[Alistair]

Ok I've knitted something too big, I'm half way through, I used too big a needle so it's about an inch too wide, do I start again or finish it and then attempt to shrink it to the right size, they're mittens in Arran wool, I'd quite like them to be really dense but have no idea if I've messed up and need to start again, if I put them in the washing machine will they come out felted

Thank you

Confused again

[jaykay]

Dachstein mittens, which are very much favoured by climbers, are felted wool. They are brill, tough and warm when wet.

To felt to size, you need to control the process, so don't just chuck them in the washer. I would put them in hot soapy water in the sink, swish around with a wooden spoon or something, taking them out regularly and check for size.

Then when they're right, you might need to stuff them with paper (or wear them  ), so that they dry right.

I think they could be very good 

[Bionic]

Then when they're right, you might need to stuff them with paper (or wear them  ), so that they dry right.

I think that wearing them to get them the right size would work. I can remember we used to do the same with jeans in my younger days. We would sit in a bath full of water with the jeans on to shrink them to fit.
Can't imagine me being so image conscious now 

[Alistair]

Dachstein mittens, which are very much favoured by climbers, are felted wool. They are brill, tough and warm when wet.

Used to have a pair, that's ideally what I wanted to make, didn't realise it was that ahem easy?

Righty ho and off we go

Thanks

[Fleecewife]

I would do the felting process with them on my hands ie rubbing soap in and using hot water - it would hurt a bit to do the bashing stage.  I have made felted mitts and they are great.  Mine were deliberately knitted about twice the desired final size, so if yours are only slightly too big pre-felting then be very careful you don't over-shrink them.
 
Then of course we will want to see the pics of the end results 

[Anke]

Then when they're right, you might need to stuff them with paper (or wear them  ), so that they dry right.

I think that wearing them to get them the right size would work. I can remember we used to do the same with jeans in my younger days. We would sit in a bath full of water with the jeans on to shrink them to fit.
Can't imagine me being so image conscious now 
[/quote
 
Did people really do that?   

[jaykay]

I did, and once shrunk, they were so tight we had to lie down to zip them up and pull up the zip with a coat hanger 

Of course, we looked like coat hangers ourselves in those teenage days!

[Bionic]

I did, and once shrunk, they were so tight we had to lie down to zip them up and pull up the zip with a coat hanger 

Of course, we looked like coat hangers ourselves in those teenage days!

Yep, exactly right. Been there, done that 

[Lesley Silvester]

I did, and once shrunk, they were so tight we had to lie down to zip them up and pull up the zip with a coat hanger 

I used to have to do that without having shruck them, just to get my stomach flat enough.   

[SmallTimeSmallholder]

Then when they're right, you might need to stuff them with paper (or wear them  ), so that they dry right.

I think that wearing them to get them the right size would work. I can remember we used to do the same with jeans in my younger days. We would sit in a bath full of water with the jeans on to shrink them to fit.
Can't imagine me being so image conscious now 
[/quote
 
Did people really do that?   

OMG anke, how young are you?!?    (Seriously, have you NEVER sat in a bath with your jeans on for shrinking/ fashion purposes?!)

[Mammyshaz]

  yes, been there , done that. All In the name of fashion   

[anderso]

when in the army many years ago we used to wear our boots in water (they used to make us run in the rivers) to get them to fit better -my older sisters used to shrink fit their jeans in the bath (dad used to say lots of things about this)
 
re the gloves if done well they will keep for years

[renee]

I have mittens spun from dogs fur. I wear wool mittens underneath and my hands are warm even down to -35. They have felted so nicely with the warmth of my hands,the cold and damp from the snow, and work feeding the animals.