Things You'll Need:
- 100 percent wool fabric or yarn that is marked dry clean or cold water wash only
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Step 1
Select a fabric or item. If you plan to make a sewn garment, felt the wool before cutting. If you want to make a felted item that has been knitted or crocheted, make the item on very large needles (size 11 or 13) and make it at least twice the size you want it to be.
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Step 2
Felt the item. Put your fabric or item in a large mesh lingerie bag. Fill the washing machine with the hottest water possible and a small amount of detergent. Set the washing machine for hot wash/cold rinse.
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Step 3
Submerge the lingerie bag in the hot water and start the machine. Let it agitate for about 15 minutes and then check to see if it is felting. By this time you should be able to get a feel for how quickly it is felting. Different yarns felt differently, so you will want to check from time to time. You may need to restart the agitation cycle a time or two to continue felting.
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Step 4
Spin the water out. When the fabric or item is sufficiently felted, or is not shrinking more, run it through the spin cycle to remove as much water as possible. Remove it from the washer immediately so creases don't set.
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Step 5
Check the item. If you are felting fabric, you may want to felt it further by putting it in a hot dryer. If you are felting a knitted or crocheted item, you will need to run it through the washing machine again if it is not felted enough.
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Step 6
Dry your felt. Felted fabrics can be dried in a hot dryer if they need more felting. Otherwise, pin the selvages together, smooth the folded fabric and lay it to dry on a flat surface such as a bed, counter or blocking board. Felted objects like bags, hats or any other three-dimensional items need to be blocked and shaped. One easy way to do this is to fill the bag or hat with plastic bags, shaping it as you go.
