Felting with white yarn

Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Nutty4Knitting on November 10, 2011 at 8:44am

We made them with hand spun white wool and they felted just fine.  I'm not sure where you acquired the info about white wool not felting well, but the felting property is not related at all to the color of the wool.  How much time required to achieve the felted condition you desire may be affected by whether or not the yarn is a natural white, or has been bleached in some way, but all wool yarn will eventually felt. Unless it is labeled 'SUPERWASH'.  This type of wool has been treated to remove the properties that make it felt.

Also, blends that are only partially wool will not felt well, if at all.

If you use a yarn that is 100% wool, and not marked 'superwash', you should not have any problems.

Permalink Reply by Dyanne Richardson on November 10, 2011 at 9:19am

Thanks so much for your reply.

After reading your reply I was wondering if I had imagined that I read that so I Googled " felting with white yarn".

There are quite a few forums that state that there can be difficulties because, according to the posters, the bleaching process to make the yarn white destroys the felting properties of the yarn. It doesn't appear to be that they are speaking only of superwash yarn.

As I said, I am a newbie so I have to go by what I read.

Glad to know I wasn't losing my mind, that I had actually read it! :)

 

Thanks again for your help. It seems the trick here is to test the yarn for felting time prior, so there are no unrealistic expectations!

 

Have a great day!

 

Permalink Reply by Nutty4Knitting on November 10, 2011 at 11:34am

Yep!  Every chemical process that wool goes through will affect it to some degree.   

I'm glad you were able to find info that is helpful.  Testing the amount of felting time needed before going to work on your project is a very good idea! =)

I hope this is an enjoyable project for you.  My daughter had tons of fun making them......and then gave them all away!! =)

Permalink Reply by wendy on November 10, 2011 at 1:52pm

While I have not used this particular yarn yet,  I have used Cascade 220 for felting.  All of cascade 220 colors with the exception of white felt beautifully.  I tried their white for a felted purse project several years ago, and had no luck getting it to felt, so I switched to their cream color.  I was glad I had made a sample to felt before I got started on the project. 

 

Have fun making the snowmen, they are adorable.  :o)

Permalink Reply by Peggy Stuart on November 10, 2011 at 8:49pm

You might check with customer service about how this particular yarn felts. I think it can vary a lot. I imagine it depends on how hoyt they get the bleach solution when thy bleach it. That's why off-white works.

Permalink Reply by Dyanne Richardson on November 11, 2011 at 3:46am

Thanks everyone for your input.

I really want to make these snowmen and I will probably end up giving them away!

All of your comments and suggestions have been very helpful!

Permalink Reply by Peggy Stuart on November 11, 2011 at 6:31am

That's what this website is all about! Well, that and having fun!

Permalink Reply by cherylbwaters on November 15, 2011 at 11:04pm

Palette felts quite nicely. I have heard that white sometimes doesn't felt as well as other colors. I think it has to do with fibers that have been "bleached" white. But most of the time I haven't had any problems with white. I've been able to felt most yarns I've used that are at least 75% wool and not superwashed.