Thread: Wool for quilts
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Old 09-24-2014, 11:07 AM
  #3  
Prism99
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Join Date: Dec 2008
Location: Western Wisconsin
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Some wools shrink like crazy (think man-size sweater shrunk down to toddler size); other wool fabrics are pre-treated and don't shrink.

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.

Edit: Should mention that it's a good idea to use laundry soap when you wash the wools -- not just hot water. This is because wool fibers have little hooks on them. When the fibers are agitated in water and soap, the soap provides a slipperiness that encourages the hooks to interlock. This helps achieve max shrinkage in the wool.

Last edited by Prism99; 09-24-2014 at 11:26 AM.
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