August 15, 2007 at 9:13 am · Filed under felting
I finally felted the green bag - and here it is!!!!
I feel terrifically accomplished, even though I see that I had vowed to felt three things by now. The green bag turned out so beautifully - so what if I’m 
behind schedule?
Kim is right - it really is like knitting for Hagrid. Or Bigfoot. Then comes the alchemical process of the washing machine and the grand transformation. I see why so many knitters are in love with felting - it’s like transfiguration for Muggles.
And the secret to good results is so simple - stop the washing machine every five minutes to check on progress. I know this is a bug “duh” for some of you, but maybe it will help other reluctant felters. Now I’ll be ransacking my stash to put new felting projects together.
The bag is lovely to wear - it caresses the shoulder and hangs just right. The contents are very secure even without a zipper or flap or other closure at the top. This is a great design by Cat Bordhi.
July 24, 2007 at 10:30 am · Filed under musing, felting
I’m ready to get serious about felting. I’ve done two felted projects before. The first was a sling bag from Cat Bordhi’s second Moebius book. I totally overfelted it, producing an unlovely object. Actually, I had put two half turns in the strap - instead of one - so it wasn’t even a real Moebius. I think I will cut off the strap, sew a zipper in the top, and it will turn out to be a Useful Bag to Put Things In.
My second completed felted project was slipper-socks for my dad. I hovered over the washing machine, checking every few minutes. Fortunately my dad was nearby and he could try them on repeatedly until they had shrunk the perfect amount. Success at last!
That was last summer, and I have since then knitted another Moebius bag (see here), a hat from a Fiber Trends pattern (thanks to friend Judy for lending me the pattern), and a gigantic shoulder sling bag from a Two Old Bags pattern. BUT……I haven’t felted any of them yet.
At first, I didn’t really understand the appeal of felting. I don’t much care for knitting miles of plain stockinette stitch, so I thought I would be bored by the knitting part. But after seeing friends’ felted bags, and reading about felted slippers, bowls, baskets, hats, and even cat beds, for gosh sakes, I was intrigued and soon determined to join the happy felting throngs.
I plan to felt all three unfelted objects in the next two weeks. I’ll post the results.
I finally felted the green bag - and here it is!!!!
behind schedule? 