MaryD

I would like to do an applique quilt using felted wool. I have no experience with this. I went to Goodwill and bought 2 100% wool blazers. I cut out the lining, opened all the seams, and found there is a stablizer (I think) that must have been glued to the wool. I tried putting a small piece in boiling water and the stuff came off, but not easily. Today I washed the stablized wool 3x in hot water (I don't think my water is hot enough for this!) and some of it came off, but some seems to be permanent.
Does anyone have experience with this? Is there something I can use to help get the glued piece off? I tried pressing with a hot iron, then with a steam iron but it is still a lot of work and I have dots of the white still remaining.
I read another forum where someone bought wool skirts (unlined) and I think I will look for these next trip.
Any imput appreciated.
Thanks,
Mary

PaperPrincess

I do what you did. I wash the garment with the interfacing on it. Sometimes it just peels off, and sometimes it doesn't. On the stuff that does not easily peel off, I use a steam iron with lots of steam on the interface side. Be very careful of the heat, but you need to try and remove it while it's hot. If that doesn't work, I just use the portions of the garment that were not interfaced and discard the rest.

MaryD

Thanks for your imput. I have a scarf that is 80% lambswool and 20% alpaca. Is any wool ~ wool? I've also seen 100% worsted wool. Is that the same?

PaperPrincess

Your scarf should felt. Some wool has been treated to be washable and so will not felt. If you look at the care label and it says dry clean, that's a good indicator. Often white will not felt due to the bleaching process. It's amazing that often an addition of 10% or less of a manmade fiber will prevent wool from felting. Notice I used the word "often" a lot, because you really never know. If you get something that's all wool, or almost all wool, I would go ahead and try.
You normally felt something so that a raw edge won't ravel. If a garment won't felt, you can open a seam in the lining and see if the fabric was fused to interfacing. if so, you can just use it as is. The interfacing will keep it from raveling.