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Apr 5, 2013

FO | Taking the Plunge

Non-knitters don’t realize how challenging, stressful and exciting knitting can be.

The reversible cable rib scarf in Touch Me yarn, for example, is finished. Finally.

This simple accomplishment left me giddy with relief (done!), chagrin (such a feeble-looking FO), and dread.

Why dread? The knitting was completed. Now it was time to felt it. (Cue ominous music.)

Felting can be highly unpredictable on the best of days. The mixed Ravelry notes about the pros and cons of felting Touch Me coupled with the prospect of subjecting any hand knit to such treatment, particularly one fraught with so much angst, filled me with trepidation.

Yesterday, I stiffened my spine and took the plunge. The transformation was nothing short of miraculous.

A slightly wobbly but sensuously soft scarf turned into a felted mass that at the moment looks and feels like well-used industrial carpet.

Hope springs eternal. It’ll get softer once it’s completely dry, right?

UPDATE
Want to see how the Touch Me scarf turned out? Read Touch Me Again.


Visit Tami's Amis, Wisdom Begins in Wonder and Natural Suburbia to discover more exciting news in the world of knitting and crafting.

10 comments:

  1. Stay strong. I'm sure it will all work out.

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    1. Good advice. Am trying to do just that. Without much success, I might add.

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  2. Amazing project and awesome color.

    Here's my FO: http://mibruno.com/terminados-unicornios-coloridos/

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    1. Thanks, Jazz. Remains to be seen how it will all turn out.

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  3. Oh noes! But felting can be deceiving. Here"s to hoping it's perfect when dry.

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    1. Felting can be deceiving, can't it? I'm crossing my fingers and working hard to reserve judgment until the piece is thoroughly dry ...

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  4. I haven't tried felting yet, but I do understand that knitting fear and getting a FO to end up the way you want. :) I'm starting a sweater today and well. It'll hopefully go somewhat okay.

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    1. Good luck with your sweater, I'm sure it will go very well.

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  5. This is why I won't felt anything I knit and prefer to wet felt. After all of the work you put into knitting, I just can't stand to see it get ruined in the felting process. I hope your scarf survives and lives to it's full potential.

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    1. You're right, the stress comes from the unpredictability of the felting process coupled with all the work that precedes that one step. Thanks for your good wishes, it will be interesting to see how this Touch Me felting adventure turns out.

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