Wool Applique - Where do you buy your wool?
 

...and what kind of wool do you use? Acrylic wool blend? 100% wool? What is easiest to work with? Pros vs. cons? I am contemplating a few projects and I haven't really done much with wool and I have no idea where to start!

I have had a few folks suggest hitting thrift shops and looking for wool pieces that could be cut up and used in projects. Any other economical ways to get into wool? I might even go so far as play with a little rug hooking...but holy cow is wool expensive! Almost too pricey for a sahm Mom of three (with one on the way!)...

My quilt buddy's and I collect wool from goodwill all the time. 100% wool. Wash it in hot water and dry in hot dryer. Cut it up in usable pieced. We don't bother with a seam ripper but just cut along the seam. We have been doing this a few years and have quit a collection which we share. Sometimes we have to buy backgrounds. (Jo-Ann's) I'm working on a cat wall hanging now; He is light blue with fall leaves around him. I have a collection of embroidery thread I have had for years and we are using that up too. A win win. Good luck. Vi

Thrift stores. I have found the best weight to be ladies blazers/jackets, but anything that says 100% wool and Dry Clean should work. I used to cut them up first, but recently have just thrown them in as is. Put them in a zippered pillowcase as some will generate a LOT of lint and the pillowcase keeps it out of your washer's lint system or your drain. The lapels and jacket fronts often have a fusible interfacing. Sometimes this will just pull off after the felting process, sometimes you can use these pieces with the interfacing left on, and sometimes you just need to discard or use for another purpose. I've been making pincushions with other found items from the thrift store (candle votives work great) left over pieces of wool batting, then a felted wool top.

I buy felted wool from Erica's...online

I buy wool clothing at thrift stores and felt it, that's the most economical way of getting wool. I got a ton of wool clothing a couple years ago at our local thrift stores for a $1 a piece, now just need to get it all felted. LOL

Here's a link.
http://www.ericas.com/fabric/woolfeltyardage.htm

I lucked out and found box pleated wool school uniform skirts and jumpers from the 1950's from a factory in New Jersey. Brand new still in cases at an estate sale. I called my guild buddies and We have wool of every color and plaid you can imagine. We are still using the wool for quilt appliques and it's years ago I found them.

Thank you all for sharing! Erica's looks like it has some good prices on wool, I will have to order a little to get started! I'm a once or sometimes twice a week thrifter so I will start looking...thank you so much all for sharing! ;)

I do the thrift stores and then I felt it. I go to Erica's for colors I can't find. Goodwill is great but Salvation Army store is even better around here!

Thank you for sharing! Is the wool at Erica's actual felted wool or a wool/acrylic blend? I think this is what my strategy will be as well! :)