Yes, you should have bought it. It would have made a great Santa outfit for applique or Christmas stockings, or lots of othr things like that. Or, depending on how big it was you could have made a jacket out of it...and living in Ohio you could probably use a wool jacket.

Yep, me too - I would have bought it. I love, love, felted wool. I am just starting to take some classes on working with wool.

If it's still there, I'd go back & get it.

I bought a wool blanket at a yard sale a few years ago. It had been washed and shrunk. I thought they wanted too much for it, but I wanted it for my ironing table. It makes a great padding, better than batting because it doesn't compress like batting does, but yet it gives just enough cusion to press your pieced blocks without the chance of stretching them out of shape like batting can. I got this tip from a professional quilter. Sorry I can't remember who.

Felt the blanket in your washing machine and make a purse of tote bag. You will probably have enough fabric for several. Or - combine with other felted wools and make a throw. Once wool is properly felted it is great to use for applique since it doesn't ravel. Lucky you for such a great find!

I would wash it well (add some regular salt to the wash to set the color) and if you don't care for it just use it as a warm batting for your next quilt. :)

My mother and grandmother made wool comforters during WWII out out of my grandfather's old wool suits. They were backed by flannel, not sure what was used for batting. These were the warmest bedding I ever sleep under. You were never cold. Back then you turned the heat off at night to save on cost and frequently woke up to frozen pipes in the kitchen and bath, but you stayed warm in your bed. If prices keep going up and unemployment stays high we may need warm bedding like that again.

IndyQuilter - What a great idea! I haven't heard of this before!

After you put the wool padding on your ironing table, do you then cover it with muslin (or other fabric), or do you iron right on the wool surface, without another cover over it?

I am going to have to try this! Thanks!

My mother and grandmother made wool comforters during WWII out out of my grandfather's old wool suits. They were backed by flannel, not sure what was used for batting. These were the warmest bedding I ever sleep under. You were never cold. Back then you turned the heat off at night to save on cost and frequently woke up to frozen pipes in the kitchen and bath, but you stayed warm in your bed. If prices keep going up and unemployment stays high we may need warm bedding like that again.

I would have purchased the blanket, taken it home, washed it in the washer (probably in HOT water), dried it in the dryer (on HOT heat) and finally measured to see how large it is and how much 'fabric' I have to work with. It can be used for making a purse, house shoes, booties, hats, muffs, mittens, layered and tied to make a throw rug, used to make penny rugs or candle mats, edged with crocheted lace to make a table mat, rolled up and placed between the screen door and the back door as a wind blocker/insulator, cut and used to make a neck scarf with multi-colored yarn fringe, thrown in the back seat of the car for trips when you need 'just a little extra warmth' or if you should find yourself stranded, and....the list goes on! Wool is one of those fabrics that can be used for so many different things and remember, once it has been felted down you can cut it without threat of fraying!

I have some old army blankets that were my mother-in-laws and I am going to felt with them.....making vest, purses, totes anything I can think of....a friend of mine gave me a garbage bag full of felted wool (she is a spinner)and I am going use some of it with the blankets....I will let you know how it turns out. Going to wash the blankets in hot water to felt them.

Wool is also great to put into pincushions to keep needles sharp so any leftovers from other projects could be used that way.
Patti Sue

I agree!

I purchased 3 army wood blankets from a military surplus on purpose. My sons took two but I managed to keep on. I use it over one of my large tables when I need to press large things such as drapes, whole quilt tops, etc. I covered one table with heavy duty foil, throw this blanket over and clamp it with office supply clips. In certain cases, I also cover it with an old sheet. I have used, washed, reused over and over, this same blanket now for 11 years. Works perfect.

I would snap it up in a heartbeat. Wash it when you get home and dry it in a hot dryer to felt it and see if it bleeds. Then use it to make penny rugs. They aren`t quilts, but they are so attractive.

It doesn't bother me, the thrifts back room is always filled to bursting with more clothing and if anyone can't afford warm clothes and shoes for their family I know they are given what they need at the Salvation Army here.

I would have snagged it in a heartbeat
Great for appliques, or snowman vests and scarves---
there are numerous uses.

