My summer seems to be felting

Spring quickly turns into summer. We have had so much rain here, I feel like I am living in a rain forest, upside to that is lush growth of the garden and flowers. The air is heavy, even at 80 you perspire, and, as my friend pointed out, everything you stick in your pockets come out damp.

This spring I began with my first felted purse, I am still carrying it and love it. This quickly turned into an obsession. Fast forward to now, and I have numerous skeins of yarn, patterns and friends that I have drug along in my felt mania.

I’m going to try to arrange a “felting party”, some friends, (yes all of my friends have had knitting needles thrust at them), some wine, snacks and a Saturday on the deck.

Knitting and felting a purse is a great project for a beginner knitter. No matter what style of purse you prefer there is a pattern out there, or you can tweak one. Pick your color, or colors and your off. Mistakes disappear, a way too big knitted sack appears and the fun really begins, felting is amazingly fun.

The only thing you need to know:

-need 100% wool yarn

-or wool fiber

-whatever you knit will get smaller, and this has a lot of variables, different yarns, temp of water, ph, soap, and more. So you do have a element of surprise.

-knitting a swatch and felting can help (see above)

-there is also “needle felting” which includes fiber and a various size of large sewing like needles, a lot of poking (watch the fingers) and amazing results. Add designs to knitted/felted purses or other items, you can felt small animals, or shawls and other items. Thanks to Phyllis at Spin, Knit and Life for opening this door for me.

My favorite book is by Kelley Deal from The Breeders, (her twin sister Kim Deal is in the Pixies) the book is Bags that Rock, not all of the bags are felted, there are all types from rock and roll to dainty and feminine. Good variety, even what they class as intermediate is easy for a beginner.

I bought a “felting kit” from Wildhare on Etsy, and was inspired by Tal Gal Knits and Spins, look at her felted bag. Very Pretty!!

More on the “felting party” on a later post.

Along with felting I have been Kool Aid dyeing, great fun, smells good also. I picked orange and bravely went to town on my first handspun from my new Lendrum wheel.

Get out your knitting and get happy.

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felting wool,felted bag. felting party,needle felting,spin,knit and life,bags that rock,needle felting kit,knit,handspun,kool Aid Dyeing,lendrum spinning wheel

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