BellaOnline Forums Hobbies and Crafts Knitting Another felting question

I was reading a book about felting and it suggested
buying thrift store sweaters to felt and cut up as
accent pieces on bags you make and felt, etc.

So I'm wondering -- I saw a vintage Norwegian sweater
at a thrift store, pure virgin wool (wholesome little
thing) -- and wondered if it could be felted and
made into bags. I would take the lovely embroidered
ribbon trim off first, then add it after assembling,
if anyone thinks this might work! Of course, for
$4.99, it's prob'ly worth an experiment!

Also -- it has great pewter buttons - missing a
couple of course - but could be so cute as a closure
on a little felted bag or used on other sweater, etc.

Thanks for your thoughts, felters...

Well you can always just give it a try. How did the other project turn out ? Did you try "felting" it again ? Be sure to check directions because after I thought about it, they may have wanted you to "full" instead of "felt" they are two different process's

Hi Eva,

Thanks for your input. I'm not the first felting
question person, though -- the slipper-felter --
so I, too, wonder if they got down to the size
she wanted.

Will have to double-check on the diff between
fulling and felting - have seen them both in print
and was assuming they were the same - yikes! Eva
to the rescue again! - janis

Boy, do I feel dumb! I just Googled "felting recycled
sweaters" and found that my big idea is all over the
internet! Either I'm psychic or great minds think alike?

Anyway -- wanted to make others aware there's a wealth
of info on this subject if anyone else is interested...
Seems like fun AND slightly less expensive than some
of my projects. (though not if you take your recycled
tote bag to a shoemaker to put leather handles on it,
as one blogger does!) But she probably sells her creations
and does very well...

I have a couple of friends who like to work with hats, and finding a big ol' floppy wool hat at a thrift store is their idea of perfect. They can felt them, or in the case of wool felt hats, it's pretty stunning how you can utterly reshape and reblock them after steaming them.

Wearable artist Jean Cacicedo made her name by buying wool jersey fabric yardage, felting it herself at home and them making applique clothing from it. Great stuff.

Work with what works for you and fits your budget.

Wow, that's the coolest idea! Think what you could do with sweaters and blankets that moths have gotten to . . . Re-visioned into bags and purses. I never think of these things.

So many projects, so little time!

Becky