Wool for quilts
#11
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Location: Western Wisconsin
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A lot of times garment tags will say Dry Clean only because it is the safest way to clean them. However, unless the content is rayon, it's usually safe to wash the garment by hand in cold water. With wool, the biggest problem with washing a garment is that the fabric might shrink and thus render the garment unwearable. However, if the fabric shrinks evenly, there's no reason why it can't be used in a quilt.
#12
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Join Date: Jun 2008
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Thank you for the lint trap reminder.
My large piece shrank over a yard!
My large piece shrank over a yard!
#13
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Location: NY
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Does the process described "felt" the wool so it can be used as raw edge applique without fraying? I love the felted wool applique quilts done with fancy applique stitches and blanket stitch around the applique and if I ever acquire some cast off wool clothing I would like to give it a try.
#14
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Location: Sonoma County, CA
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What I would do in your situation is wash each wool in the washing machine with soap and dry on high in the dryer. That way if you have one that crazy-shrinks, you can use it for some other project. The wools that survive the washer/dryer treatment should work fine for a quilt, and the quilt would be able to be washed normally later.
#15
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I use woolen clothing a lot in my quilts. One thing I have found useful is to cut the garment into large pieces (basically taking out all the joins/seams) then wash. Some fabric shrinks a fair bit, but I have cut up skirts and jackets that have had minimal/no shrinkage. With the seams/hems and whatnot cut out you will get maximum shrinkage and after washing/drying/pressing you will have usable fabric which will pretty much withstand everything.
#16
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Location: Western Wisconsin
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Does the process described "felt" the wool so it can be used as raw edge applique without fraying? I love the felted wool applique quilts done with fancy applique stitches and blanket stitch around the applique and if I ever acquire some cast off wool clothing I would like to give it a try.
Last edited by Prism99; 09-25-2014 at 08:57 AM.
#17
The process is the same for felting wool but I think for felting you need (1) 100% wool, no blends, and (2) I believe you need to start with knitted wool. When you start with woven wool fabric, I don't think you get the edges that don't ravel. The upside is that you typically get only a little shrinkage with woven fabric; knitted wool is where you can get the humongous shrinkage. It is that shrinkage that tightens all the fibers so much that nothing ravels. I think. I've felted knitted garments only by accident.
The woven vs. knitted difference in shrinkage is due to the difference in processing procedures the wool has already been through, the alignment of the fibers within the fabric/yarn (end to end or jumbled), and the straightness/kinkyness of the fibers. It is the tighter interlocking of the hooks in the fibers on shrinking that prevents the raveling.
*The exception is worsted wools. They do tend to ravel, even after felting/fulling.
More info:
http://www.quiltmaker.com/articles/f...ing_woven_wool
well that's an awkward place to break that hyperlink, isn't it!
Last edited by ghostrider; 09-25-2014 at 10:06 AM.
#18
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Join Date: Dec 2008
Location: Western Wisconsin
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more info:
http://www.quiltmaker.com/articles/f...ing_woven_wool
well that's an awkward place to break that hyperlink, isn't it!
http://www.quiltmaker.com/articles/f...ing_woven_wool
well that's an awkward place to break that hyperlink, isn't it!
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