felting fun

I've had a thing about knitting lately - plus a new found skill of felting so what better fun than to combine the two! Of course there are loads of books and websites about felting - knitted or not - but this is my take on it. I had no idea how this bag would turn out - or indeed how big or small it would be - so it is an experiment. However I think it was a pretty successful one - here is the bag unfelted. It was knitted mainly from pure wool but some were chunkier than others.

And here it is felted!! I put it in the washing machine on 60 degrees F with a couple of towels and prayed! It measures about 6" high and about 12" across - so not huge but just right for holding a few balls of wool. I may even use it as a handbag on the right occasion!

I also had a go at some slipper socks for my daughter to wear in her dorm at uni - her feet are always cold! I followed a pattern from 'Felt Frenzy' by Heather Brack and Shannon Okey - (fantastic book with 26 projects for all kinds of felting). The toes didn't felt as well as the rest but they turned out pretty well I think. I felted these by hand with hot water, soap flakes and plenty of elbow grease and could keep an eye on how small they were getting! With the washing machine it's a bit hit and miss!