I am fairly allergic to live sheep. i think it is the wool dander and not the wool, but I am so tired of the inside of the ER. Is this a washed wool that they make it out of? Wool that has been washed, I can handle, but not raw wool. Can someone comment before mine arrives on Jan 24. Marcia

I have more fun not being cheap. I want something and budget allows I buy it.
I have several of the wool pressing mats in all sizes. The wool pressing mats are thick and dense, they can't be folded. The blankets are soft so the fabric sinks in when pressed.

That makes a big difference and I have compared both types. The wool blanket will be nice to cover an ironing surface but to press a quilt block the wool pressing pad is best.

That's why so many are praising the wool mat and so many are substituting for it and then say they can't understand all the hype about it.

I use a wool mat at work...and yes love it.

At home I have made mini mats with some washed wool fabric...layered it with three layers, sewed them together around the outer edges. It made about a 3/4" thick pad. I then took a lightweight wool gabardine and made a "pillow case" for it. I love it on top of a small wood ironing board next to my machine when I sew my small blocks together. I have another small ironing board that I layered with about 3 layers of washed wool then put a cotton cover on top of it. My next step is to put several layers of this washed wool on top of my MIL's old wood ironing board. I personally think the hard surface is as important as the wool.

Yes go for it. I'm also a believer in upcycling..we do live on a planet with limited resources...

I've used a wool blanket and now have a wool pressing mat. I do think the mat works better than the old wool blanket purchased at an estate sale for a couple bucks. That being said, the wool blanket works better than just the ironing board.

Since you mentioned it my thoughtful response would be "Don't be so gosh darn cheap, Watson. You do beautiful work and deserve the best tools.

There is big difference from the mats compared to the blankets. The mats are thick and very dense. If you can fold it then it is not a wool pressing mat but a wool surface. I believe in being frugal when needed but never be cheap and cut corners.

I have a friend who is allergic to lanolin, which is secreted by sheep. It's found in a lot of beauty products such as lip balm. Could this be your issue, too?

We all do whatever works for us. It's easy to say that if it's in the budget, why not just get the pressing mat. On the other hand, if you'd like to give the blanket a try, what's the harm? If it works for you, great. If not, lesson learned on move onto the mat.

Several months ago, there was a thread about ecorugpads.com. They carry 100% wool pads, normally used under rugs. They are less expensive than the wool mats intended for pressing. Perhaps not as pretty, if you consider the pressing mats pretty, because the fibers are a mix of grey, white, black rather than only grey.

I'm not sure what it is about wool that irritates me, but I do itch. Even with a shirt under sweaters, I can't wear wool sweaters. But having a cover over the wool mat on my ironing board works really well for me. And because the ecorug product is so much less expensive, I bought more than enough to cover my Better Board. I lopped the extra off and put it in a pillowcase for a travel mat, or for times when I don't have the Better Board up.

Marcia, I would think that the felting process would wash out the dander bits, but I'm not sure. I guess you will ind out when you get it. Have the benadryl ready! It definitely won't be raw wool.

Here's a picture that includes my small wool covered board. It's getting dirty and needs to be cleaned. I think I'm going to try the little upholstery cleaner on my carpet cleaner, so I don't have to take it apart.

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You should be fine with the wool mat. It has been washed and processed to death before it arrives at your house. Most likely it is the lanolin you are allergic to. Sheep don't have much, if any, dander. Some breeds have more than others, but all have lanolin. Some folks, such as myself, love the smell and feel of sheep. I no longer have sheep but when I visit my sheep fiends the first thing I do is visit the sheep and plunge my hands into their wooly fleece. Enjoy your new mat.