Great Article on Why Wool Yarn Felts

I saw this article in my Knitting Guild Newsletter and copied it here - so interesting.

The link above also takes you direct to the article.

Felt Making with Knits Ideas from Crystal Palace Yarns - Straw Into Gold

Why Does Wool Felt?

Recently I was reading various online sites about felting and about making felted purses and I was amazed to see a felted bay designer explaining that wool felts because it has a spiral structure and the coils get tangled and that makes felt.
This is an incorrect explanation of why wool felts, so I decided I should write a little about it.
As someone who has taught spinning and fiber classes since 1970 I have always explained felting this way:
Wool fibers have tiny microscopic scales along their surface. Some types of wool have larger scales than others. The types of wools that are coarser and smoother and have the highest sheen to them (such as Lincoln, Leicester, Wensleydale) have larger scales and reflect more light off their surface leading to the sheen. Finer wools (of which Merino is the main example) have much, much smaller scales and do not reflect light and have a more "matt" look to the surface of the yarn or finished knitting.
When wool fibers are shocked by temperature and rubbing the little scales lift up and as the fibers rub against each other they lock down on nearby fibers and form a tighter and tighter mass and form felt. Felt can be made from "just the fibers" unspun, or as many knitters are discovering, from knit pieces that are felted after knitting.
Many unhappy owners of fine wool sweaters have discovered felting by accident when a (usually well-meaning) mate or child dumps a wool sweater into the washing machine and out comes a much smaller, thicker sweater.
Superwash wool is a wool that has been treated by one of several processes or surface treatments that smoothes or "glues down" the little scales on the wool so that they do not lift up and lock down on neighboring fibers. Some treatments are more stern and really lock the fibers (with often a textile "glue" made from a nylon type solution that will dye similarly to the wool) and these treated wools can go through both a washer and a dryer. Most Machine Wash yarn labels, however, mean you can do a gentle wash cycle, but dry flat and NOT put in the dryer.
Remember, however, that machine washing will eventually soften the surface and lift fibers - even if the garment doesn't actually felt - and your handknits will look their best the longest if you do as much handwashing as possible, even on Machine Wash labeled yarns. I also recommend using a Lingerie Wash bag for washing machine washables (and many also use them for felting for a less fuzzy surface.)  See information here.
Here are some links to see the wool fiber under a microscope (I used to have a small microscope I took to classes I taught to show students wool, cotton, alpaca, etc. under magnification - great fun!)
This page shows microscopic views of various wools & a lot of information on wool:
http://www.rugreview.com/83wool.htm
Why wool shrinks - this article refers to the scales as "shingles" on the wool
http://www.glmerc.com/sleeping/wool.htm#shrink
Electron Microscopy of Wool - see page 6 of this PDF for a CLOSE View!
http://nvl.nist.gov/pub/nistpubs/jres/041/3/V41.N03.A07.pdf
Comparing Alpaca fibers and structure to wool
http://www.alpacas-4-sale.com/alpaca_fiber.htm
I've been experimenting with making felt using the printed colors of our Labrador (thick-thin spun yarn) and Iceland (smooth spun soft wool) and the interesting patterning and texture of the surface of printed colors adds an additional fun aspect to felting.
With both Labrador and Iceland being bulky you can knit up the piece for felting quickly on size 15 needles.
Here some before and after felting swatches using Labrador (with measurements):

Above knit on 15s in garter using Labrador wool stitch using color Picnic #7263 with a little stripe of solid  color #1219 fuchsia Iceland 6" x 5.5"		Above after felting* 4.5" x 4.5"
Above knit on 15s in rev Stst areas on 15s with Iceland in color "shadows" #7268 100% soft wool 5" x 5.5"		Above after felting* 4.5" x 4"

* For felting these - I put the pieces in the washing machine with a small load of bath towels and did a 5 minute wash cycle. Since they were not felted as much as I wanted, I put them in the dryer with the towels and took them out when the towels were about half dry (10-15 min.)
Susan Druding
SEE also photos of Iceland felted with Blippity yarn here.
Retail shops in the USA should contact CPY Wholesale for information on purchasing Crystal Palace Yarns.
email: cpyinfo -at- straw.com (change the -at- to @)

or write to:
Crystal Palace Yarns, 160 23rd Ave, Richmond, CA 94804
phone: 510-237-9988,  fax: 510-237-9809

Noni patterns, Savage Maryland

I was searching for a touristy place to meet our friends, half-way between Washington DC and Falling Waters, WV, when I came upon a Weaving Mill that was restored to a specialty shopping center with restaurants, unique shops and best of all a Noni shop with yarns, patterns and knit felt items from the patterns.

We made the arrangements to meet, but found the shops to be closed ... even though the web page had the advertised as open.  But there were windows in the Noni shop and I saw first hand many of the items that I've only seen in photos in yarn shops.  I so wanted to look inside each knit felted bag, and examine the huge felted flowers, and embellishments, but that wasn't possible this trip.

