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Step 2Felting the sweaters
To shrink your sweater, you must "felt" it. This process is sometimes also called "fulling". Three things enable felting: hot water, agitation, and bubbles (more agitation).
Set your washing machine to hot wash, and the lowest water level. Put your sweater in, along with older bath (2) or dish towels (4-6) that will not take on or lose color. The sweater should get a good knocking around from the towels. Finally, add 1/4 cup of dish washing soap. The more bubbles, the better.
Monitor the wash cycle, and wait until the agitation cycle is done and the water is about to drain. Stop the washing machine and check your sweater. Pull the sweater out, and squeeze out the water. Warning: the water is still pretty hot. If the sweater hasn't shrunk significantly, you have more felting to do. Set the cycle back to the beginning of the agitation cycle. (Not sure how this would work for front-loading washers.)
If the sweater has shrunk significantly, check the arms to see if they're about the circumference of a pop can or beer bottle. If not, throw it back in for another agitation cycle.
When the sweater is ready, squeeze out the excess water/soap and rinse under a faucet until there are no more bubbles. Allow the sweaters to hang dry. Before allowing the hot water to drain, skim off as many woolen "fuzzballs" as you can from the soapy foam and water for drain health. Allow the towels to continue to the rinse cycle.
For multiple sweaters, leave out the towels, but increase the amount of water.
Set your washing machine to hot wash, and the lowest water level. Put your sweater in, along with older bath (2) or dish towels (4-6) that will not take on or lose color. The sweater should get a good knocking around from the towels. Finally, add 1/4 cup of dish washing soap. The more bubbles, the better.
Monitor the wash cycle, and wait until the agitation cycle is done and the water is about to drain. Stop the washing machine and check your sweater. Pull the sweater out, and squeeze out the water. Warning: the water is still pretty hot. If the sweater hasn't shrunk significantly, you have more felting to do. Set the cycle back to the beginning of the agitation cycle. (Not sure how this would work for front-loading washers.)
If the sweater has shrunk significantly, check the arms to see if they're about the circumference of a pop can or beer bottle. If not, throw it back in for another agitation cycle.
When the sweater is ready, squeeze out the excess water/soap and rinse under a faucet until there are no more bubbles. Allow the sweaters to hang dry. Before allowing the hot water to drain, skim off as many woolen "fuzzballs" as you can from the soapy foam and water for drain health. Allow the towels to continue to the rinse cycle.
For multiple sweaters, leave out the towels, but increase the amount of water.
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