Have you ever watched an ice skater before a performance or a pilot before a flight? They mentally skate or fly their plan, sometimes following a tape outline on the floor. Well, when I planned to make a wool tote and show you every step of the project, that's what I did mentally. Then I got out what I thought was an old wool sweater. I had not looked it in years. The damn thing's acrylic!
Now, if you are not into fiber, that may not sound like a big deal to you. It is. The first step in the project was to felt it. Let me describe felting a sweater to you.
Take an old 100% wool sweater, size XXL and put it in a bathtub of hot water and a bit of dish soap. The water should not be scalding. Swirl the sweater around a few times with your hand. Drain the water. Refill with cold water. For good measure, throw in a couple of trays of ice cubes. Swirl the sweater around with you hand. Drain the water.Lay the sweater out to dry on a few old towels. Your 100% wool sweater, size XXL should now be about the right size to fit a toddler.
Next, take an old 100% acrylic sweater, size XXL. Punch some holes in a steel drum. Add some of those big old round river rocks. Now, put in the sweater. Toss the whole thing in a geyser, scalding sulfuric water, anaerobic bacteria and all. Wait to the geyser blows. Watch the steel drum fly into a convenient nearby glacier lake. Take the sweater out of the steel drum. Lay the sweater out to dry on a few old towels. Your 100% acrylic sweater may have a few holes from the rocks but otherwise will be exactly the same XXL sweater you started with.
So it's back to the drawing board to find a project to demonstrate my creative process for you.
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