You might have seen my earlier thread inquiring about good places to buy wool. I was thinking ready-to-work-with wool, and a generous member is actually sending me some scraps.
But there were also folks who suggested thrift stores.

While running errands today I went in a charity shop that sells everything from books to curtains, shoes to appliances, and clothing to video tapes.

I bought 8 men's jackets, all wool, for $7. So... Now what? I have to wash them in hot water, then dry them, right? Should I use fabric softener? Do I cut them apart first? If I do that, wouldn't they ravel a lot?

Thank you for your help!

Wool in hot water turns to felt! I would do the cold water wash and lay flat to dry. Wool is woven so it will ravel. I would leave them whole until after washing. You might just want to soak them with a mild detergent.

I would definitely NOT use fabric softener. From what I've read, you want to wash in hot hot water and agitate as long as possible. I would not cut them apart until after. Are they 100% wool? What a great find!!

After reading the pp... I thought the OP wanted wool felt? That's the impression I got anyway.

You could be right about that. I have a wool suit to make for a client. Guess my head wasn't thinking about felting. LOL

Here's the thread the OP was talking about when she asked about buying wool. Still doesn't say felt but since it's applique I think it would be. I am going to check out the stores in the thread too.

http://www.quiltingboard.com/t-151960-1.htm

What one does to just wash wool fabric to clean it and have it stay approximately the way it was before washing

and how one treats it to "felt" it -

two completely different treatments.

Probably should find what the original poster has in mind ??

This link was on one of the websites linked in the above thread:

http://www.ehow.com/how_2074433_felt-wool.html

I think the hotter the water, and the most agitation produces felt. To wash wool, you need cool water, and very gentle handling.

when i purchase wool jackets to use from thrift stores/yard sales i take them apart- remove buttons- what ever take the linings out- then wash them in hot water- and detergent-rinse in cold water then dry in a hot dryer- then it is ready to use for what ever i'm going to use it for- wool appliques- patchwork- hooked rugs, purses- what ever i am using it for-
you can also over-dye your wools in you want.

Wow, talk about showing my lack of knowledge... I don't know! I think I want it felted, but now I'm not sure. It's for wool applique. Pattern is O Holy Night from Under the Garden Moon.

http://www.underthegardenmoon.com/st...products_id/61

I would say from looking at that photo that you want the wool yardage not felted. Check out the little plaid donkey. With felting you wouldn't get the pattern in the wool. Super cute pattern!

I buy 99% of my wool from thrift stores in the form of clothes. I completely take it apart, remove any button, snaps, zippers, everything. I wash it in very hot water with little soap and dry it as hot as I can until it as dry as possible. It will never shrink or fade again. Sometimes I like to over dye too, using different dark wool colors with light wool colors. You can get some interesting colors that way. No fabric softner or dryer sheets. Check you dryer vent often as it will make a lot of fuzz.

I've read all of the replies to the original post, and just for my (generally windblown and confused) tree of knowledge, what is the difference? Does felted wool look different, or wear differently? Do they have different purposes? I've been wanting to make a wool quilt--is there something I should watch for?

I agree. I remove the lining, shoulder pads etc. Note that some manufacturers used iron on interfacing on some of the jacket parts to keep them from stretching, which may prevent that part from felting. I usually try and pull this off. Sometimes it comes right off, sometimes it comes off with steam pressing. If it won't come off, felt it anyway.
I would also wash the items in a pillow case. I use several and put some of the wool pieces in each one to balance the load. You can just safety pin the closed, or baste. There is a lot of fuzz that will come off the wool and this will save your machine and plumbing from the stress.

wool in hot water will end up being felt! and the longer you agitate the tighter the felt will be.

I've put my wool in hot water and dryer for applique. If the quilt is ever going to be washed (and who can say what will happen when it leaves your hands), it's important the wool be as pre-shrunk as can be. It also makes it not fray if you "felt" it first.

Good questions, there sure is a difference. Wool shrinks, the hotter the wash and/or dryer, and the more aggitagion in the wash the tighter the wool fabric gets. Felted wool is a tighter weave so it look differently from the orginal fabric. It also wears differently as the tighter the weave the more wind and water proof it can be. Felted wools are used for warmer clothing. Felted wool fabric its heavier in the hand (thicker) and dosn't drape in the same way as wool yardage. Wools can be a very fine lightweight weave or up to 1/2 inch thick. Parkas are made from the thick weave called "duffel". When making a quilt you would want a tighter weave for applique but also a lighter weight. Hope this helps. No expert here, just my thoughts.

Thank you all for your suggestions. MisDixie, you really know your wool!

The jackets filled one kitchen trash bag, plus one grocery bag (which is how the store determines pricing), just to give you an idea of the current volume. There is enough that I could wash half and leave half as is.

My washer is a front-loader, so there isn't a whole lot of agitation going on. Hmmm.

I'll take some pics and let you know what happens!

I hit myself on the forehead (as in "Duh!!) when I realized that in the supplies list it says, "felted wool."

Jeez, do I feel stupid.

LOL...when in doubt read the instructions! Been there and done that....many times.
I have done a lot with wool but not a wool quilt...yet!
Cheers!