Just hit the Goodwill store by me for men's wool jackets for the wool for doing applique work and small wall hangings. Was SO much cheaper than buying the wool from store... I even found a red women's jacket for 4.99 that is for Mug Rug I am making right now.
I throw them in the dryer with Dryel for a quick "dry cleaning" and the wool has been wonderful...no problems

Hope it is still there when you go back!! You can certainly find something to do with it! You can always use it for batting on a throw...

Cathay ;)

I made it to the Goodwill shortly after it opened this morning and snatched that wool blanket up as fast as I could. A woman standing nearby moseyed over to the rack after I walked away and began looking through the rack where I had been. Isn't it funny how human nature works that way. She had to have wondered what she had missed out on. LOL!!

Now to find out more about getting it ready to use. I put it in the washer as soon as I got home. Sounds like I need to cycle it on HOT several times. How will I know when it is felted?
Sorry, just don't know much about wool.

Me, too! Yum :mrgreen:

yes I would have bought it. You can always felt it and then you can cut it and sew it at your will.

It will be felted when it is thicker and heavier feeling...you could call it matted. Then when you cut it it will not fray.

When you wash wool do you get a lot of stuff come off of it? Just wondering because its like it was shedding in my washer.

Yes, the fuzz from the nap will be coming off.

it will not ravel AND that's what makes it so good to applique with - no turning under - just raw edge. Yeehawwww!

I also would have purchased it in a heart beat for felting. I would have washed it in hot water to felt it and used a color grabber cloth to catch all the excess red color. I never can find such great deals, I guess I will just have to go more often.

See you all later! I am headed to the Goodwill!


...thanks for all the great information! and I have a red blanket w/ the black stripes downstairs. Will have to see if it has a maker label on it!

Maybe this photo will give a better of idea of what felted wool should look like.

There is also a machine that can be purchased to do the felting or you can do it by hand.

I was told by someone that uses wool for rugs that Goodwill will sell wool clothing in large bundles and it is much cheaper that way than purchasing things piece by piece. Not sure if that is all stores but they will do it here.

You can also make felt from a wool sweater by doing the same thing.

The wool blanket had already been washed and shrunk so it was thicker than a regular wool blanket. It was the perfect size for my table. I first put the blanket on the table and had just enough to bring it to the underside and used my husbands heavy duty stapler to attach it. Then I covered the wool with a light color heavy canvas, or you can use denim, and again I stapled it. Lastly I made a muslin cover with a drawstring and put that over the canvas top. When the muslin gets dirty, I just take it off and wash it and then put it back on. My husband made the table for me from and old bathroom vanity. He put it on a base and added open shelves to each end to get the length I wanted. Then he put casters on it so I can roll it around. It measures 28x64, perfect for ironing large pieces of fabric. Another benefit is that it has lots of extra storage.

Yes I would have bought it. I've been looking for exactly that to make into a new coat. My current one is looking old and that quality of wool is expensive - if you can find it. I'll pay the cost and shipping if you want to send to to me! LOL :o)

You could wash it it very hot water to felt if and then use it for penny rugs table runners etc.

If you were to cut it up, it would be great for santa clauses. I would be tempted to use it for batting. It would be a truly warm quilt.

I think it would make a lovely red wool felted purse.

You can save the "shedding" and use for a pin cushion. I don't recall what you have to do with it but I'm sure that someone on the QB will know. The finished pin cushions can be expensive if you purchase one but are supposed to be great with helping to keep pins sharp.

Hi - one of the gals in our Quilt Club makes wonderful wool mittens and sells them very reasonably. She uses wool sweaters, wool skirts, blankets, etc. She lines them with a nice flannel - and they are soooo very warm. Good luck and have fun.

That's what I would try

That was the first thing I thought of when I read your thread.

I would have snagged that in a heart beat.... use synthropol when washing, wash in hot hot hot water and its felted.... yeah... now you can use it for all kinds of projects.... have fun...

Wool has a natural lanolin in it so not sure if that may help the pins go through easier when you use them thus not dulling them as fast or not.

I had a few yards of wool and just used it instead of batting....warm with out the itch.