• Home
  • Suggest A Craft
  • DIY Newsletter

Crochet

Patterns, projects and techniques

  • About CraftGossip
  • Our Network
    • Bath & Body Crafts
    • Candle Making Ideas
    • Crochet Ideas
    • Cross Stitch
    • Edible Crafts
    • Felting Patterns
    • Glass Art
    • Home & Garden Ideas
    • Indie Crafts
    • Jewelry Making
    • Kids Crafts
    • Knitting Patterns
    • Lesson Plans
    • Needlework
    • Party Ideas
    • Polymer Clay
    • Quilting Ideas
    • Recycled Crafts
    • Scrapbooking
    • Sewing Patterns
    • Card Making
    • DIY Weddings
    • Not Craft Ideas
  • Giveaways
  • Roundups
  • Store
  • Search

WOOL FELT AND YOUR CROCHET HOOK

September 4, 2009 by jd wolfe

I’ve blogged about crochet and felting before. With the advent of cold weather in my part of the world, I began thinking about making some items for my mother in law who’s visiting us until late November. She’s not used to cold weather and will need some layers to keep her warm. Felted wool is some of the warmest fabric around. Actually wool felt is a wonder fabric.  Why?

It’s waterproof if it’s heavily felted….

It’s almost fireproof – with a flash point higher than 100 degrees F….

It has no noticeable nap….

It can be cut and will not ravel, making it an excellent choice for garments, bags, and other cold weather items…

It’s easy to make!

Here’s a sample of a decorative felted bag:

cro felt bag orange 0909

Felted crochet bag

Now, having written all that about felting in the paragraphs above, it’s obvious that part of this bag is NOT felted.  How?

Wool that has not been superwashed or bleached WILL always felt if certain things happen to it:

application of heat, water, soap, and agitation (and heat isn’t absolutely required).

BUT, one can crochet an item, like the purse above, with rows of 100% feltable wool and with rows of non-feltable fibers like fun-fur, acrylic, viscose, and other novelty yarns and fibers.  The application of heat, water, soap, and agitation may do something to these other fibers, but they won’t felt.

What is felting?  Properly called ‘fulling’, it’s the meshing together of teensy barbs on the strands of wool that are crocheted (or knitted or woven).  Actual, even if the strands aren’t worked into any sort of pattern, they’ll felt if the conditions are right.

Creating felted or fulled items requires a little preplanning.  First, they must be crocheted about 1/3 larger than the expected dimensions of the finished item.  To assure this, one must create a swatch using the intended wool (or wool blend) and treat it with heat, water, soap, and agitation like the final object will be treated.

There are plenty of patterns online and in books and magazines for felted (or fulled) crochet items.  Two great sources online are:

www.crochetpatterncentral.com

www.lionbrand.com

If you have some unbanded wool on hand and want to know if it will felt, use the swatch method to test it.  Anything labeled ‘superwashed’, as is often the case for sock yarns and baby yarns, will not felt no matter how hard you try.  Also, white yarns are often hard or impossible to felt because they have been bleached.  Still, I have had success using ‘white’ yarns for contrast, sticking with natural ‘whites’ and off-whites that haven’t been bleached.  Only way to be sure is to test swatch the wool.

Crocheted felted items also combine nicely with other crafts.  Appliques made from flat felt lengths (which you can purchase or create yourself) will add a great dimension to store-bought sweaters and denim jackets.  Felted flowers make great appliques.  Geometric shapes make handy, inexpensive, and durable patches for kids’ jeans and sweats.  How about putting your kid’s name on a sweatshirt, ball cap or backpack with felt?  It can be sewn on or glued on with washable fabric glue.  The uses are many.  Go out and make something!

More Crochet?

  • Hook Your Way to Summer Bliss: Dive into This Juicy…
  • Wool Stash Builder Mega Box from Darn Good Yarn
  • Why You Should Donate Your Excess Yarn: Bringing…
«
»

Comments

  1. Robin says

    September 5, 2009 at 1:17 pm

    Thanks! Great information, I tried felting and now I know why it didn’t work. Great blog – Love the Bag.

  2. jd says

    September 5, 2009 at 3:55 pm

    Thanks so much for your kind words. Glad to be of help!jd

  3. Peachy says

    September 17, 2009 at 7:21 am

    Hi,

    I was just browsing for a good crochet beginner’s book (which Im hoping would be available to where I live unfortunately I wasn’t that lucky to find one yet) when I came across your site.

    I find your works really awesome and I hope I can be as good as you are… Too bad I just have to learn things on my own because no one near me can teach me how and I am pregnant so I really can’t go out and I am just stuck home.

    Do you have any suggestions on how I can learn to read patterns? I really have a hard time following one… =(

    I have been looking for several books but I am sooo afraid to buy outside of the country for the fear of not receiving the book and just wasting the money. Money here in my country is definitely hard to earn… =(

    Anyway, I hope you can give me some suggestions. I would really love to hear from you. By the way, you can email me at [email protected].

    Take Care,
    Peach

Have you read?

Cozy Up Your Holidays with This Stunning Christmas Blanket!

Today Only: 50% Off When You Spend $50 at Crochet.com!

Press Bubble Animals Crochet Kit with keychain

20 Cowl Crochet Patterns For Winter Gifting

Luxe Leopard Headband- Free Crochet Pattern

More Articles

Afghans, Blankets & Throws amigurumi Baby Hat Baby Patterns Beanies Beginner Book Reviews CHRISTMAS Christmas Clothing Crochet Patterns Crochet Techniques & Ideas Free Crochet Patterns Granny Squares Halloween one skein Patterns Quick Scarfs shawls

RSS More Articles

  • Cozy Up Your Holidays with This Stunning Christmas Blanket!
  • 5 Must-Know Secrets to Turning Your Suburban Home into a Profitable, Sustainable Homestead
  • Recycled Paper Cylinder Face Art – A Colorful Win for All Ages
  • 12 FREE Summer Digital Stamps to Download
  • Today Only: 50% Off When You Spend $50 at Crochet.com!
  • Today only 50% OFF When You Spend $50 at KnitPicks.com
  • Kids and Adults Will Love this Paper Version of Tetris
  • Knit a Hat with a Flock of Chickens
  • That Time a Thrift Store Employee Shamed Me – And Your Honest Responses
  • DMC American Camping Embroidery Pattern – A Nostalgic Outdoor Stitch for Summer Lovers

Copyright © 2025 · CraftGossip | Start Here | Contact Us | Link to Us | Your Editors | Privacy and affiliate policy