Wool Felt??? Felted Woven Wool???

This video explains the difference between wool felts and felted woven wools.

[@jimnlindy]

Thank you for a very helpful and clarifying video. Now i will change my internet search terms and hope for better luck finding good wools to applique.

[@barbaramorken6192]

Thank you so much. I'm new to wool and this is the most informative video i've come accross. Love it. It answered a lot of questions I've had about wools.

[@marymittelstadt6208]

Thanks for viewing! Enjoy stitching with wool!!

[@livinginthenow]

I have been making my own felt recently, am just starting to explore embroidering with it. The method I use to make felt is something I've never heard others describe, but it produces a lovely fabric. I knit up a tube of 100% wool on my Addi knitting machine, then send it through one or two normal wash cycles with hot water only. After the spin cycle, I take it out, cut the tube to form a flat panel, and block it until it's dry. Worsted weight yarn produces a lovely thick felt. DK weight is also nice, but is a bit thinner. Both are soft and pliable, and have zero fraying. Anyone who has access to a circular knitting machine (such as Addi or Sentro) and a washing machine can make their own high quality felt using this method. I definitely recommend it for those who are a little bored with knitting and/or crocheting and are looking for something different to do with their yarn. The crafting and sewing possibilities abound!

[@marymittelstadt6208]

Thank you for taking the time to watch and comment. Sounds like you are enjoying the wool felt produced via knitting/crocheting, etc. I have also done that kind of felting (purses, backpacks, slippers, and coasters) which is a lot of fun. It really is a personal choice whether one wants to applique with that type of wool as it generally is fairly thick. Many prefer the weight of a garment wool (maybe coat weight at heaviest) for wool applique stitching, while some are more open to using and experimenting with other forms of wool. Plus many do not have knitting or crocheting skills. Anyways, it sounds like you are really enjoying the process....that's really what creating is all about!

[@copperbuttons7376]

Thank you so much for sharing all this information. I'm looking to make a wool needle book for a dear friend. We quilt together four times a month (pre-Covid) and I'd love to make one for her since she's been so kind and generous to me. I was really torn as to the type of felt to use since I didn't know one from another and this video has been so helpful!

[@marymittelstadt6208]

Thank you for taking the time to view and to comment. So glad this was helpful. It's my belief that if you can understand the materials, you will always be able to choose what works best for your project and for you! Have fun making that needle book. Lucky friend!

[@copperbuttons7376]

@@marymittelstadt6208 Thank you so much for your reply, Mary, and for helping me understand the materials! Now I can make an educated decision to use wool felt and enjoy making my friend's needle book. Throughout my life I've found women who work with needle and thread to be very kind and generous. You are definitely one such woman, Mary, and I thank you for sharing your knowledge, experience, and time with the rest of us.

[@marymittelstadt6208]

@@copperbuttons7376 Awwww....thank you!

[@copperbuttons7376]

@@marymittelstadt6208 You're very welcome.

[@judywing9897]

Thank you for another very informative video! I’m going to now wash the wool I purchased and see what happens.🤞

[@phenomenal_woman]

I used to work in a family owned fabric store and when 100% wool jersey remnants would go on sale I would purchase it. Then I would run it several hot water and it felted nicely. I got the idea from another family owned store where the sales lady took some wool jersey that had faded in the sun and felted it to make a really sharp coat.

[@marymittelstadt6208]

So sorry this is such a late response...sometimes life gets in the way! What a wonderful wool product you discovered how to make. Felted wool jersey has such a nice hand. I once was able to get some and loved how that even felted it retain a small amount of stretch - which of course would be a real bonus in clothing construction. It's just a luxury in wool applique. It's so hard today to find these pure wools as more an more manufacturers are adding in various other fibers. Thanks for stopping by to view and take the time to comment!

[@Craftylisa69]

This has cleared so many questions up for me ! Thankyou for generously sharing all your wisdom. 🥰 x Lisa from the UK x

[@marymittelstadt6208]

Thanks for stopping by and taking the time to view and to comment. Always happy to know that my knowledge and experience helps someone else!

[@judyrosy]

Thank you Mary!

[@marymittelstadt6208]

Thank you for viewing tqking time to comment....it is much appreciated!

[@chip5976]

I'm planning to keep a flock of sheep in the future for their wool and went searching for different ways I could use it other than just spinning yarn to make crafts. This video definitely gave me some good ideas! Now I just need to find the process to make those felt sheets lol

[@DesignAndBeMary]

Thank you for taking the time to view and to comment. Sounds like you are on a fun adventure. Back in my college days I actually collected dog hair and spun it to make yarn - and interesting pursuit! Couldn't get the 'dog' smell out! lol! There should be some good how to videos out there!

[@Molly-pb2yb]

You are a wealth of inspiration & information! Thanks Mary! Where do you purchase your wool felt??

