Do you prefer 100% wool or are the blends just as good? Do you like a certain company better? I recently emailed a company online twice with questions and they didn't get back to me so I decided to look elsewhere.

Gale, thanks for asking this question. I've been wanting to start some pennyrug type projects and don't know what's best to work with. Lots of things call for wool felt...is that felted wool? Just wondering...will be watching your post!

I'll b watching too. Went to Des Moines show. Was shocked at the price of wool. I want to make a wool quilt, but wow! And I know nothing about either type.

I like 100% wool. I buy wool clothes at the thrift store on dollar day's (all clothing is $1 per piece) Thats alot for a buck! Then I take it home, take it apart, and throw it in the washer & dryer. It tightens everything up, and is perfect for penny rugs, quilts, etc. I have seen wool in the LQS, and it is $36 a yard, no way!

one of our lqs sell wool on the bolt for $60 a yard!
thrift stores are the way to go! that is where i get most of mine! i do on occassion purchase a piece of dyed wool, but i prefer to dye my own.
i have used the marcus brothers wool blend bundles. they work fine...but i really like working with 100% wool...it just feels better. i go to thrift stores and yard sales buy any and all 100% wool garments, take them home cut them apart wash in hot water, rinse in cold, toss in dryer...ready for anything! and my black wool hand appliqued quilt (all the appliques done with (recycled wool) was appraised for $3700...so using recycled wool instead of $60 a yard wool does not take away from a quilt's value...if anything it increases the value :thumbup:

I really enjoy working with 100% wool. And, I buy my wool from Dorr Mill Store, which is (like all places for me) about an hour away. Their quality is great! They have both 100% and mixed 80wool/20nylon.
See for yourself: http://dorrmillstore.com/index.php

what great information! I too have to drive an hour away to get anywhere. LOl

Next trip out of town i'll try to time it so I am there when the thrift stores are open.

Thank you sOOO much!

We have a nice shop in Nebraska that advertises as "Wool felt central"
Here is their website

http://www.prairiepointjunction.com/

http://www.woolfeltcentral.com/

Nice place. I bought some to do some pincushions. They have so many colors. They do alot of penny rugs for display. Its the same place, but they have two websites. You can get to the wool felt through prairiepoint, or go directly to the wool site.

I too like working with 100 % wool in the fabrics and near that % in wool yarns. I dabble in penny rug making and needle felting as well as quilting and sewing.

Although i also have felted my own wool from garments and sweaters, be careful to check labels - any 'Washable Wool' will not shrink or become felted wool.

Wool felt is different from felted wool, made by a different process.

Remember when you owned a boiled wool jacket? That was essentially wool that had been shrunk before making the clothing.

Dorr Mills is also an hour plus from me and they have bins of remnants at good prices as well as great wool on bolts and finished clothing. I feel a road trip coming on . . .

Hope some of you New England folks can consider this trip.

Think about a trip to Quilted Threads in Henniker, N.H., an awesome LQS that is in that general area as well.

Now must get to the sewing room to touch that wool. . .

Yup, another lover of the Dorr Mill Store here, but I'm closer!! Not sure if that's a good thing or a bad thing. :shock: I much prefer 100% wool over blends.