September 15, 2015

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???

15 comments:

  1. Love this! Thanks for the tip;)

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    1. You are more than welcome Angela!

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  2. Good to know and thank you for sharing the information!

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    1. Not my original information, but Off the Cuff surely helped me in dealing with wool. Just wanted to pass it along just in case someone else needed it and hadn't run across it yet.

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  3. Never read this tip before. Thank you for sharing.

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  4. I've been using Pam's tip for a couple years now. I think I first saw it during Marji's coat sewalong in 2008. Beats standing over a steamy iron forever !

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    1. I know Claire. I don't want to put too much wear and tear on my wonderful iron.

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  5. Oh this is sew very helpful! Thank you Ms. Faye!

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    1. Glad to be of service Terri Berry!

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  6. Great tips and Thanks for sharing.

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  7. I have been using the time consuming steam press method so I will have to give your method a try.

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    1. Tomasa if I were only working with one yard of wool I would probably just go ahead and steam press, however with four yards - like you said, just too time consuming.

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  8. Excellent tip!! I was lamenting the other day about not having dry cleaners who are willing to steam my fabrics. So, with my industrial steam iron and too much time, I have been doing by hand. Thanks so much for posting this. I had overlooked it on Pam's site.

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