Comment by Cara on 13/11/2004 @ 11:47 pm

hi Jo - I would definitely take it to a laundromat. Put it in a zippered cotton pillow case and bring some old jeans. I tried to felt a booga bag in my front loader and it was still not what I wanted after like five washings. I have no idea about boiling it on the stove - would it smell really bad? So I’d go the laundromat route - no muss no fuss. I want to make a Sophie as well. Yours is looking good -
Best,
Cara

Comment by Michele on 14/11/2004 @ 3:44 am

I think you want a top-loading machine because it agitates more than your front loader. Plus, with the top loader you can stop in the middle of the wash cycle, fish your bag out, gently squeeze out the excess water and check the feltyness without draining (I mean wasting) the wash water. I finished my first felted project a couple of weeks ago and had great fun with the felting part. I can’t wait to see your finished bag.

Comment by Jo on 14/11/2004 @ 8:17 am

hmmm… everyone is voting for the laundromat. Apart from being uncertain about where to find a laundromat with top loaders and I am scared of trying to do this with a toddler in tow. But I am a little scared of my own washer too. I have accidentally felted enough of my own knits (and shrunk enogh of Jesse’s shirts) to know that it can do it, perhaps a bit too well..

Comment by Kathy on 10/12/2004 @ 6:52 am

I too worried about felting in my front loader. But it works!! I just did my second and third Sophie and a hat yesterday. I usually throw in an old pair of jeans and a really old (no more fuzz left towel). Hot wash, cold rinse, no spin. The first Sophie went in a pillowcase and I forgot to cancel the spin — it came out with some strange areas sort of felted together. But I pulled them apart and everyone thinks the funky areas are a cool texture. This time I threw everything in loose and it all came out great. Apart from the fact that the two bags are a little different in size. But they are different yarns.