The Finished Bag....and what I learned!

Well, here is the finished bag.  It's not bad, but not great!  It looks unevenly felted to me, and the stitch definition is still slightly there - not ideal for knitted felting!

So....what did I learn from this second attempt?

• Use a mesh lingerie bag - not a pillowcase bag. Not sure where all the loose fibers went - it may have been yarn that didn't emit lots of fuzz - but there was none in the pillowcase as I transferred the piece to the mesh bag. And it could be that the pillowcase works fine and I just didn't give it enough time.
• Do NOT use tennis balls with holes.  I haven't tried un-holey tennis balls, but the ones I used threw out their rubber innards in tiny, little pieces.  Those tiny pieces of rubber infiltrated the wool and had to be picked out painstakingly!  I did end up using two hard dog toy balls, each with two large holes in them.  I think this worked!

• Add only about 3 drops of soap.  I used Woolite, but I've heard that just about any detergent will work.  There is soap designated for felting, but it's not necessary!
• Use HOT water.  I added some almost-boiling water that had been microwaved.  The water level should be no more than 3 inches above the item being felted.  Too much water will not work!
• Check the process every 5 minutes or so.  Be sure the wool is not felting to itself.  If it is, pull it apart right away. You do NOT want what is supposed to be a bag or slippers or whatever to be felted together.  I haven't looked yet into some type of resist to prevent this.
• Check too to see how evenly (or unevenly) the piece is felting.  Smooth out and vigorously rub areas that seem NOT to be felting as fast.  I did a bit of final rubbing by hand to try to even out and smooth the piece.
• I didn't do this with this piece, but I ironed the first one after it was finished, because it seemed so uneven.  Pull the piece into shape.
• Placed in a towel on the floor and stomp all over it to remove the water.  I do not rinse my felted pieces.

The experiments continue!  I'm still looking for a seamless way to do this type of felting that I LOVE(d) - pun intended!  Too bad it takes so long to knit something to try all over again.  I will not give up, but I am mourning still the loss of my old, trusty washing machine.  And I WILL post additional tips as I continue to try to produce a bag that somewhat resembles the results from my older washer.

Here again is my Ode to Wonder Washer!

Ode to Wonder Washer

Wonder Washer is its name

Felting in it - not the same.

Give me back my old machine.

Felting magic, clothes get clean.

This contraption is a hoot!

Sloshes, churns, and gives a scoot.

The finished bag, uneven and creased.

Came out OK, and so I ceased.

My motto stands: Nothing is simple!

Not a crime if there's a wrinkle.

A simple bag, once distressed,

Now is dressed:

Nuno, knit, and needle blessed.

3-felt bags are my goal.

Process/product is a whole.

Oh, PLEASE help me get a life

Reduce the stress for far less strife.

Wonder Washer is its name!

Felting in it - not the same!

But I prevailed and so I stand

A fan of this amusing brand!

The Felting Saga - Part III

Had to try Wonder Washer again!  This time, I tried a few different tricks.....not knowing what the result would be.  Here is the knitted bag BEFORE the start of the felting process- about 10" x 10."  It's mostly knit with crocheted flap edging and strap. First problem.....I ran out of the teal-colored yarn, so I had to improvise to complete the bag!

I normally leave all the cut ends of the yarn hanging out during felting.  Once felted, they (usually) can be simply cut off, leaving no trace of the cut.  I like to leave them on - especially at the corners, so I can pull on them to reshape the bag.

I placed the bag in a small pillowcase (I cut it down from a standard pillowcase), added hot water and then additional microwaved water, and a small amount of Woolite to the Wonder Washer tub.  I set it to agitating and pulled it out of the water to view the progress about every 6 minutes.  Nothing much seemed to be happening for about the first 15 minutes.  So I added two tennis balls (with holes drilled through).  Next check....some of the rubber from inside the tennis balls had seeped out from within, and there were tiny pieces of rubber merged into and through some of the felt.  In addition, parts of the bag were felting to itself, and other parts were unevenly felting.  OMG!!!  Another disaster, maybe!!!!

