Felting Tales

I've finished two felting projects recently and learned one important thing.  Swatching.  If it is important to (a)make sure the wool you're using (I'm looking at you, unlabeled stash yarn!) is not superwash and (b)to have some idea what the finished size is, you should take the time to swatch.  Especially if that yarn is the main body of the project.

Here's what happened.

1.  I made Fuzzy Feet.  I used yarn from a sweater I never finished that I was _sure_ must be feltable.  Cascade 128.  It was nice and thick and a neutral color and how could it not be great?  It kind of felted, but not as much as I would have liked.  And not nearly as much as the stripes did, which were kind of random stash yarns.


2.  I made a Buttonhole Bag.  I had this idea for a "formal" felted clutch.  At this point in my life, my little black handbags that I use for Holiday Parties, etc., don't fit my wallet, phone, keys, etc.  I think I used to get around this by taking my driver's license and cash out of my wallet and just putting it in my purse.  I thought a mostly black bag with just a little color around the top would look pretty neat.  My downfall was that I began to suspect that the skein of leftover black yarn was Wool-Ease from the monkey's mittens and I didn't take the time to test-felt it to be sure.  Ah, well, it'll make a good sock project bag.  I'm thinking about swinging by Joann's tomorrow to buy some wool specifically for this project because I'm still thinking about it.