a few questions on felting
So I'm in the middle of making some felted mittens for a friend. I want to embroider them with some extremely simple Jacobean style flowers, and I have a few questions on the specifics.
I've run them through the washer once, and they're already about halfway down to size and as thick as I'd've expected the finished products to be. This surprised me greatly because I've tried felting a few times before, and it's always taken many runs through the washer on hot to get them even remotely shrunk & felted -- even with the same brand of wool! Not to mention, the proportions are now a little off, and the ribbed cuffs? Forget that -- somehow they're now wider than the hand.
So what I'm hoping to find out is:
1. when should I try embroidering the flowers, when they're done shrinking, or halfway through so that the embroidery can felt into the mittens? If I do it when they're done, would that leave holes?
2. Is it OK to use feltable wool for the embroider? I understand that my felting mileage may vary, but I was hoping to get more past experience-type advice on this one.
3. They are very shaggy right now, should I trim that with scissors or will it go away in the next wash?
Thanks in advance, and I really appreciate any & all feedback!
I've run them through the washer once, and they're already about halfway down to size and as thick as I'd've expected the finished products to be. This surprised me greatly because I've tried felting a few times before, and it's always taken many runs through the washer on hot to get them even remotely shrunk & felted -- even with the same brand of wool! Not to mention, the proportions are now a little off, and the ribbed cuffs? Forget that -- somehow they're now wider than the hand.
So what I'm hoping to find out is:
1. when should I try embroidering the flowers, when they're done shrinking, or halfway through so that the embroidery can felt into the mittens? If I do it when they're done, would that leave holes?
2. Is it OK to use feltable wool for the embroider? I understand that my felting mileage may vary, but I was hoping to get more past experience-type advice on this one.
3. They are very shaggy right now, should I trim that with scissors or will it go away in the next wash?
Thanks in advance, and I really appreciate any & all feedback!