Thursday, August 12, 2010

Felted Wool Bangle Bracelets

so we are planning a return trip to Minnesota to see our dear friends (although some of our dear friends will be in Michigan while we are in Minnesota...how ironic and what a bummer!)

But for those friends that are going to be there, I am whipping up a "project" for our Girl's Night Out.
I was inspired by Bevy of Bangles for this latest craze of mine.  I have been knitting up a slew of these bangles to be felted.  Yes, even knitting one up on the ferry to Mackinaw Island.  The little two year old sitting next to me was mesmerized.  I have been experimenting with different wools and some non felting fibers, just to see what happens.  Here are a few of the bangles before felting.  By the way, I have changed the pattern a smidge.  Instead of the technique listed in the instructions for forming the circle, I use the Kitchener stitch instead.  It gives a smoother join.  Check out knitty's instructions for the kitchener stitch.

Once they are felted they look like this..........


How does a Girl's Night Out play into these bangles you ask?......we will embellish these little gems with more fibers....or beads...or whatever the ladies decide.  I have bought some thick embroidery floss to use to wrap around the bangles.  It will be fun to sit around, embellishing, catching up, laughs and I am guessing a delish cocktail to enhance the embellishing!

5 comments:

Nancy said...

This looks like great fun...so colorful and wide open for embellishing!

Kristi Wodek said...

Nancy.......you are right about the endless possibilities of embellishing. My Mom is hooked too. She called this morning with an update on her felting progress. I will post pictures of some embellished bangles when I get back...which considering we haven't left yet, will be awhile!

Anonymous said...

beautiful i want one!!! Remember the cat bag? i miss you and sorry we missed one another AGAIN

C. Sylvester said...

I hope you don't mind if I ask a question. When I felt my bangles, they felt curved but not all around round. I don't know how to put it into words. Do you have to stitch a seam to make them shaped right or am I doing something wrong?

Kristi Wodek said...

About the bangles, I did not put a stitch in the bangle prior to felting. I know what you are talking about (not able to describe fully in words myself) My thought is that if you put the bangles through the wash in the spin cycle, they have a tendency to get a little wonky. Once you add the wrapped wool, it all seems to work wonderfully. Keep at it! Good luck!!!!