Sheep wool – a simple, yet complex thing.

Spin it into a strand, ply the strands together: yarn. Spin it into a strand, warp a loom, weave with it: fabric. Pile it up, wet it down, stomp the bejaysus out of it, scrub the thin spots and boil it in hot water for better results: FELT.

The history of felt is long: Roman soldiers put masses of combed wool inside their sandals to cushion their feet – and the heat, pressure and (ahem!) moisture formed felt insoles for warmth and comfort. Mongolians – clothing, boots, artwork and their own portable gers (what we call yurts): all made from felt. From before the Bronze Age on, felt has been an important material of civilization. For a further, more technical overview of felting history, check the article here: www.straw.com/tan/felt.html. Or here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Felt.

Felt is technically made with loose wool fiber. Knitting something and then deliberately shrinking it is technically called fulling, but who cares about technicalities? Knitters call it felting and felting it is.

Miss Allen LOVES to felt stuff. From hats to mitts to booties to the endless pleasure of purses of all sizes, you just can’t beat knitting a grocery sack-sized item and then tossing it, DELIBERATELY, with awful, trembling enjoyment, into hot water in the washer to have it shrink, firm up and become A Thing You Made.

However, it is my understanding that some of you, still, after all the samples and classes that are available in the shop, remain “felt v*****s”. I do understand this. It IS extremely hard to commit several hours of knitting (along with a couple of skeins of wool) to the merciless agitation and heat of the washer. After all, this is the worst nightmare of any knitter who has worked weeks on their beautiful sweater – to have someone throw it. IN THE WASHER.

Yes, this is a horrible thing to happen to a sweater. But, please. Just this once, knit, on size 10 ½ needles, a good-sized swatch, about 30 stitches by 30 rows, of 100% worsted weight wool and toss it, just toss it! into the washer. Take it out after 10 minutes or so. Can you still see the individual stitches? Toss it back in for another 10 minutes. (You may have to reset the washer for further agitation.) Take it out. It’s transformed from a floppy loose piece into a solid firm fabric that has SO many possibilities!

There are dozens and dozens of patterns available for every felted thing under the sun; many of them are here at the shop, along with a multitude of yarns that can be used for felting. Miss Gail and I are both ardent felters, and we would be more than happy to help you pick out your first pattern and yarn combo to make your first felted item, along with good advice for best results.. So why deny yourself the delight that comes with picking a warm, damp mass of wool out of your washer, giving a shake and realizing that you have created a fuzzy tote or warm hat? Felt now, felt often – history is on your side!