Felting!

So, I made myself a new backpack the other day.

Sure, it's a little too big- and pretty flimsy- now, but just you wait! I knitted this bag with about 7 balls of wool, and the yarn is doubled in a few places to try and give it a little more support. So now it's just a matter of getting it to look, and be as useful as, a backpack.  Which is where felting comes in!
This may be a bit of a challenge while at college for me, where I don't really have the convenience of a top-loading washer (not to mention one I can use for free...) or the ability to boil and put hot water into the washer when I want....

Maybe I should start with what felting is, for those that don't know.  It's when you put something made of wool into hot water and agitate it, which is best done in the washing machine.  The material then shrinks up the size of the item (in my case it's usually purses) and makes it thicker.  When I knit something and then felt it, the stitches aren't even seen in the final product.  For many people, felting is that annoying thing that happens when they accidentally put their favorite hat or sweater in the washing machine, and afterwards find it now fits better on their baby.  But for me, well, it's awesome.

It's a process that can take something and complete it by giving it the a whole new look and feel that knitting alone can't create.  And besides, my whole craft obsession was started after I felted my first purse, and then 'felt' the need to keep on experimenting... (Sorry for the awful pun, I just figured I should embrace it rather than try to find a different way to say that ;p)  Sure, I've had many problems with felting, and I have many stories if you ever need advice, but all in all it's a pretty great technique.

So, back to my current backpack and laundry room problems.  Usually I watch things that I felt all through the cycle, and actually use multiple cycles for bags sometimes.  This will be such an experiment for me, since I won't have any control over what's going on, or see it at all! I guess I'll just throw a few pairs of jeans in with it (hey, might as well get some laundry done too if I'm paying for it, right?!) and hope that nothing super crazy happens... I'm very interested to see how this will work, and I can't wait to show you all the finished piece!

I've also finished up something today that I made with sea glass. I really want to post it, but I want to  show David before the whole internet sees! I think it's pretty cool, but I'll have to see what you all think... I'll write again soon, so keep checking in ;)