1 of 1

Write now Article Tools

If you love needle crafts, there is a simple technique to transform your woven wool into a completely different look. Lovers of both crochet and knitting can benefit by learning how to felt their projects. With some time and effort, you will develop a new way to craft. The most common felting process for home crafters is wet felting.

Felting Basics

At its most basic, felting means taking an item made of animal fibers and shrinking the material together using water, heat, and agitation. The fibers will lock together, and what once was a loose crocheted piece of cloth now will look like a solid fabric. Felting is wonderful for knitted or crocheted bags, because it will tighten the fibers into one durable material.

Choosing a Yarn

The composition of your yarn is important when you want to try a felted project. The yarn needs to be 100% animal fibers, and wool is the felting material of choice for most knitters. Many artificial fibers are designed to be machine washable, so the moisture and agitation will not transform them in the same way. Blends are often created to keep the benefits of wool, but give the yarn more durability. If you are following a pattern, try to find the recommended yarn.

Wet Felting

Wet felting involved agitating your finished item in hot water. While this process is possible by hand, using a washing machine can be a faster and simpler process. Fill your machine with hot water, and drop in the item to be felted. If you secure the crocheted item inside a zipped pillowcase, it will be easier to remove later. Set a timer for five minutes and let the machine agitate your project. Check your project when the timer goes off. You may need to check it several times, depending on the yarn that you have chosen. Do not let your washer get to the spin cycle with your item still in it. Remove the piece when it is done and rinse it with cold water.

Create a Swatch

Too many crafters skip the important step of creating a swatch when they want to felt a new material. If you are creating your own pattern, creating a swatch will help you decide exactly how big to crochet the item. You will need to crochet a square of the yarn that you want to use. Make it at least five inches on each side, and record how big it is before you felt it. When you felt the square, use the same method that you intend to use for your finished item - either by hand or in the washing machine. Once it has dried, you will be able to measure it again and see how much smaller the material is. A rough estimate is that you will lose about 25% of the size of the item, but swatching your yarn will give you a specific percentage.

Felting Tips and Tricks

The most important thing to keep in mind when you are learning to felt is have patience. Just like when you learned to crochet, it can take a lot of time to perfect your technique. Different fibers will respond best to different times and temperatures, so have faith that the material will felt eventually. However, be wary of extremely light colored yarns. These may be bleached, which can prevent the fibers from felting.

Felting is a versatile way to change the look of your crocheted projects. Experiment with your favorite yarns and different patterns. As you learn how the fibers react, you will be able to create your own beautiful patterns and projects.

Learn more about this author, K.A. Smith.
Click here to send this author comments or questions.

Add your voice

Know something about What is felting in crocheting??
We want to hear your view. Write now!