I removed the tennis balls and added instead two hard rubber balls that belong to our dog, Griff.  They each have 2 large holes so they bumped around suitable, I think!  I also scrapped the pillowcase bag and resorted to the mesh lingerie bag! The heck with loose fibers!  I need this process to work seamlessly - both literally AND figuratively!  After what seemed like an eternity and the addition of more microwaved hot water, the bag emerged, looking like this:

It is now about 7" x 8," so it has definitely shrunk, but the felting seems uneven to me.  It's not a perfect process or product, and I am discouraged since this type of felting has been such fun, such a pleasure, with occasion surprises.

OK, so NOW I am too disgusted to write my tips and strategies for felting with the Wonder Washer.  I promise to do that.....tomorrow maybe....along with photos of the final result - which I think will get some needle felting of yarn, roving, and pieces of silk.  Stay tuned for the final product!

The Felting Saga - Part II

Please read part one here for a bit of background on this felting fiasco!  

So it became obvious that I needed to find/develop some product or technique for felting knitted pieces that WOULD work for me - or abandon that aspect of my felting career for good!  I am fascinated by felting and "felt" unwilling to give it up.  Back to Google and lots more research on various knitting forums, Amazon, You Tube, and more!  Anything that could possibly help me arrive at a competent felting process without enormous physical labor on my part.

Enter Wonder Washer!  Yes, it's one of those products "SEEN ON TV!"  I had never seen it, however!  It got so-so reviews on amazon.com - but those were from apartment dwellers and singles who wanted something in which to wash their clothes! NOT!!! I have a brand new washing machine for that purpose!  I needed to look much further and deeper to find reviews from actual felters!  And I did!

There are actually two kinds of portable, countertop washers: one is manual, the other electric.  I opted for the electric model at around $45 (including shipping!) from amazon.com.  Now mind you, it doesn't add water; it doesn't heat the water, it doesn't rinse; it doesn't spin, and it doesn't empty itself!  But it DOES felt!

It's a cute, little contraption that I put into my sink, heated water in the microwave, added (too much) Woollite, and three tennis balls with holes drilled into them, and then added the newly knitted bag in a pillowcase.  And I let her rip!  You can open the lid, turn it on and off, add water, peek at the progress, rearrange the bag within the pillowcase, and lo and behind, it felted! Maybe too much!  And maybe a bit unevenly!  B U T...............it felted!  

Included here are some before and after photos:

Stay tuned tomorrow for TIPS for FELTERS USING the WONDER WASHER!

3KCBWDAY7- Balancing Your Craft!

Crafting Balance 
Are you a knitter or a crocheter, or are you a bit of both? If you are monogamous in your yarn-based crafting, is it because you do not enjoy the other craft or have you simply never given yourself the push to learn it? Is it because the items that you best enjoy crafting are more suited to the needles or the hook? Do you plan on ever trying to take up and fully learn the other craft? If you are equally comfortable knitting as you are crocheting, how do you balance both crafts? Do you always have projects of each on the go, or do you go through periods of favouring one over the other? How did you come to learn and love your craft(s)?

Freeform Knitted Lace with Freeform Crochet Edging

I guess you might say that I am WELL-BALANCED!  I am both a knitter and crocheter!  I learned to knit at about age 8 from my great aunt, who was Belgian.  I believe my mother taught me to crochet - don't remember when! I am about equally committed to both, plus a little felting thrown in there to truly create the balance. And the felting consists of knitted, nuno, and needle types, sometimes all three combined!  And then I recycle and like to create something from other functional objects, as in my Upcycle Scarves and Funky Fabric Scarves, the Rag Bags, and the Plarn Bags.  

Funky Fabric Scarf

Upcycle Scarf

I like freeform!  Organic designs, contemporary styling as well as classic, or organic, freeform within traditional styles - all are part of my repertoire.  As noted throughout this week of blogging, because I sell my work, I need to constantly be mindful of my audience, my followers, and the public in general - in terms of variety of color, texture, basic design, and styling.  So you might say that I dabble in everything (master of none??)

