Felting in the dryer?

norfolkknitter · Posted: Fri Oct 31, 2008 6:08 am Post subject: Felting in the dryer?

I'm trying a new felted tea cosy pattern and the instructions for felting use the tumble dryer! Put the wet knitting plus a wet pair of jeans in the dryer for 10 minutes and keep checking to see what happens... I'm going to try it later! Photos to follow!

Kathryn · Posted: Fri Oct 31, 2008 6:22 am Post subject:

That sounds intriguing.

I would imagine that it's easier to control the results than using a front loading washing machine.
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norfolkknitter · Posted: Fri Oct 31, 2008 6:30 am Post subject:

knancy knitter · Posted: Thu Dec 17, 2009 5:06 pm Post subject:

OK, I have a question about felting and thought this was a good place to pose it. Can you control the amount of shrinkage? How is the control acheived? Does the garment shrink more in one direction then the other or equally all the way round.
OK - so it was more then one question, one always leads to others with me.

Kathryn · Posted: Fri Dec 18, 2009 9:24 am Post subject:

As far as I'm aware, felting is an in-exact science, and it is very difficult to end up with an exact sized piece of work.

Felting does shrink work more in one direction than another. These are the dimensions of a felted bag that I made - before and after:

Dimensions before felting:

Width - 24cm
Height - 35cm
Depth - 12cm
I-cord - 267cm

Dimensions after felting:

Width - 16cm
Height - 18cm
Depth - 9cm
I-cord - 119cm

If you wanted more control over the finished size, then I would recommend felting by hand, rather than in the washing machine.
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knancy knitter · Posted: Sat Dec 19, 2009 1:40 am Post subject:

Wow, you guys have an amazing array of experience here. Thanks much Kathryn.
So you lose more in length than in width, I was hoping to have it go the other way.
Perhaps if I try it by hand and stretch it one way while I felt it, strap it to some sort of lengthener so that I lose mostly width and very little length. Is that a possibility? Mind you I have yet to work this all out mechanicly so this is really just hypothetical. I'm thinking to stretch it around some sort of hoop frame long ways.

norfolkknitter · Posted: Sat Dec 19, 2009 11:48 am Post subject:

Kathryn's right... felting is inexact, which for me is part of the fun! I'm busy whipping up a pair of slippers for DD to felt and I'm just knitting a big pair of socks and shall sling them in with the wash shortly... If you find the dimensions are not quite what you expected, stretching by blocking can work, as can stuffing slippers with newspaper (ask me how I know Wink

)...

Some of the felting books recommend swatching and felting the swatch in the way you will felt the finished item to give a better guide... I'm too impatient! Embarassed