Blends Challenge #2: The Results!

I apologize for taking so long with the results... it's been a busy week! Ready for some results?


Contestant #1 - funky patterned hoodie - 60% wools
Before & after:


Definitely felted some! I'm glad, because this one has great stripes & patterns.


Contestant #2- scenery patterned - 60% wools
Before & after:


This one did not felt, which surprised me. Maybe another run through a hot wash would do it, but no dice on this round!

Contestant #3 - cream fair isle - 63% wools
Before & after:


Felted!

Contestant #4 - yellow cabled - 65% wools
Before & after:


Felted!

Contestant #5 - pretty green & white stripes - 60% wools
Before & after:


Felted! I love how soft & dense this one is! Would make some great slippers!

Contestant #6 - lovely lavender - 65% wools



Felted!

Contestant #7- patterned mohair - 51% wools
Before & after:


Didn't felt :(. I can't say I was surprised on this one.

Contestant #8- light green - 65% wools
Before & after:


Felted!


Contestant #9 - bright turquoise - 55% wools
Before & after:


Felted!

Contestant #10- tan with chest stripes - 52% wools
Before & after:


This one was already lightly felted when I started, and it felted a little bit more.

So 8 out of 10 felted... not bad! I'm going to give those other 2 another chance to felt, the next time I hot wash a batch of sweaters.

Blends challenge #2!

My last blends challenge was fun, so I thought i'd do another one! Don't dismiss a sweater just because it isn't 100% wool! Though I only sell 70% wools/animal fibers (wool, angora, cashmere) & up for consistency in felting, I will use lower content blends sometimes, for my own personal projects. Let's find out if this batch will felt (or "full"... the correct, but less commonly used term)! [Insert cheesy announcer voice] Ready to meet out contestants?

Contestant #1 - funky patterned hoodie - 60% wools
I really hope this one felts! It has 3 different patterns on it, and would be great for multiple projects!


Contestant #2- scenery patterned - 60% wools


Contestant #3 - cream fair isle - 63% wools


Contestant #4 - yellow cabled - 65% wools


Contestant #5 - pretty green & white stripes - 60% wools


Contestant #6 - lovely lavender - 65% wools


Contestant #7- patterned mohair - 51% wools
Somehow I forgot to take the whole sweater pictures for this one & the next one.


Contestant #8- light green - 65% wools



Contestant #9 - bright turquoise - 55% wools
This one, and the next one, are almost like cheating, because both of them are already lightly felted, so I am pretty sure they will felt further.


Contestant #10- tan with chest stripes - 52% wools


They are in the washing machine right now. What do you think the results will be? Stay tuned for the results in the next few days!

Some Resweater randomness

See this sweater? It is a blend. I bought this to wear, and since it had a really low wool content, I threw it in with a load of laundry, and washed it on "cool". It came out lightly felted, like a merino usually does after a hot wash! Since I could no longer wear it, I was curious to see if it would fully felt, so I through it in with the next hot load. This is the results... the sweater underneath is the same size the gray one started out. My 6 year old couldn't fit into it now.



How much wool content, you ask?



Yep, 30%. Isn't that crazy? This is why I laugh when I see tutorials that say "you must use 100% wool or it will not felt". Granted, this is an unusual result for such a low content, but higher wool content blends (I only sell 70% & higher wool content blends) are pretty predictable felters.

On a completely unrelated note... I found this at the grocery store the other day, and had to try it.



It kinda tastes like an ugly sweater too ;).