Tips to a successful crochet-felted project

First and foremost be sure it felts. How does one know? There are a few easy ways to tell.

1. Check the label.
   1. It needs to read 100% wool (not super wash)
   2. Be sure it is NOT “super wash”
   3. Additionally, If it says; wash in cold water good chance it is wool
   4. There is another way to to check to see if it’s wool. Take a lighter to the end of the yarn. If it burns for a while( be sure to blow out) and looks like a burnt ball it is not wool. it it does not burn for long and when tamping out it ashes it is wool.
2. Novelty mixes (% wool and other fibers)
   1. They can be felted but I don’t suggest doing it as a stand alone project.
   2. Novelty yarns that carry at least 50% wool in them will felt but again, I would carry a full 100% wool along with it.
   3. Novelty yarns
      1. They can be felted but will need to be carried along with a 100% wool yarn.
         1. This way of working can make for very interesting outcomes. Just remember non felting yarns will not shrink down BUT will bubble to the top of the felted piece and can be over taken by the wool.

• Old wool felts better. ( I know to some of you will say ” well duh”)
• A larger crochet hook felts better. I use K, L and even M hooks. I have used smaller hooks and had trouble getting the crochet stitch look out. But can be used as an element in a design.
• Half double crochet stitch felts the best for me. Stitch lines were removed at the felting process. Using double crochet stitch felts well onto its self but challenging to get it to fully felt on the each side stitches. Single crochet stitch can be used too but be sure you use an larger size hook so that the wool can grab onto the other stitches.
• Pre-felted wool will shrink width wise more that length wise.
• Adding non felting yarns to a piece works better if it is carried along with wool.
• Expect to have distortion if adding non felting yarns even if carrying wool with it.
• Non felting yarns are good to add as a surface design before felting, however, using a smaller hook to add them makes them less loopy once the felting process is complete.
• If adding nonfelting yarns to wool yarns do not fully cover the wool yarns because the wool will not be able felt and will be an open space. Covering the wool can be a great element in the design just know what can happen.
• After wool is fully felted, surface design work makes up wonderful.
• If you want to over work in wool after felting re washing the overworked wool will full into the finished wool. You might need to hand manipulate a little. Plan your work to add the non felting items after all the wool designing is complete.
• Once wool is felted especially if you are using multi colors, you might want to shave the wool. This will bring back definition to the piece. I use many different types of shaving devices. From pill shavers to electric hair trimmers and dog trimmers. These also help in bringing definition to multi dimensional work.