Yesterday I decided to try out some shibori felting techniques to see how I liked them.

Shibori is a Japanese word for a number of different resist techniques used in textile dying, one of which is similar to what we know as tie-dying. The knitting folk have applied the concept of shibori to felting knitted items to come up with some really stunning (and fairly easy to achieve) effects.

I started out by reading this tutorial. As I happened to have an old semi-felted (due to my lackadaisical attitude in years past towards washing woolens) sweater in my closet, I reckoned I was all set to try out this technique.

The old sweater used to test drive the shibori felting technique.

In the midst of tying the French knots. The pins mark where the marbles will be tied in.

The French knots have been completed and the glass marbles have to tied into the scarf.

The scarf after felting and removal of the marbles.

So how did I like my scarf?

* Well, if I used an old sweater again, I would somehow hem the sides, even if only by blanket stitching the edge with embroidery floss (hey! that might actually look cool!).

* Next time, I will use flat glass pebbles instead of round glass marbles. The bumps remind me of the nipple on a baby’s dummy (pacifier for you Yanks)…not exactly the fashion statement I’m trying to make.

* I’d love to trying beading on the fabric before felting.

I’ll definitely try some of these techniques on the next item I knit and felt. I’ve got a pattern for a felted market bag that I really want to try out; I think some French knots and pretty glass beads would make it even prettier!

If you’re interested in learning more about shibori felting, there are books available here and here. (And probably in your local library too!)

After a crazy month, the old store is closed and the new store is open. I did indeed get transferred to the new store and, despite a week of great hours, it looks like I’m now part of the “two half-days a week” ranks.

No problem though…it gives me more time for my newfound pleasure: knitting!

Yes, I taught myself to knit as a relaxation technique during the crazy-busy days of the store closure. My first project was a scarf, ultimately knit to the Spawn’s specifications.

Next up was a felted bag pour moi…

The pattern for this super little bag is from Interweave Knits’ Fall 2008 issue but the designer, Sharon Dreifuss, sells kits for the bag on her Etsy site: She Knits. It was a really easy knit (and this coming from someone who had only knit one thing prior to this one) and talk about immediate gratification…it took me less than a day to do the knitting and felting!

Next up was a special request from the Spawn: an ear flap hat to go with her scarf.

And finally, a tank top for the Spawn. I will probably rip it out since neither of us really l like it all that much. I just winged it instead of using a pattern and so it doesn’t fit her as well as it could. Live and learn!

And now that work isn’t quite so mad, I’m looking forward to getting back to life as usual.