I really enjoyed felting my hand knitted pieces when I first tried it. Here's my tutorial.

Firstly create a test piece. I always recommend testing a length of hand knitting before you start with a larger piece, as shrinkage can be so unpredictable. I usually start by knitting a square, around 10cm by 10cm, as this gives me a round number to work out the overall shrinkage for my final project (although final projects may vary slightly in predicted dimensions. Nothing is ever perfect).

I always recommend starting out by choosing 100 percent wool (don't use Superwash, as this is a treatment that makes sure the fibres don't felt/bobble), but you can use wool yarn with a 10 to 15 percent synthetic content. Some artisists use yarns with a higher synthetic base, but for easier first time results lets stick to a content close to 100 percent untreated wool.

Put your square in the washing machine on a 60 degree cycle, adding washing detergent only. Once your square has been washed you can set it aside to dry overnight. You will notice that the surface has already become quite fluffy and that the square has shrunk.

When the square is dry measure it again to see how much it has shrunk. This will give you an idea of how much bigger to knit your desired project before felting. For example if the square has shrunk to 5cm by 5cm this is a shrinkage value of 50 percent, therefore you will need to knit your project 50 percent bigger than usual to get the desire final dimensions.

TIP: The smaller the guage (closer the stitches), the more felting will occur on the surface as the fibres can easily tangle.

Once your testing is finished you are now ready to embark on your final project.

Why not try a simple tote bag, or a hat?