shed huge amounts of fluff. I don't think this sweater said anything about it being superwash. I will definitely put it in a pillowcase, I don't like the sound of all that fluff Judith. The sweater only cost £4, so worth the experiment I reckon.
|
|
|
Post by lyn on Dec 5, 2016 16:54:26 GMT
Pillowcase is a good idea. I reckon the tumble drier will shrink it as much as the washing machine.
|
|
|
Post by tracey on Dec 5, 2016 17:05:03 GMT
Pillowcase is a good idea. I reckon the tumble drier will shrink it as much as the washing machine. Yes I thought that regarding the dryer Lyn. I am glad Madeleine suggested checking on it often, I may have ended up with the size of something to only put your money in and not much else......
|
|
|
Post by MTRuth on Dec 5, 2016 20:12:01 GMT
My friend and I used her washing machine on a sweater that was 100% wool but it was really hairy. We clogged up the machine completely and water came flowing out all over the floor as we weren't paying any attention to it. It was a disaster so definitely the pillow case is a good idea. I never had any issues with the sleeves felting together. And yes, some shrink quickly and others do not. Always hard to tell which ones will shrink more than others.
|
|
|
Post by tracey on Dec 5, 2016 20:49:58 GMT
Update! The sweater felted well in the pillowcase. It shrunk roughly 3" in the width and 4" in the length. No real fuzz in the pillowcase. I have taken the scissors to it and now have the real challenge regarding making it into something useful.....
|
|
|
Post by Shepherdess on Dec 6, 2016 18:19:19 GMT
Just because its wool doesn't mean it will felt. it all depends on the breed. Spinners recommend Dorset and Cheviot and other "none felting" breeds to spin for socks. You can toss them in the washer and dryer without any problem usually. Always a good idea to test was a swatch first.
|
|
|
Post by tracey on Dec 6, 2016 19:43:27 GMT
My friend who is not a felter, listened to my sweater story and was taken with the idea enough to have a go. My question on her behalf is as she does not have a tumble dryer, can she use the washing machine alone?, or is the heat of the dryer the second stage? I understand Madeleine's advice as to the lower heat of the washer for control, but maybe in the absence of a dryer, a higher washer temperature for my friend would still work?
|
|
|
Post by lyn on Dec 6, 2016 21:18:37 GMT
Yep - tumble drier is optional - washing alone will shrink.
|
|
|
Post by Pandagirl on Dec 6, 2016 23:55:08 GMT
Love your new photo Lyn!
|
|
|
Post by zara on Dec 6, 2016 23:55:41 GMT
Another thing to consider when choosing what temperature to shrink a sweater in is if the dye/colours will be affected. I put a couple of pure wool sweaters through a 60 degree C wash, and two of them came out a very dull grayish colour (previously green and blue, if I remember correctly). So, to be on the safe side, it might be good to try a lower temperature first.
|
|