Bloomin' Neck Garden

Plarn Bag

I find crochet allows me to be more creative than knitting - maybe because I have not tried my hand at a some advanced stitches in knitting.  I can create 3-dimensional artwork with crochet; I can pull out parts without destroying the entire piece with crochet.  I can create freeform designs more readily with crochet.  Do I like it best? Not at all!  The balance of fiber art in my life is important.  I bore easily, like to work quickly, and often like combining my two or three interest areas.  This has become my life's work and work that I truly love!  As a career counselor too, I know how important this is and am grateful to have found this balance in my life - particularly during this time of retirement!

All my work is viewable on flickr!  Please take a look if interested!

3KCBWDAY5 - Something a Bit Different!

Ode to Wonder Washer

Wonder Washer is its name

Felting in it - not the same.

Give me back my old machine.

Felting magic, clothes get clean.

This contraption is a hoot!

Sloshes, churns, and gives a scoot.

The finished bag, uneven and creased.

Came out OK, and so I ceased.

My motto stands: Nothing is simple!

Not a crime if there's a wrinkle.

A simple bag, once distressed,

Now is dressed:

Nuno, knit, and needle blessed.

3-felt bags are my goal.

Process/product is a whole.

Oh, PLEASE help me get a life

Reduce the stress for far less strife.

Before!

Wonder Washer is its name!

Felting in it - not the same!

But I prevailed and so I stand

A fan of this amusing brand!

Finished Bag - front

Finished Bag - back

3KCBWDAY4 - A Knitter/Crocheter for All Seasons!

THAT'S ME!  It helps to be such a knitter when you sell your work!  Your product has to offer something for everyone.  So I am constantly developing new ideas, new designs, new styles of old designs.....and on and on and on!  The creative process never stops and doesn't depend on weather or season.  To some degree it does depend on color predictions for upcoming season, so I always check with Pantone and check the design blogs to know what's 'in!"  But basically, I knit what I like AND what I think my client base will most appreciate.  And I always keep in mind that accessory selection, in terms of color and design,  is very personal, so it behooves any designer of women's handcrafted accessories to include a variety of choices.

 My customers are from all over the world!  My local gallery, Port City Pottery & Fine Crafts, is in a wonderful location in beautiful downtown Wilmington NC, in an historic building (The Cotton Exchange), near the river, the Convention Center, the Hilton, and lots of other desirable interest areas for touring and shopping.  So seasons are not necessarily a factor for my work.  WHEW!!!  Happy for that, because I like to work with all manner of fibers no matter the season.

And then there is Facebook and Ravelry and flickr (where I inventory ALL my work!) that have drawn in people from around the world.  I am happy to say that social media has been very good for my business.  This is a business of LOVE first and foremost - a love of knitting, crocheting, and felting!  But it IS a business too!

Mmmmmmmm Felt!

Two new offerings in felted fiber from Scarf It Up!

Muted Loveliness Felted Scarf

Into the Deep Felted Scarf

Felt Day IS Labor Day!

I wrote the other day about laboring on Labor Day, forgetting how laborious a day of nuno felting is. I spent today (mostly ALL of today) creating 4 rather small pieces of nuno felt. Well, two of the pieces are actually scarves and the other two are smaller pieces to make in to brooches. It is not such a fun process, because it is so time-consuming and quite literally very HARD work, but it is indeed an interesting one. And I learned a few things through the process today:

• I need a bigger variety of wool roving in many more colors!
• I like the effect of felting both sides of the silk chiffon better than just one side.
• But both sides have to use a light touch when applying the wool
• Cover ALL edges with wool - lightly, so the cut edge is "finished"

So here are the results of my day of laboring with silk and wool, soap and water, plastic sheeting, solar pool covering, and a pool noodle - and a HUGE amount of elbow grease!