The Locks Muff Misadventure… And the Fleece-y Comeback!

Have you ever started a project with excitement fizzing in your fingers, only to realise halfway through that it’s just not going to work out the way you imagined?

Well…, that was me.

I had this gorgeous idea brewing for a while — I wanted to make a locks muff pattern. Think of it like a classic handwarmer, but one that’s not only functional and cosy, but stunningly beautiful too, made with the fabulous curls and textures of premium sheep fleece locks. My plan was to blend style and practicality, and I was feeling inspired by the way roving is thrummed inside mittens to keep them extra warm.

So, off I went. I knitted a plain base section first — this was to become the double-layered inside of the muff. Then came the fun part: I started folding the fleece locks in half and catching them into my knitting, locking them in place to form a dense, warm, fluffy outer layer. In my head, it was going to be wearable art — a showstopper of curls, colour, texture, and warmth.

But then… disaster.
As soon as I started handling the piece more, I noticed something: the tail ends of the locks — the part folded in and pushed through the knitting — were too exposed. These lovely little ends started to felt together — not in a nice, fluffy way, but in horrible, clumpy, matted tufts. No definition. No beauty. Just a felted mess.

Cue the moment of horror.
OH NO!

Despite all the effort, it wasn’t working. And trust me, as someone who’s worked with fleece for years, I know when something’s beyond saving. The very thing that makes fleece so magical — the way it felts and melds — was my enemy this time. Those curly locks that should’ve looked artful and wild were collapsing into shapeless clumps with just a bit of handling.

Not like the stylish definition of the boa!

Boa blog here

Boa instructions here

So — deep breath — back to the drawing board.
I need to take it all out now, back to the start of the locks!

It’s not the end of the idea — just a pause. I’ve got a new plan forming, but I need a bit of time (and a few knitting hours!) to redo the “muff” like the boa so it showcases those gorgeous locks without the felting nightmare!

Watch this space — I’ll update the post (and you!) once I’ve had a chance to re-knit the lock section.

Then the “Thrummed muff” pattern will be ready for others to try and showcase their own curly locks.

In the meantime, thank you for following along with all the trials, errors, and triumphs of fleece-based creativity. Sometimes, the messiest moments lead to the best ideas — eventually!