Felting

Felting is a method of creating fabric without weaving or knitting.

Anyone who has ever accidentally run a wool sweater through the washing machine has felted. The likely outcome of the accident was a shrunken article of clothing a fraction of its original size. If you were to cut that sweater, you would discover that it would no longer unravel.

Lately, it has become popular to felt items on purpose. Felting creates a very thick, warm, soft fabric. There are many wonderful books on the subject. The excellent "Felted Knits" by Beverly Galeskas is one wonderful reference that will step crafters through the process of knitting oversize, floppy objects and then felting them (either on the stove or using a washing machine) to create lovely slippers, rugs, purses or garments.

If you are not a knitter, you can join in the felting craze by using cast off sweaters. The sweaters must be 100% wool (or very close -- I've had limited success with 90% wool items). Toss in your washer along with the rest of your laundry and wash in the hottest appropriate temperature. The combination of heat, water, soap and friction will all combine to turn your knit garment into a felted item. You may need to wash the sweater several times in order to get an appropriate amount of felting.

When it has felted enough to have lost much of the definition of it's stitch pattern, you may cut the garment without fear of unravelling. You may treat the sweater as a piece of fabric, that you can cut up and reassemble as you please.

There are many online articles that show you how to turn felted items into beautiful purses, toys and other fabulous items. Please feel free to add to this list below:

• Knitty always has wonderful ideas. This article shows you how to make two bags from recovered sweater parts: http://www.knitty.com/issuefall06/FEATfall06FK.html
• Some wonderful kitchen accessories can be made from a single cast off sweater: http://blairpeter.typepad.com/weblog/tutorials/index.html
• Sweater monsters: http://7deadlysinners.typepad.com/foureyedbat/crafts/index.html
• These lovely slippers are made from purchased felt, but no one's saying that you can't use felt you make yourself: http://www.marthastewart.com/page.jhtml?type=content&id=channel192546&contentGroup=MSL&site=living&rsc=ns2006_m2
• And, in case your wee one's tootsies get cold, more slippers from Martha Stewart: http://www.marthastewart.com/page.jhtml?type=content&id=channel1263&contentGroup=KIDS&site=kids&rsc=ns2006_m4
• A unique blanket: http://www.blackbirdsf.org/diy/blanket/
• I love this bunny, which I made using a recycled sweater with some fair isle detailing. http://weewonderfuls.typepad.com/wee_wonderfuls/store/wee-bunny.html
• And some more purse ideas: http://www.hgtv.com/hgtv/cr_accessories_purses/article/0,1789,HGTV_3227_4224963,00.html
• This is a site with a collection of links to free felted knitting patterns from various sources. http://www.knittychick.com/