The knit hat is now completed. After applying brute force to it last night, it has now dried on the hat block and the finishing touches added.
I felt my knit hats through a process of applying hot and cold water, all the while agitating the fibers to get them to fuse together. Doing this by hand is hard work and it took me over and hour and a half to get the hat to the desired shape and size.
Once the hat had been felted, I leave it on a hat form over night to dry. In this case I made up a quick hat block from heavy card stock. Before it has completely dried I use a wire brush to raise the nape. The nape (the fuzzy bits) is then trimmed down with scissors to get the hat a nice soft velvety feel. This is the same process that is applied to fabrics after they have been fulled.
Do you shellac your hats as they did? Or do you leave them un-sized?
I have not sized this hat. I have used wheat/corn starch on felt hats I’ve made from hat blanks, but haven’t on any I’ve knitted yet.
I love the hat! It’s a great shape and it really suits you. I have plans to knit and felt a flat cap, but I need to brush up on my knitting skills first.