Monday, September 25, 2006

Knit Fulled/Felted Hat and Guild




See previous post for before pix. As you can see, the end result is a WAY shorter hat, and it shrinks more in length than in width as well. This one has a nice firm brim that can be adjusted to fold up more in front or be the same all the way around.

I partially knit another wide brimmed hat for felting in Alpaca, a fabulous raspberry color but ran out of yarn (had doubled the thickish yarn ) so I may need to rip it and combine with a different one, or do something else. Now that I have used the yarn, I am thinking it is so nice and soft that it may be better off not fulled/felted at all. You can use hard yarn, even carpet yarn, and felting will make it very soft. It actully is a waste of yarn to use luxury yarn for felting.

Since these hats are generally knit up in a few Netflix sittings, no biggie ripping. Just hope the alpaca yarn survives ok. Lately I have read about knitting with strips of roving so will use those guidelines of I do rip per is was barely twisted.

Yesterday was my Spinning Guild meeting (we had a fiber related swap meet) and I came home with some fabulous knitting books (Barbara Walker), other fiber and craft books, and more WOOL!!! And a pair of lethal weapons, also know as Louet combs.

I had to explain to my Honey that the Sheep Sheparding book is not for getting sheep!

Saturday, September 23, 2006

Winter hats are starting up




Oh been too busy keeping up with life duties to blog, plus of course doing some knitting, spinning, wet felting ( and raw wool processing) and knitting for felting. Oh yes, machine knitting too. No wonder blogging is sporatic!

WIPs are making progress. Latest completed is a wide brimmed knitted-and-then-felted hat. It turned out quite nice. Never can tell from knitting then felting, how tight or how long it will end up, and you have to really pay attention. This project ( see prefelting image) needed 2 full cycles through the washing machine with a pair of jeans. Tide and HOT wash COLD rinse. Can you tell I like to wear knit/crocheted things? I don’t crochet much and the crochet cardi is one of my treasures that keeps on trucking; Mom made it over 30 years ago.

Anyway, the hat was from a strand of fairly thick Lopi and another of a fine maroon colored carpet yarn, per 2 strands always help in the felting of a hand knit item. Size 10.5 needles. Using 2 circulars, this knit up in a few sessions of movie viewing. I will post the completed item soon.....

My machine knitting group met earlier this month and I am reinspired, new techniques. We had Tricia Shafer of Knitters Edge. She is so dynamic and has THE website for both machine and handknitting. She showed us many hand manipulated aspects to use on knitting machines. The tips re nice looking decreases were insightful.

I love going to my 2 guilds. Tomorrow my spinning guild is having a stash reduction and swap based meeting. Wo-hoo! They also have a great library and you can request books and magazines via online, and pick up at the meeting. Ain’t technology grand? I’ll be getting a book called Women‘s Work, the First 20,000 years. This book really speaks to me; I was an Anthroplogy Major when I first went to college. Margaret Mead inspired! I had just returned from Micronesia....Anyway, the book sounds great!

About Me

Marin County, California, United States
I work for 2 non-profits in Marin County CA (near SF) that serve the Developmentally Delayed. I was introduced to weaving and knitting at a very young age. Over the years I have always had knitting on hand. There was a time where I was severely chastised for being so old fashioned, so it is great to see the upsurge in the home arts now going on! I have expanded into machine knitting; fortunately there is a great Guild nearby that has really been great. Spinning Fibers is a new thrust as well, and felting has creeped in too. If only I had more time...