Felt Hats

When I started this blog, it was the intention of having a writer's blog.  It seems now, that it's going to be more than that.  I hope that whoever reads this blog is not disappointed.  I've been tracking visitors on a Live Feed and it looks like I'm the only one reading it, so I guess it doesn't really matter.  Anyway, a few years ago I started a knitting and crochet blog.  I have lots of posts on there from several years ago.  Now, it seems I can't access it to update or do anything, so I guess I won't be able to go on there and post any more blog posts.  In that case, I guess I'll have to post everything here, knitting posts, writing posts, whatever.  There has not been much going on with me on the writer's front.  I don't seem to be inspired to actually write anything, but when I am it will definitely be on here. 

What has been going on is knitting.  Hats to be specific.  Felt hats.  A few years ago I knit and felted a hat and it came out great.

I really like it and it fits my head perfectly.  What has to be done is that the hats have to be knitted with 100% wool or a wool blend that will felt.  After knitting, the hats are basically put into a zippered pillowcase and then into the washing machine with an old pair of blue jeans to get maximum agitation.  Set the machine on low water, hot water and the longest wash session.  Let it agitate for about 5 minutes and then check to see how the felting is going.  If it's not felted enough, then put it back in for another 2 to 5 minutes, then check for felting.  What happens is that eventually the hat shrinks. 

I just knitted another hat this week using some a wool/alpaca blend.  It felted beautifully, but the brim came out quite a bit larger than the first hat I knit and I used the exact same pattern.  So, I don't know what happened differently.  I guess I could have left it in the wash longer to shrink some more, but the felting seemed just right and I didn't want to over felt.  I guess I'll just have to see what it's like when it's dry.

 

And that's if I can keep my cat off of it.  I've already had to redo it twice.  That cat.