If it's felted, you don't have to finish the edges. If it isn't, you have to because it'll ravel.

In the felt you buy the wool fibers are not woven but mixed together with hot soapy water until the scales all lock together. Not structurally strong
The felt you get from washing the the suits you bought will be practically indestructible. (Process is called ‘fulling’ and the fabric is 'fulled wool' just in case the quilt police try to give you a test before you kick them out.)

Well, they are cut up, washed and dried.

If I'd been willing, I probably could have gotten more out of them, but when I met resistance, I went around. So wherever there was anything bonded that didn't easily pull off, I cut around it. I didn't open seams.

What I got was still plenty for what I need. And a baggie of buttons. Cutting into a couple of them was almost painful - they were as nice, or nicer, than some of the ones DH wears to work! A quick jab with the scissors and the dye was cast.

Next I will have to look in women's for reds/purples/blues...

I have felted many men's Jackets from thrift stores. As soon as I bring them in the door I wash them in the hottest water my machine has with the normal amount of detergent on the longest agitation (this will not work well in a front loader because there is no agitator) I then toss them in the drier until they are bone dry, this produces a lot of lint so I check my lint trap often to clear it. I then cut off the buttons, cut away the lining and padding, cut out the sleeves, and cut down that sleeve underarm seam. I then cut off the collar and in my case discard it, Now I have a vest like piece which I open at the shoulder seams. Now all pieces are flat and I can fold and store according to color :o)

You said you should have read the instructions. Yes, but look at all the info people sent. Great education for many.

I was interested to see your answers. I just acquired several yards of lightweight wool fabric. I was thinking of a lap quilt or something, but now I am so confused....to wash, not to wash, cold water/hot water...

Once the wool has been washed in hot water with soap and thoroughly agitated you won't have to worry about it again.

My first lesson was with wool that was second hand and I was practically a baby. I put the quilt together and later; may have been years; washed the thing only to have a few blocks suddenly half the size. What a puckered mess. If I had known I would have washed all and then know the finished size. Now I felt all the time. Most books recommend Ivory soap and definitely no softener. When you felt a sweater or a crocheted item that you make it can get so strong that no pencil can even puncture it. Works great for the handbags I design and make.

I take apart old wool clothing and to really felt it you need to boil it and then plunge it into ICE cold water....then boil it again and toss into the washing machine...then a hot dryer! It is labor intensive work, so make sure you know exactly what you are going to use it for before you start taking it all apart!

Uh, yeah... That sounds like a LOT of work!! For what I'm planning, I think this one wash will work. I did tug a bit at the edges, and although they were ravelly before washing, no more pulls off now. Thankfully, I don't need to get out the wash kettle or build a fire! I have visions of women out in the yard with a wood paddle in their hand, lol.

This is also what I do. The temperature changes shrink the wool but not to the point of felting. I use the resulting fabric for applique and pennyrug type projects. You do NOT need to felt it for applique. Loosely woven herringbones and tweeds are the most likely to fray, but not necessarily. I have very, very little problem with fraying using the method described by ckcowl.

Wool treated this way before use results in a finished product that can be carefully washed (I use lukewarm) when needed.
When you get your bundle in the mail compare the fabrics that were hot water washed and dryer dried with the piece of red wool that hadn't been.

In very high end garments you used to see the label: "Boiled Wool" used to describe fabric treated the way you describe, jaci. It was so tight it shed water. Since I no longer look at high end garments, I don't know if that label is still relevant.

Felted wool is very dense. The wool fibers shrink and mat together so that they do not ravel. You can use that material to applique small pieces and they to not need to be turned under. Personaly, I think felted wool would not be comfortable in a suit! Good luck with what you decide to do.

Be sure to 'deconstruct' the items first! Remove interfacing, pockets, etc, bring it all down to just fabric pieces cuz once it has been felted in hot water you will not be happy if you didn't.

I don't agree. It can be felted, the plaid donkey could have been made for a plaid jacket etc. Even the large background could have been felted.

The project will be absolutely delightful in felted wool, IMHO

I agree. I cut the jackets apart, remove any interfacing and lining and wash in HOT water, rinse in cold and the throughly dry in the dryer. The reason for this is if you felt the wool it will not unravel. Do Not add fabric softener. You will be very happy with this.

you might measure before you wash. if they are washable
woolens, they will not shrink. the pits when you want them to shrink! I have made quilts with washable wools in 8-10" squares. wash in warm or cool water first, cut, sew. then
they will be washable later in cool water. In this case, I also
wash the backing first. poly-down batt is wonderful. warm & natural will shrink too much & is too heavy for wool.
they are the greatest snuggle quilts.

I have several hundred pounds of wool that have felted. Look for men's long wool trench coats if you can. I got a man's 6x (yes 6) once for $2.50. Cut out the satin or silk liner. Save if you want. Great for crazy quilts. Cut or pull out any fused stabilizer. Wash in the hottest water possible. Dry in really hot too. NO fabric softener. Will just dull your rotary blades. Try to get 100% wool. Any other fibers and it may not felt...then, have fun.

What if you have a frontload washer? Saw a blip on it but not much else. Thanks for the info.