Felted cat bed

Lucy78green · 08-30-2009, 02:03 PM

I am making a cat bed from "Anchor Wash + Filz-it" and the reverse of the label tells you to wash it at 40 degrees (centigrade) to felt it, but the website says up to 60 degrees. The shade card also says 40, so I guess I should try it at 40 and if it doesn't work try 60?
Our washing machine is one of the newer environmentally friendly ones that uses hardly any water, but takes ages to do a load. Hopefully it works!

vaknitter · 08-31-2009, 03:53 PM

Good luck with the felting ! I've never seen any directions as to temperature of water to use other than hot...I just toss my stuff in a hot washer with some tennis balls, old jeans, and dish soap with lots of bubbles and then a cold delicate rinse.
I'm not sure the hubby believes me, but I keep telling him that I will never part with my top loader. It works beautifully for felting and I've heard mixed opinions about the front loaders ability to felt. I even offered to let him run power and water to his shed if he lets me keep my old washer out there.

Lucy78green · 08-31-2009, 07:49 PM

well I felted it in our washing machine (front loading) and it shrank way more than expected at 40 degrees, had to invent a stretching device. However I put it in front of the fire tonight to see if the cat would use it. He sniffed it suspiciously as if it was a strange creature, and is now sitting beside it. least he hasn't peed on it.... yet.

Mirl56 · 08-31-2009, 07:59 PM

LOL (at the cat, not you!!) It looks nice.

That's the thing about front loaders - you can't stop to check mid-cycle.

Hope he warms up to it soon and climbs in.

luvmykid28 · 09-01-2009, 02:43 AM

Looks great.

Lucy78green · 09-01-2009, 07:04 PM

I afraid you can only really get front loaders here now, I remember my grandparents had a toploader but they aren't available any more. You can stop them mid cycle, but you have to wait 2 mins to open the door, and when you restart them they go right back to the start of the cycle again. Ours is environmentally friendly so it uses hardly any water, but takes an hour and a half to do a load!
My dad put the old jumper the cat used to sleep on into the cat bed. I had already tried this but he just dragged the jumper out again. However my dad plonked him in on top of it and apparently he slept there all afternoon, though he just used it as a pillow after lunch. My dad got a photo for me on his mobile.

bambi · 09-01-2009, 07:42 PM

Oh, that is SO cute! My cat would have peed or p00ped on it. He hated wool, alpaca and the like. I had to put sweaters way out of reach.

Lucy78green · 09-02-2009, 06:08 PM

well there's still time for it to be peed on. He usually steals jumpers to be his girlfriend even though he's been neutered

thecatsmother · 09-02-2009, 06:47 PM

It looks really nice and I think it felted up great.....though I have to say it looks a bit small for kitty -cute kitty I might add

vaknitter · 09-02-2009, 09:12 PM

I'm afraid that soon top loaders won't be allowed in the states either...that's why I'm going to keep mine forever and ever in the depths of my dark basement where no environmentalists will go looking for it

The kitty is HUGE (and cute)...may I ask what a jumper is ? I'm picturing your cat sleeping on a woman's dress that he stole....