Tips when using Wool Blankets for Batting
02-16-2015, 09:26 AM
#1
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Tips when using Wool Blankets for Batting
I am making a quilt for my mom. She has a quilt of my great-grandmothers that she keeps on her bed year round (Although it is folded during the summer). I have tried repairing the quilt in the past - but with the constant usage, I'm not accomplishing much. So I think if I can make her another one of similar weight - she can substitute the new quilt on her bed and display (carefully) the older quilt.
This is brings me to my current dilemma since I have never used wool blankets before.
They live near near an army base, so I know I can get Army wool blankets. Is this the best ones to use?
I read that many of you recommend washing them first.
I also read one recommendation to take it to be LAQ. Would this be something most quilt shops could handle or will I need to find a special quilt shop?
I do not plan on quilting this myself.
Do you have any other tips on using a wool blanket for a quilt?
Kind regards,
Tracy
This is brings me to my current dilemma since I have never used wool blankets before.
They live near near an army base, so I know I can get Army wool blankets. Is this the best ones to use?
I read that many of you recommend washing them first.
I also read one recommendation to take it to be LAQ. Would this be something most quilt shops could handle or will I need to find a special quilt shop?
I do not plan on quilting this myself.
Do you have any other tips on using a wool blanket for a quilt?
Kind regards,
Tracy
02-16-2015, 10:00 AM
#2
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Location: Michigan
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I would contact long arm quilters before you purchase the blanket to see if any of them will tackle it.
I made one quilt using a 100% wool blanket, but not an army blanket. The blanket I used was much softer than the WWII surplus wool blankets that I grew up with, but the newer ones may be different. Make sure that it is laundered so it doesn't shrink, or run. The quilt itself came out much stiffer than if I had used batting, but it was OK.
I guess I'm curious as to why you want to use a blanket vs. a batt, or does the one your mom currently uses have a blanket instead of a batt.
I made one quilt using a 100% wool blanket, but not an army blanket. The blanket I used was much softer than the WWII surplus wool blankets that I grew up with, but the newer ones may be different. Make sure that it is laundered so it doesn't shrink, or run. The quilt itself came out much stiffer than if I had used batting, but it was OK.
I guess I'm curious as to why you want to use a blanket vs. a batt, or does the one your mom currently uses have a blanket instead of a batt.
02-16-2015, 10:00 AM
#3
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Location: Orlando, FL
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I guess I am not understanding what you want to do with the wool blanket. Use it as batting? Why? Just to make the new quilt the same weight as the other? Is 66"x 84" sufficient size for the batting (That is the size I see for 'wool army blankets)?
02-16-2015, 01:48 PM
#4
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Lakekids - yes, I want to use a wool blanket for batting. The quilt she has only lays on the top of a queen sized bed with no drape. So I think the size will be sufficient.
PaperPrincess - The quilt of my mom's has a wool blanket used for the batting. I couldn't find a modern batting with the same weight - so I want to use a wool blanket similar to the original quilt. It's very important that the new quilt have a similar weight. Can I ask where you purchased your blanket? Did you use any other layers? Was the blanket scratchy through the quilting cottons? How did you quilt yours?
Thank you for the responses!
PaperPrincess - The quilt of my mom's has a wool blanket used for the batting. I couldn't find a modern batting with the same weight - so I want to use a wool blanket similar to the original quilt. It's very important that the new quilt have a similar weight. Can I ask where you purchased your blanket? Did you use any other layers? Was the blanket scratchy through the quilting cottons? How did you quilt yours?
Thank you for the responses!
02-16-2015, 02:37 PM
#5
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To me the best use of those scratchy wool army blankets is as batting... That way you don't have to feel it. 
once it is inside the cotton fabrics protect against the scratchy wool- won't even know its there, except for the great weight.
Wash and dry the blanket first, then use like any batting. It needles nicely, not difficult to quilt at all. Choose a large, loose quilting design, not a heavily quilted dense design. My mom used to make denim patchwork quilts with those blankets for batting- talk about heavy, warm quilts! I have ( long arm quilted) quite a few quilts with wool blanket battings. My brother's love them.
once it is inside the cotton fabrics protect against the scratchy wool- won't even know its there, except for the great weight.Wash and dry the blanket first, then use like any batting. It needles nicely, not difficult to quilt at all. Choose a large, loose quilting design, not a heavily quilted dense design. My mom used to make denim patchwork quilts with those blankets for batting- talk about heavy, warm quilts! I have ( long arm quilted) quite a few quilts with wool blanket battings. My brother's love them.
02-16-2015, 02:58 PM
#6
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Join Date: Sep 2013
Location: Georgia
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To me the best use of those scratchy wool army blankets is as batting... That way you don't have to feel it. once it is inside the cotton fabrics protect against the scratchy wool- won't even know its there, except for the great weight.
Wash and dry the blanket first, then use like any batting. It needles nicely, not difficult to quilt at all. Choose a large, loose quilting design, not a heavily quilted dense design. My mom used to make denim patchwork quilts with those blankets for batting- talk about heavy, warm quilts! I have ( long arm quilted) quite a few quilts with wool blanket battings. My brother's love them.
once it is inside the cotton fabrics protect against the scratchy wool- won't even know its there, except for the great weight.Wash and dry the blanket first, then use like any batting. It needles nicely, not difficult to quilt at all. Choose a large, loose quilting design, not a heavily quilted dense design. My mom used to make denim patchwork quilts with those blankets for batting- talk about heavy, warm quilts! I have ( long arm quilted) quite a few quilts with wool blanket battings. My brother's love them.
02-17-2015, 01:39 PM
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I think you have received your answer already, but since you asked, I found a 100% wool blanket, imported from England, at a thrift shop. It had some wear on the satin binding & a few discolored areas. I've been going to thrift stores for years and this is the only one I've ever seen. I was in my experimental batting phase, so I thought I'd try it.
02-17-2015, 03:52 PM
#9
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Join Date: Sep 2013
Location: Georgia
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I think you have received your answer already, but since you asked, I found a 100% wool blanket, imported from England, at a thrift shop. It had some wear on the satin binding & a few discolored areas. I've been going to thrift stores for years and this is the only one I've ever seen. I was in my experimental batting phase, so I thought I'd try it.
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