Me! ([info]platys) wrote in [info]knitting,
@ 2005-04-01 09:50:00
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How to Felt With Acrylic.
I know that there is a huge demand for information on how to felt with acrylic yarn. After exhaustive research, I've written up the following guide. I hope it is helpful!

How To Felt with Acrylic Yarn
by Gail

List of Materials Needed:

1. Some acrylic yarn. Make sure it doesn't have any natural fiber content in it whatsoever. That would be bad.
2. An oversized stock pot. The one you attempted to use to Brine your turkey before you accidentally killed all your relatives will serve you well here. Plus, it'll hide the evidence.
3. A blow torch.
4. An oven. Preferrably one that you don't plan on using much in the future.
5. A welding sheild.
6. Some tongs.
7. Some leather gloves. Not the nice ones - the heat shielding kind.

Step 1:

Knit something out of that acrylic. Make it bigger than you want the final results to be.

Step 2:

Drinking some alcohol is probably a good idea here.

Step 3:

Turn on the oven as high as it will go. Throw your knitted acrylic garment into the oversized stock pot, and stick that in the oven. It is a matter of great debate on whether or not you should add water - water will probably slow the felting process, but may keep the yarn from melting to the bottom of the pot. Maybe you should add some canola oil or something.

Step 4:

Open a window. Take the batteries out of the fire alarm.

Step 5:

Check on your garment. If all is going well, it will become soft and melty. With the gloves and tongs, coax it into the shape you want. You may also want to stir it around to make sure that it isn't sticking.

Step 6:

Once your garment has shrunk down and appears to be the correct shape, remove the stockpot from the oven. Throw a bunch of water into it. You might want to put on the welders shield now. Then, with the tongs, remove the item from the pot, and arrange it charmingly. You should no longer be able to see individual stitches. You may find that your garment is a bit inflexible - that is to be expected.

Step 7:

Once your garment has cooled, you can use the blow torch and tongs to make any last minute adjustments, such as creating holes in your slippers for the feet.

Step 8:

Enjoy your fabulous felted acrylic garment! Tune in next week where Gail explains how to use flexible rods to keep your stockinette from curling!



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ROFL!
[info]yokospungeon
2005-04-01 03:52 pm UTC (link)
>creating holes in your slippers for the feet

OMG, so funny!

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[info]hoyland54
2005-04-01 03:53 pm UTC (link)
Brilliant. Now if only I had an oven...

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[info]platys
2005-04-01 03:55 pm UTC (link)
If you had a blow torch, you could probably felt by hand. Well, I'd keep my hand out of the way, but you get the point.

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[info]stacye13
2005-04-01 04:38 pm UTC (link)
if a blow torch is unavailable, for the smaller projects, one of those kitchen torches (like you use for creme brulee) would be ideal!

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[info]chasingmyself
2005-04-01 06:08 pm UTC (link)
now there's an image...

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[info]likelystory
2005-04-02 03:34 am UTC (link)
How do you think a microwave would work? That's all I have access to.

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[info]weissesfleisch
2006-10-03 04:42 pm UTC (link)
better yet, add the alcohol, preferably uncle john's 90 proof jamaican rum into the mix BEFORE lighting it.

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[info]surreal_rebirth
2005-04-01 03:56 pm UTC (link)
rofl...how funny!

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[info]geekling
2005-04-01 03:58 pm UTC (link)
*giggle*

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:-D
[info]irihs
2005-04-01 03:59 pm UTC (link)
you win!

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[info]rudbekia
2005-04-01 03:59 pm UTC (link)
Gail, you are in Evil Bitch mood today, aren't you? Not that there's anything wrong with that.

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[info]platys
2005-04-01 04:00 pm UTC (link)
Wait, I haven't even posted the new rules yet, now that my dominion over the knitting community is complete!

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[info]lilsailorknits
2005-04-01 03:59 pm UTC (link)
This is too funny! Thanks for posting this!

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Hilarious!
[info]mudflapgirl
2005-04-01 04:03 pm UTC (link)
Stock pot - Check.
Blow torch - Check.
Oven - Check.
Welding sheild - Check check.
Tongs - And then some.
Leather gloves - aaaaand check.

Now where do you find this stuff called "acrylic yarn?"

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Re: Hilarious!
[info]poipill
2005-04-01 04:26 pm UTC (link)
I think they sell it at the wall store.

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Re: Hilarious!
[info]jennfurr
2005-04-01 05:37 pm UTC (link)
LOL! soooo... steinmart would sell beer steins, right? i could just see/hear paris hilton thinking that.

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[info]sehkmet
2005-04-01 04:04 pm UTC (link)
Hahaha. Excellent post.

