Spring has returned. The Earth is like a child that knows poems. ~Rainer Maria Rilke

Tuesday, November 8, 2011

From Yarn to Felted Scarf...

I finished the Noro yarn scarf.
I started with this beautiful "Oh my. I think I'm in love." yarn.
Rolled it into a beautiful ball of amazing color that changes magically as you knit or crochet.
 I crocheted the yarn, starting with a granny square, and then I triple crocheted half of the length of the scarf. I made two of these pieces and attached them to form one whole piece.
 This is how the scarf looked before felting...
Pretty but very open and loose. I chose crochet because I wanted to keep the pattern from disappearing when I felted it. As it turned out, I could have made a much shorter scarf because I didn't get the shrinkage in the length that I expected.
 I threw the scarf into a mesh bag. Set the washing machine on the lowest water setting and the hottest water. Tossed the bag in with a pair of jeans and an old towel. Added some liquid hand soap and agitated everything for just 5 minutes.
The scarf softened up but nothing happened.
Another 5 minutes... nothing.
At 15 minutes I started to see the wool tightening up.
Another 5 minutes. and the pattern was really pulling together.
It's fun to watch this happen and it was happening very fast.
(Again I didn't take photos. I'm always so involved in the process I forget to do this... and I was fixing dinner at the same time. Too much multi-tasking for this old lady.)
Finally at 25 minutes I pulled the bag out and checked the scarf for the last time.
It was done, baked... finished.
If I had continued for another 5 or 10 minutes the scarf would have tightened up to the point where the scarf would have been this skinny piece of wool that wouldn't look like the crocheted scarf that I worked so hard on. You have to be very careful not to over felt. You will lose all your hard work and all the colors. The pattern will blend together and disappear.
I took the scarf out of the bag and rinsed it in cool water. Then gently squeeze to get the water out. I rolled it up into a towel, laid it on the floor and stood on it to get as much moisture out as possible.
The whole scarf was very fuzzy and needed to be "cleaned up".
This is done with very sharp scissors and a steady hand. Because this is now a felted fabric, you can trim the edges and cut the fuzz off and it will not unravel. You have to be very careful though. You want to rid the scarf of the fuzz, not cut through it. I have used a razor for this on solid pieces of felting. It works well and is faster than scissors. I also have a lint shaver that I bought online at knitpicks.com This is a nifty little battery run, hand held defuzzer that can be used for anything that needs to be cleaned up or an old sweater that has pilled and looks awful. It's only $3.99 and well worth the price. I still like scissors for edges.
So, here is the finished felted scarf...
The scarf is very long. I really thought that it would shrink up, lengthwise, more than it did, so it's a very long scarf. It's an Isadora Duncan scarf, not silk of course, and not long enough to get caught in the wheels of a convertible car.
It's safe... and warm.
I'm very pleased with it. I stretched it out, pulling and shaping it as it dried, to show off the pattern.
Love the colors. Loved using a granny square on the ends.
Now... what do you think?
Buttons?
Two matching buttons in the middle of the granny squares?
Four buttons.. one on each corner?
Big and gaudy?
Vintage?
One big, one small?
Or no buttons at all.
Tell me what you think.
Maybe this scarf doesn't need buttons.
Maybe it's wonderful just the way it is.

14 comments:

  1. Ooooh, it's beautiful and I vote for no buttons at all. It's all about the colors and they are not needing any embellishment.

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  2. i dunno, it so beautiful and a mix of color and re i am tempted to say no buttons...

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  3. i dunno it so beautiful and a wonderful blend of color and texture that i am tempted to say no buttons...

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  4. It's like magic! I think it looks fantastic the way it is but IF you were to dress it up I'm for the big vintage buttons. Vintage always works for me.

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  5. The scarf is just beautiful without buttons. It is a lot of work you put into it, you are as I have said before a talented crafter. Have a blessed evening. Madeline

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  6. I like it without buttons...the colors are so expressive. It is just yummy the way it is...like pastel ice cream. I'd love to see it over a garment!

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  7. Gorgeous! I vote for the first buttons pictured. Plain, simple and oh so symmetrical!

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  8. When you said how long it was I pictured you as Isadora Duncan flinging it over your shoulder.

    I hate it when I finish something then have to make those final decisions - which trim, which buttons. I wouldn't add any buttons, it's perfectly beautiful as it is but if I added any it would be big and gaudy.

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  9. Either no buttons or the big flower button.

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  10. Simply marvelous! I love the colours...usually I don't like those wools that have multi colours in them because they look too perfect but this wool is gorgeous and the scarf is fantastic! I like the first buttons or the big vintage or the two...oh it's all good! Keep at it Connie.

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  11. Are you selling your creations? I would buy a few? Let me know...

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  12. BIG & GAUDY is absolutely perfect. The shape, size & color make a perfect finish to a perfectly devine scarf. ~Dawn

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  13. No buttons or small ones. I agree. Are you selling these anywhere, like on Etsy? You should be sweetie!

    They are beautiful.

    I laughed at the thought of you standing on the rolled up towel!!

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