The Big Bag Experiment

Encouraged by Bev Beattie's book I decided to experiment with mixing yarns in a bag. She had used a thread each of a pure wool feltable yarn and, say, a ribbon or other (non-feltable) yarn. As I am trying to use up my not-inconsiderable stash, I thought this was a good idea!

I found some brown shetland (sure to felt) and used some Robin Paintbox yarn along with it.

Then I washed it on 75º... and then on 95º...

It felted a bit, but not very much - and there was a lot of fluff that came off the shetland yarn. In fact the washing machine stopped mid-wash and instructed me to clean out the drain!

This is how it turned out.

I guess it will be usable, so long as it is lined. The colours are pretty anyhow - I used two colours of Paintbox - the bottom was Lagoon...

... and the top part was Mauve...

Excuse the slightly blurry picture, the bag wouldn't stop swinging!

When it is completely dry I might give it a little brush to even up the slightly fluffy look.

Now I am making another from yarns I am pretty sure will felt. It is a lace-weight merino/cashmere that I originally bought for a shawl, and Sublime Kid Mohair (which seems to be made by, errr, Sublime yarns) - I have used this before and it did felt. So far, so good, although it is very lightweight and 'thin' and I suspect it will be a smaller bag than the others when it is felted.

Here it is now...