Friday, February 23, 2007

My first felting project is a big failure but it has helped me discover the best yarn in the world!

I really love the look and the feel of felted knitting. I had wanted to have a felted small black pouch so I visited my favorite yarn store and got one skein of 100% wool. The lady from yarn store was talking and talking about the high quality of the yarn which made me think this is just an excuse for the high price.So, knitting with this yarn has been very easy and fast. I also have gathered lots of information about felting, how to do it at home, details, techniques, so on, therefore I was very sure this project would be a 100% success….

For two days I tortured this yarn (pouch): spinning it in washing machine many times, keeping it in boiled and soapy water, then using a very hot iron on it. I am pretty sure that even in factory the tests are not so rough. During the felting process I was using some jeans which now are in very bad condition, but the pouch is like new! Like nothing happened to this yarn! I am flabbergasted, I am amazed! I can't understand why this stubborn wool would not felt. I went to the yarn store and the lady owner tells me: “I’ve told you it’s a high quality yarn. Try some other cheap yarn, this brand is too good.” What can I say? This is like the “X-files” mystery.

Here is a picture taken during the felting ("torturing") process. Some other day I will post a picture of the "stubborn" yarn...or, should I say, high quality yarn…


But frankly speaking, there are some yarn brands here which are outstanding. Usually I am very grumpy and very critical in the yarn stores; but I can’t find any small reason to complain about yarns of some local brands. Their quality, the easiness of knitting, the feel and look, the color selection, the resistance of fiber – they are truly amazing. It is pity that Turkish yarns are not popular worldwide. At the beginning of my knitting I was feeling a kind of unlucky because I can’t easily purchase Berroco, Rowan , Debbie Bliss or some other famous brands. Getting in Turkey a VogueKnitting magazine is a miracle. It happens very seldom. But I discovered amazing yarns here. I would highly recommend “Feza” yarns to every knitter in the world.

4 comments:

Louise said...

I have just moved to Istanbul and I really appreciate your recommendations on yarns. I have not attempted felting yet so can't offer any tips. Lx

Aysel said...

Hi Louise,

thank you for your comment on my blog and welcome to istanbul. I have been living in Istanbul (Turkey) since 2003. Actually I am Romanian and I perfectly know what it means to be a foreigner. So, if you need any help, email me at:
paulablo AT hotmail DOT com

nihal said...

sorry about the felting failure.. i think here in Turkey all the wool yarns companies offer are superwash instead of felting kind. but try to go check "kürkçüler han" in eminönü they have non-bleached real sheep wool and it felts (but not in the machine, my swatch was small and i didnt know which program to use and i tried to hand agitation and it worked... ) they sell it very cheap 1,5 YTL for one skein.. and since it is in natural color it is possible to dye it with food coloring..

Aysel said...

Hi Crafty Chica
Thank you for yr recommendations. I would appreciate more details regarding "kurkculer han" address. Eminonu is a big headache for me: so many intricate streets.

Thanks and I wish you a happy Spring!


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