Science Project

I've known how to knit since I was about six, although I didn't get serious about it until about eight years ago. Thereby hangs a tale I keep meaning to tell you, but not today. Today my topic is Fear of Felting.

In my entire knitting career I've never felted anything on purpose. Having suddenly and involuntarily bequeathed at least one very nice sweater to my sister, seven years younger than I and thoroughly undeserving, I've always viewed felting with suspicion.

Now, however, Taz needs mittens, and red is his favorite color, and the only suitable yarn in my stash is a bulky single-ply wool I bought intending someday to get my friend Anne to teach me to make something like one of her gorgeous bags, or at least a felted tote. So, felted mittens. I will admit that I've been averse to felting partly because it seems like some kind of alchemy: what you end up with looks nothing like what you started with, so how do you know it'll turn out right?


The greenish stuff is acrylic. My theory is that when I felt the mittens, the wool will felt, the acrylic won't, and I will then pull it out and insert another, smaller-gauge wool yarn into the holes and knit cuffs. Wish me luck.

A reminder: the sock photo contest is open until January 31. Socksterhood is powerful! If you've posted a photo but haven't left a comment on the contest post, please do, lest I miss your entry. I've stumbled across at least one entirely by accident.