LINDA'S TIPS...

... wool or wool blend fabrics are my FAVORITE to work with, so are knits, but that's another story.  Wool sews, presses and holds its shape wonderfully; and garments I make from it last winter after winter after winter as long as I can keep this waistline in check - yet another story.

For The Amazing Coat Sew-along I'll be using this nice plaid wool and needed to pre-treat/pre-shrink it prior to using:

I found this wonderful information about pre-treating woolen's several years ago (provided by Pam at Off the Cuff.)  The process is simple:

• serge the cut ends of the fabric to prevent raveling

• completely soak two or three really large towels with HOT water
• squeeze lightly to remove excess water (squeezing lightly won't be hard to do due to the towels being so HOT)
• unfold fabric yardage and place in dryer with the HOT wet towels
• set the dryer on HIGH for 40 minutes
• walk away and do something else constructive during the process
• remove fabric from dryer and lay flat to cool and dry completely
• NOTE:  if your dryer has a steam setting - skip the wet towels and tumble with steam for 20 to 30 minutes instead.

I know that wool/woolen fabrics can also be pre-treated/pre-shrink by steam pressing, but using that method when I have 4 yards to work with is just too time consuming, and also to much work for my steam iron.  So  I opt for the dryer method and have been using it successfully for several years now with EXCELLENT results. In sewing I'm learning that there is more than one way to skin a cat, and I don't always need to use the most time consuming, or conventional method/technique to achieve a wonderful end product.  I'm just saying...What method do you use to pre-treat your wool/woolen fabrics???