The 45 minute trip back to DC took over 2 hours, but we were in a borrowed vehicle - rather than on the bikes, so the scorching heat wasn't the issue it would've been on motorcycles.  Here are a few links to Noni bags, and the link to Savage Mill

http://www.nonibags.com

Noni Bags and Patterns

Just got the NEW VOGUE Knitting for fall

Check out this link.  Fall Knitting coming soon!!

This is my favorite knitting magazine.

I'm Knitting the Lucy Bag - when I take breaks from ...

The "Lucy Bag" by "Two Old Bags" is a pattern that Jenn bought me in Kansas, she bought the yarn for it too - so-o-o-o I'm knitting one up.  It will end up being a ball (balloon) shape sort of, with two straps, a long one on one side long enough to drop the bag to the waist and rest your hand on the top of the bag naturally, and a short strap to pull the long one through as a closure!

This is the bag - the link to their web page is  HERE (twooldbagspatterns.com)

 The Lucy Bag - see link to their web page above

I've seen this pattern over and over and have always planned on getting the pattern and making it or designing something similar.  It is super simple, because it starts out knitting in the round with double pointed needles.  And this is pretty neat, yesterday I got a great video from Berroco How to Use Double Pointed Needles check this out.  It really helps to see how to hold the needles with a video demonstration.

I was looking forward to 10 days of chilling before I do our annual Run For The Wall motorcycle ride, it is close to 4000 miles for us, on our motorcycles, long days, short nights and well, a great reunions with friends and communities all across America, but in one word exhausting.

So when we came home to our closed up home from our winter trips, and found mice had turned our home into an amusement park, I was totally dismayed.  Now instead of liesurly filing monthly reports, wrapping up the last minute details for nearly 1000 RFTW riders on the Run, placing orders for last minute materials for RFTW and catching up on time with my Sis, Russ's Sisters, Son, D-I-L and g-kids, & friends - (was that too much to plan in 10 days?) instead we're digging through dark places finding a nest with 7 babies in the hubbies underwear drawer, next fixins in my underwear drawer, mice trails in all silverware and lower cabinets in kitchen, and the worst - all through the cabinet where we store our clean folded clothing - EVERYTHING MUST BE WASHED! - I'm so bummed, and achy.

Anyway - we'll get through this.  With a little advise from my B-I-L who does extermination, and making myself walk into rooms with enough boldness to check traps, I've found one in a trap - victory, now where are the other 12 they say you have if you've seen one!!

Field Mice belong OUTSIDE!! Someone please tell them that!!

Enough about mice.  Our house is usually very sound and wonderful to come home to, so I'm not complaining, just saying, no rest for the weary this week.  Last night talking to my Mom she reminded me that they have bombs for critters that you can set when you leave- actually my Dad yelled it from the other room, "get a bomb," and we, being girls, misunderstood, and decided I'm not ready for that drastic measure unless, of course, insurance covers it.  Really - I can do this.  My Dad's other suggestion was to get a couple of snakes, and Russ's reply was if you can put a leash on a snake he would do it - it's finding the snake after he's eaten - never know when they'll show back up after a belly full.

I don't like spiders and snakes, OR MICE!!

OH YES - TO ANSWER THE LINGERING QUESTION "DID THEY GET INTO MY YARN WHILE WE WERE AWAY?"

YES OF COURSE!! WHAT DO YOU THINK THEY MADE THE NEST OUT OF!  But they didn't touch my wool or natural yarns - so weird (and so thankful) they liked the polyester/acrylic kind..

Patons(R) Bohemian Yarn -  Patons(R) Bohemian Yarn is an intriguingly soft textured yarn with a cool subtle handle that you just can't stop touching. This luxurious chenille is ideal for garments such as scarves, hats, ponchos, wraps as well as hip home decor projects, pillows and glorious throws. AND NESTS FOR MICE!!

Patons Bohemian here's a picture and a description of the yarn - too funny they picked this yarn out of a downstairs (bottom of a basket of yarn) closet, and carried strips of it to each of our vanities in upstairs rooms. So Creative they are - oops thought I was done talking about m---! 

Knitting and Motorcycles

Knitting will be on hold for the next month or so, unless I choose to take a small stash with me, I may.

This month is full of motorcycle events that we will be working.  So, thanks to Theresa Honeywell, and this internet, I've placed a picture of a knit covered motorcycle.

Still not sure how she did this, but ... when you think of me I'm either knitting or riding in may.

Events:  Run For The Wall www.rftw.org (my committment, May 17-May 30)
Arlington Assembly of God Biker Sunday May 30
Centreville Community Church Biker Sunday June 6

My bags are packed, I'm ready to go ...