ConnieLene – KnitDesigner

WoolOn Press Release.

Now that put the pressure on. I was in New Zealand on holiday for a month thinking I had plenty of time – but as it happens I didn’t really have plenty of time. I started to knit the jacket in the Netherlands on my return on the 7th of August and had to complete it and post it by the 24th August – which I did – and then we were off on a 2 week trip to Denmark to spend time with my Danish family and to introduce John to Denmark.

My felting yarn was mostly New Zealand – Naturally Vero varigated 100% wool yarn with various artifical fibres and I created a huge jacket. Then I very nervously placed it in the washing machine and felted it.

It seems to have worked – the jacket for a giant became a jacket for a normal person and was then sent to New Zealand and arrived in time for the WoolOn event.

I knitted the jacket in garter stitch from cuff to cuff. It has wide almost kimono style sleeves and a V front with 2 buttons at mid chest.

The risky part was working out the ratio of natural wool (Naturally Vero mostly) to artifical fibres which would not felt. I did create a number of small rectangles of yarns – with the felting yarn mixed with the non felting yarns – to work out the shrinkage % and to see how the fur fibres sat next to the felted 100 % yarns. I am quite happy with the result of my first ever felted piece and will do more.

John did remind me a few times that it is not a good idea to create something for an exhibition where the technique has not been well practised first. HMMMM – maybe – but then maybe I would never try something new, would I? Spoilsport.