How to "rowan" your washer.
I know, I know, I know. When you felt, there are certain rules to follow. One is to protect your washing machine motor by stashing your knitted piece in a pillowcase, then tightly securing with a rubber band. This is important so the piece won't shed during felting and ruin your motor.
On the other hand, if you're tired of your top-loader and would like an excuse to get a shiny new front-loader, by all means, blow off the pillowcase.
I was felting with Rowan Little Big Wool, trying it out to see how it would go. This is a mostly-wool wool, but with a springy nylon core, so it was sort of an experiment. The bag came out great, and I added some beaded fringe, then made up some really cool little kits in these pretty mesh bags, hand-surged by dear sweet Gina Marie.
Isn't it just the bomb? The kits even have a free pattern and the clear, double-sided tape to attach the fringe if you don't want to bother with sewing (I always fall into this category).
Trouble is, when I was fixin' to felt, it was late and the kids needed to be put to bed and I wanted to get in a few rows on my knitted Bobbi Bear project, so I just grabbed some jeans and tossed them in with the bag. No pillowcase. Living on the edge. Bag came out adorable...but the next day, when I went to do some regular laundry, the spin cycle wouldn't spin. So I called Omstead Service, who sent out our friend Hank.
Please don't blame me for the wallpaper in the background. We just moved in November and the rest of the house has been re-done - the laundry closet wallpaper has not been a high priority. Hank found lots of gunk in the washer from previous felting adventures.
Funny thing is, the gunk didn't turn out to be the problem. $65 for the service call later, guess what caused it all? "Whoever was doing the laundry," said Hank - and that would be ME - "didn't have the spin button pushed in all the way." Uggggghhh...
My day was made brighter when the Utica Square powers that be miraculously granted my highly unusual request. In conjunction with this weekend's visit from Helen Hamann, international knitwear designer and alpaca proponent, we arranged for Walnut Creek Farms in southern Oklahoma to bring some alpacas to visit! This Saturday, two little guys will come grace our parking lot.
Helen will do a book signing at 10:30, followed by the alpaca debut around 12:30. So, even if you can't attend the workshop from 11:30-5:30 (and there are about 7 spaces left), be sure to stop by to meet these fluffy little guys. Well, they may not be super fluffy, since there were just shorn - but they are sure to be friendly. See you then!
- Shelley
shop online at loopsknitting.com
On the other hand, if you're tired of your top-loader and would like an excuse to get a shiny new front-loader, by all means, blow off the pillowcase.
I was felting with Rowan Little Big Wool, trying it out to see how it would go. This is a mostly-wool wool, but with a springy nylon core, so it was sort of an experiment. The bag came out great, and I added some beaded fringe, then made up some really cool little kits in these pretty mesh bags, hand-surged by dear sweet Gina Marie.
Isn't it just the bomb? The kits even have a free pattern and the clear, double-sided tape to attach the fringe if you don't want to bother with sewing (I always fall into this category).
Trouble is, when I was fixin' to felt, it was late and the kids needed to be put to bed and I wanted to get in a few rows on my knitted Bobbi Bear project, so I just grabbed some jeans and tossed them in with the bag. No pillowcase. Living on the edge. Bag came out adorable...but the next day, when I went to do some regular laundry, the spin cycle wouldn't spin. So I called Omstead Service, who sent out our friend Hank.
Please don't blame me for the wallpaper in the background. We just moved in November and the rest of the house has been re-done - the laundry closet wallpaper has not been a high priority. Hank found lots of gunk in the washer from previous felting adventures.
Funny thing is, the gunk didn't turn out to be the problem. $65 for the service call later, guess what caused it all? "Whoever was doing the laundry," said Hank - and that would be ME - "didn't have the spin button pushed in all the way." Uggggghhh...
My day was made brighter when the Utica Square powers that be miraculously granted my highly unusual request. In conjunction with this weekend's visit from Helen Hamann, international knitwear designer and alpaca proponent, we arranged for Walnut Creek Farms in southern Oklahoma to bring some alpacas to visit! This Saturday, two little guys will come grace our parking lot.
Helen will do a book signing at 10:30, followed by the alpaca debut around 12:30. So, even if you can't attend the workshop from 11:30-5:30 (and there are about 7 spaces left), be sure to stop by to meet these fluffy little guys. Well, they may not be super fluffy, since there were just shorn - but they are sure to be friendly. See you then!
- Shelley
shop online at loopsknitting.com
posted by Shelley Brander at
6:18 PM
1 Comments:
As I child I had a very traumatic experience involving a goat sneezing in my face so even the picture on your blog is causing me grief!
:-)
Wish I could attend your event, sounds like lots of fun...I am fairly new to Loops so while I don't know many people there yet, I hope that changes (Annie taught the classes I've taken, I will miss her).
I spoke to you one Saturday, you were eating your lunch at the table in the back, I asked you when you were opening your South Tulsa store...hope it's soon!
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