Monday, April 6, 2009

Mini Tutorial – Felting a Crocheted Hat

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You will need:

1. A ball of 100% wool. I like Paton’s 100% Merino Classic
2. 4mm Crochet hook. (with this particular wool)

3. A round plastic form. (to felt shape to. I made mine from the bottom of a plastic food tub)

4. A Knitters Sewing needle.

5. A regular sewing needle
6. Thread matching wool colour.
7. Shiny glamorous button.
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This tutorial is for those who already know how to crochet & have a hat pattern to follow. Make sure the pattern works up larger than you want it to end up being as it will shrink considerably during the felting process.


Start to crochet your hat, make sure you leave a long enough end of yarn at the centre point start as you will need it later.

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Use a loose long stitch, at least a double crochet stitch, as the stitches need to shrink together & too tight a stitch will stop this happening & very limited felting will occur. I have used treble for this beret.
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Finish your hat.
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Thread your wool needle onto the long spare end from where you started the piece.
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Take your plastic form, thread the needle & yarn through a hole in the centre.
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Slide form down yarn.
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Tuck form inside main body of hat.
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Remove needle & tie yarn securely (several times over)
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Put hat inside a pillowcase or lingerie bag.
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Throw into the machine on as hot a wash as your machine will do, with a small dash of soap.
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Wash several times over to create the desired effect. Once the main shape has been safely formed you can remove the plastic form to finish it off & make sure it is evenly worked. Adding a towel can agitate it further & work up a better finished result.
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Thread normal needle with matching thread & secure to inside of the centre hole which should still be just visible.
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Poke shank of glam button through hole & stitch securely in place.
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As this is a mini beret you will need to attach it to your head some how, so, take a small crocodile clip and stitch to back side of beret at the top.
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And the bottom.
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