Sunday, October 12, 2008

It all comes out in the wash

Typing pad project: the raw materials

One week of work, and only one extra trip to the store for another skein, and the typing pad project is nearly done. I've just pulled it out of the wash, sodden brown murky mess that it is, and am well-pleased with the results. Unfolded, the piece was about five and a half feet long, with the random gaps and goofs that say "this was a project done in a hurry." It all comes out in the wash though: the row that I randomly reversed stitches, the rough edges, the strange gappy oversized overall yuck of the raw piece is now square, damp, and smooth. I could probably shrink it a bit more, but I'm considering tossing it into the dryer to get it from the completely-dripping stage to the merely-damp stage. Pictures of the completed work to come once it's dry enough to play with Gomez, but you can get a glimpse of the "before" piece and its accoutrements perched on a TV tray this morning, before its date with the Kenmore. I was skeptical at first that the finished product would be as good as it is. Just goes to show what a little attention, friction, and a good soak can do for your first draft.

Update: after drying 12 hours later:

Typing pad project: after felting

7 comments:

Anonymous said...

Very interesting project. Looks pretty big for a typing pad :). BTW your typewriter looks exactly like my trusty Olympia. Great machines.

mpclemens said...

It's HUGE for a typing pad, or at least it was huge. After washing it in hot water a few times, all the fibers have meshed together and the entire project has shrunk and thickened, what knitters call "felting" the piece. After washing, it's a much more reasonable size.

Olivander said...

Very cool. You could have yourself a little market going, there.

Unknown said...

Beautiful!

(Don't worry about the stitching - who can tell after it's felted?)

-FedoraLV

mpclemens said...

Olivander, I'll consider it... the serotonin boost from the repetitive knitting action is very soothing and rather hypnotic (hence the reversed row.)

Lisa, that's exactly it. A little after-care and all those stitching sins are literally washed away. I wonder if a felted typewriter cozy would be appropriate?

Monda said...

Bravo! I can't help but notice the high-dollar needles you have there. You're not playing around, are you?

I'm a Denise girl myself.

mpclemens said...

The connection in Denise needles hit the palm of my hand in exactly the wrong place, so that they start to bother me after a very short time. These are the Options needles from Knit Picks that my wife got for me one Christmas, after my not-so-subtle hinting about them. The join doesn't bother me on these for some reason.

They're excellent, though you cannot join cable to cable like you can with Denise. I'm lobbying Santa for some of the larger points this December as a reward for not losing my mind in November.