quilt1950

Can you really make quilts from wool fabric? This might help ease my guilty conscience! Years ago (like 25-30 years) I bought really nice wool to make suits for myself. Well, the suits never got made, I don't need them anymore, and the fabric sits in my cedar chest.

I did a search on this site on "wool", and it looks like I should wash and dry the wool, and then just quilt away. Is that correct? Use whatever batting and whatever backing?

I didn't find any pictures of wool quilts in my search. Can someone post one? I have at least 5 fabrics, which don't really coordinate (one brown, one green, one blue, etc), and I can't see a finished quilt in my mind's eye.

What are the attributes of a quilt made with wool. I'm thinking it would be a lap-size, used for warmth while watching TV, vs. a quilt used on a bed.

Thanks!

jljack

I don't know about wool quilts. I have seen pictures, but haven't made one and don't know anyone who makes them. I bet they would be warm, though. You'd have to use wool batting, too, probably.

Hope someone can answer your question. Good luck!!

raptureready

Since wool has a tendency to be heavy quilts out of it are usually made in the same manner as a denim quilt---in other words, very simple blocks such as squares or rectangles sewn together. They can be quilted but are usually tied. Since wool is very warm you won't need much batting so if you use any at all, it should be very thin. Wool is usually more loosely woven than cotton so you might want to take a bit larger seam--up to 1/2" and make sure that your stitch is just a little smaller than usual. A lot of times she used an old sheet blanket or flannel sheet for the batting.
At least that's what Mom always did. She made them bed size though. Old drafty farm house in central Illinois almost required them to survive. LOL

Candace

Yes, quilts can be made out of wool. But, remove it from your cedar chest! Cedar Chests will stain fabrics and quilts over time.

quiltwoman

Our local fair had the most beautiful red/gray WOOL quilt submitted by a Mennonite church. It won an award. I"m sorry I don't have a picture of it. It was really beautiful.

thequiltmama

I have seen quilts made out of wool. I personally don't use it, I am allergic but they are nice and warm :-)

Stitchnripper

I saw a quilt made of wool like men's suiting interspersed with home decorating fabrics such as silk, suede and velvet. There were decorative stitched through the blocks. It was backed with berber fleece. It was gorgeous. Someone gave me a whole lot of approx. 6" square wool samples of men's clothing and I got some decorator fabric and now trying to come up with a design. I don't want to cut the squares any smaller. It is all laid out on the dining room table right now. Any suggestions are appreciated.

Holice

there is an older boom (1970's) believe the title is The Wool Quilt. Is available on Amazon or Ebay. Gives all kinds of info about using wool.
Many many many years ago my aunts made wool lap robes as the cars were unheaqted. They were just squares.
This has been discussed here before and most agree that very thin batting should be used if wool is alwo on the back. However, I would tend to use another fabric that simulates wool but is thinner. And yes, they make wonderful warm quilts. Just have to respect the nature of the fabric such as fraying etc and perhaps make larger seams.

the casual quilter

My grandmother made wool quilts for men's suiting fabric samples that she was given, and they stayed on our beds for years. I still have one. I don't use it, but it is packed safely away. The wool is in good shape, but the flannel backing needs to be replaced. It's a technique I'd like to try.

Liz aka Helen

How about using is as the backing for a lap quilt or as the batting. My DM GM had a quilt that was made that way - wool as the batting. Its very heavy but very warm and no itchy stuff.