wool sweater...serious pilling/fuzz...need advice

kemp · 12-17-2005, 12:03 PM

Hey guys...

The wool sweater I made just a few weeks ago is having some "issues". The wool is very fuzzy and it is NOT looking good at all. Additionally, the sweater has "grown" quite a bit! I'm trying to think of the best solution and I hope someone has had some experience with this.

I could frog and reknit it tighter...might work...but I think the wool would have the same properties despite a tighter fabric...not sure about that. I could *insert really scary music here* felt the sweater...it would shrink it (good), take care of the fuzz (good) but possibly ruin it (bad)! I don't think I would even have to "fully" felt it and it would probably still look good. If this didn't work out, I could always cut it into fabric pieces and sew it together into a bag. Finally I guess I could frog and reknit into something that was mean to be felted.

Any opinions, experience, suggestions, etc?

Ingrid · 12-17-2005, 05:08 PM

Is that your big quick knit sweater? You could shave it, but that wouldn't help with the size. Maybe wash it and block it smaller? Just a guess. :thinking:

kemp · 12-17-2005, 05:14 PM

Yep...that's the one. I think the fuzz will just continue to be an issue even if I shave it. I'd have to do it pretty often since it got that way very quickly.

You don't think I'd be totally nuts to try to wash it...I mean felt you know? Or do you think just cold water was and try to re block? I haven't had much success with blocking wool smaller after being in water. It always just seems to grow more.

Ingrid · 12-17-2005, 05:19 PM

I know what you mean. Once it's wet it wants to relax. The concern is what if it gets too small? Once you do that, you can't make it bigger, and if it's not felted all the way, will it still fuzz? What if you washed it in cool and put it in the dryer for a bit? That might tighten it up. I'm really just pulling stuff out of the air here, so don't take any of it as gospel. You could always unravel it and make something feltable, or find a heavy friend who doesn't mind fuzz.

I've read somewhere that some wools fuzz and pill initially, but that it stops after a while.

kemp · 12-17-2005, 05:23 PM

hmmm....I guess I *could* just try to be patient and see if it gets better

...I'm ususally not so good at that! I just don't want it to get to a point where it's to late to really do anything with it.

Ingrid · 12-17-2005, 05:26 PM

It has to run out of fuzz eventually! Of course, it could be see through by then. :thinking: :rofling:

kemp · 12-17-2005, 05:43 PM

My DH would

that...but not too practical otherwise

Debbie · 12-17-2005, 08:09 PM

If you decide to felt it "a bit" ... remember it will get smaller length wise than it will width. The whole sweater won't just be smaller and still be the same shape.

rebecca · 12-18-2005, 12:28 AM

It sounds like it's going to continue to 'grow' no matter the knit should you frog it

so, if you experiment with felting it, as you said, you could then cut it & do something with the felted fabric should it not work out to your liking. But, if it were me, with that beautiful yarn, I would frog & make something beautiful to be felted. I just think that the yarn is to gorgeous 'not' to know how it's going to turn out should you play with felting as a sweater when you know you could really do something gorgeous as a planned felt...know what I mean?! Gosh, that really sucks, I loved that sweater & that yarn is just too gorgeous to have the nerve to do the fuzzy growth

!!