Quick question about drying...

[ScarletLady]

I have searched all through this forum and can't find anything that answers my question...

I made some roving last night and left it to hang dry....it's still damp this afternoon - is that normal?

I guess it would take a while to dry but I thought it would be dryer by now...I'm just worried I'm doing something wrong as I know your washing takes loads longer to dry if you use too much detergent so I wasn't sure if I was using too much soap.

Obviously if it's normal then fair enough I was just worried about it possibly starting to rot inside and smelling funny if it stays wet so long as it's natural fibre

Any help would be fab...also do you need to wait for it to dry before felting again?

[hellsbells]

It's totally normal, you can refelt whilst they're still damp too

I tend to dry mine in the airing cupboard as it's a bit quicker due to the warmth, I also drape them over coat hangers as it gives the air the opportunty to circulate x

[MrsEss]

I read somewhere not to refelt whilst their damp as it can damage the fibres for the felting process. They can also go mouldy if the stay wet too long. Mine go over the radiator & are dry within a few hours

[ScarletLady]

Mould was what I was worried about. They were practically dry so I've re-felted all of them - I've got tons now

Thanks for the advice, I think I'll switch the heating on to help them dry - I'm just being a Scrooge

[MrsEss]

Mould was what I was worried about. They were practically dry so I've re-felted all of them - I've got tons now

Thanks for the advice, I think I'll switch the heating on to help them dry - I'm just being a Scrooge

ha! My radiators aren't always on, I just find they dry better over it. Cos I only get time to felt on a night, they stay over it all night - the 10-16" are always dry the following morning, but the longer ones take a little while longer.

mmm, rotting dreads TASTY!

[ScarletLady]

I know...I was panicking...they're drying nicely know tho

[Squidgy]

I do a mixture of hanging and hanging over the radiator... the only downside to the radiator is that I find the wool puffs up more, for some reason the heat seems to make it fluffier and so if I have a set all nice and thin it can thicken it up again...

Summer is always easier, I also dry them in front of a desk fan if its on for my synth dreads... anything that makes the water molecules aggitated will held them to dry.