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[info]katek8
2005-04-01 04:05 pm UTC (link)
I should explain this to Michaels. They want me to teach a felting class, but refuse to carry any wool yarn. Well I suppose I'll just have to substitute proper yarn for a blow torch.
-Kate

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[info]mangojellytoast
2005-04-01 07:55 pm UTC (link)
I thought Michael's at least carried LB Fisherman's Wool? No?

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[info]emmacrew
2005-04-01 09:29 pm UTC (link)
They used to, but I think they stopped.

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[info]elabeth
2005-04-01 10:13 pm UTC (link)
Here in Arkansas both Michaels and Hobby Lobby have Bernat Lana 100% merino plus a few other feltable yarns.

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[info]princess_eowyn
2005-04-02 05:03 pm UTC (link)
ummm... do they understand what felting is? do they see the flaw in said plan? and why do they refuse to carry wool yarn? i think that's kinda dumb... then again, i'm a borderline fiber snob. :D

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[info]_coelacanth_
2005-04-01 04:08 pm UTC (link)
hahahahahahahaah!

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[info]princesspetunia
2005-04-01 04:09 pm UTC (link)
I believe you now owe me a large coffee and a new set of sinuses.

Excuse me while I clean off my monitor.

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[info]fleur
2005-04-01 04:11 pm UTC (link)
Awesome, thanks for posting! :)

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[info]lauralieluv
2005-04-01 04:17 pm UTC (link)
Snarktastic! A joy to read!

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[info]duckiemonster
2005-04-01 04:20 pm UTC (link)
*sniggers*

*checks date*

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[info]kightp
2005-04-01 04:28 pm UTC (link)
My April Fools' Day is complete.

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[info]linzq
2005-04-01 04:28 pm UTC (link)
Oh, that was great.
Thanks for the laugh!

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[info]sushiq
2005-04-01 04:29 pm UTC (link)
Steps 2 & 4 are my favorite ones. That's funny! :)

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[info]monkeyhouse
2005-04-01 04:31 pm UTC (link)
yaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay!!!

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[info]wild_roses
2005-04-01 04:35 pm UTC (link)
AWESOME. *nod* *giggle*

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[info]surreal_rebirth
2005-04-01 04:38 pm UTC (link)
do you mind if i link to this in the crochet community?

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[info]platys
2005-04-01 04:41 pm UTC (link)
Go ahead. :)

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[info]rudbekia
2005-04-01 04:54 pm UTC (link)
Ahh, too bad that knit community crossposting aren't allowed. But the community I'm thinking of is not known for having a sense of humor(even though it would fit in with a question asked about how to get the felted look with acrylic).

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[info]surreal_rebirth
2005-04-01 05:28 pm UTC (link)
well, seeing as [info]platys is a mod for this community and she said it was okay, plus i didn't actually cross-post, i linked....shouldn't be a problem

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[info]rudbekia
2005-04-01 05:38 pm UTC (link)
Oh you would've been fine regardless as you posted a link to a non-knitting community. And the community I have in mind, well. They already have members that feel threatened by the very existance of wool, and I'm just not that mean spirited. Today.

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[info]hillarygayle
2005-04-01 04:48 pm UTC (link)
This was amazingly funny. I love it.

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[info]thesqueak
2005-04-01 05:05 pm UTC (link)
This is an example of a good April Fool's joke. :p

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[info]blaueteufelin
2005-04-01 07:04 pm UTC (link)
agreed.

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[info]extraneousrooot
2005-04-01 06:35 pm UTC (link)
Hahahaha.

Thank you for being funny without being mean spirited. See, it IS possible, even at [info]knitting!

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[info]olliekitty
2005-04-01 07:20 pm UTC (link)
ha ha ha

nice april fools post.

I love it

*giggles*

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[info]skufish
2005-04-01 07:33 pm UTC (link)
You're my hero. That was awesome.

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[info]christyedna
2005-04-01 08:31 pm UTC (link)
Any knitting project that involves alcohol is A-OK in my book. Where's that red red Red Heart? *digs through yarn stash*

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[info]toledonative
2005-04-01 09:03 pm UTC (link)
Thanks for the laugh!

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[info]sandthistle
2005-04-01 09:07 pm UTC (link)
:)

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[info]goodhand
2005-04-01 11:55 pm UTC (link)
Can this technique be adapted for the microwave? Thanks.

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[info]porcinea
2005-04-02 10:08 am UTC (link)
Maybe you should add some canola oil or something.

If I'd been drinking when I read this...... *splort*!

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[info]gifa
2005-04-03 03:55 am UTC (link)
felted.. melted... meh.

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