[@DesignAndBeMary]

Sooo very sorry I must have missed your comment... Check out the resources tab on my website for places to buy wool felt/wool felt blends......www.designandbemary.com/resources/

[@janemason9215]

Where would one buy Pendleton wool? I love your videos they have helped me in my wool appliqué so much. Thank you

[@marymittelstadt6208]

Thank you for viewing! Where to buy Pendleton? Top choice (it may call for a road trip!) is a Pendleton Woolen Mill Store (not the kind in the outlet centers) - there are 3 - Pendleton, Oregon...Portland, Oregon......Washougal, Washington. I've been to the 2 in Oregon. Got a few great deals in Pendleton, but the Portland store has much more and all the fabrics available. You can also go online. woolenmill.store/. and check out the types of wools, etc. There is a phone number to call - depending on who answers, they are generally pretty helpful. My favorites are the Eco Wise (58" - 60.00 yd) -like butter and never frays! the flannel weight wools (58-60" - 40.00 yd) - a shirt weight wool...and the melton wool (58-60" -35.00 yard) - a very heavy coat weight. Avoid worsted, or 'all season, washable wools especially anything with more than 20% synthetic. These are all different in character than the small squares of wool sold in many Quilt shops - those are also beautiful, but generally a looser, softer wool. They have a big sale in March and September - up to 30% off. They also sell precut yardage of some of these same wools, as well as overruns, trial colors etc. They also go on sale. Other places to buy Pendleton wool is via thrift clothing stores, etc. - many buy clothing, wash it and dismantle the garment for pieces. Unfortunately I'm in MInnesota and people prize their Pendleton to wear! lol! Ebay also has quite a few listings of people who sell Pendleton wools --I've gotten a few good pieces , but it helps to know that various types of wool/wool weights that Pendleton has. Hope this is helpful...good luck. [OH - call Portland now and ask for samples - then you'll know what to order when the sale comes up!!]

[@tinaknutsen]

I had quite a few Pendleton outfits; tailored jackets and below knee skirts when I was younger. When I had moved I donated them all to thrift store. If I had known more about fabrics & how to upcycle, I would have made something beautiful. I have a wool blanket from my uncle….it was a cream background with vivid stripes green, red, blue and yellow. It obviously had never been washed; I washed it and all the colors bled and it shrunk! I still have it and at least it’s clean 😂. It is a heavy blanket. I am thinking of cutting it up and making something? I will rewatch your video as I’m still unsure of what type of wool it is. It is a Pendleton blanket. I live in Washington and Portland is about 3 1/2 hours from me. I saw you answered a commenter down below about where you purchase your wool. Do you share step by step projects? I would like to learn this craft. Thank you for your inspiration.

[@jeannepaglio5582]

Very helpful information. Thank you.

[@marymittelstadt6208]

Again, thanks for viewing and for taking the time to comment......Happy stitching!

[@rachaelbarr3735]

I was given multiple yards of beautiful, but no longer wanted, woven wool fabric yardage (from an elderly friend with failing eyesight). Not necessarily enough of one for an outfit but large enough for large crafting projects. Some looks like Pendleton! I would love to felt some for crafting but I have not done that before - youtube searching led me here. How do I know if it is worsted? Do I just throw lengths into the washing machine on hot and gentle, with detergent, and then throw them in the dryer? (And if worsted, they will ravel?). Thanks in advance!

[@DesignAndBeMary]

Thanks for viewing and for your comments. If you don't have much sewing experience, it will be difficult to determine if the wool is worsted or not as yardage is only identified on the bolt end and once the yardage is cut that identification generally is lost. Worsted is a type of wool thread that is specifically made not to felt - you'll know if the wool you have is worsted if the wool simply doesn't felt or shrink (another reason would be if there is more than 30% synthetic content in the wool). However you can try it and if it appears not to felt you can always use it as a backing for some of your projects -AS LONG AS YOU USE A FUSIBLE - ON THE EDGES IF NOT THE ENTIRE PIECE - TO KEEP THE EDGES FROM FRAYING. Yes worsted wool will fray - how much is also determined by the weave of the wool (i.e herringbone, twill, etc.) I wash my wools (like colors together) in warm to hot water in my machine on a fairly gentle setting that has some good agitation. I use a very small amount of soap - if you have it use something specific for wool OR use an 'organic' soap such as Aunt Nellies - as most of my wool is purchased new. You may want to use more if your wool has been exposed to a variety of environments. Once washed, I dry in my dryer at the permanent press setting and use dryer ball. Remove from dryer asap after drying, fold and then you can use it as it is or you can press it with an iron. Just a not, even some wools will felt if they are loosely woven or of poor quality. Pendleton wools are wonderful - just know that they also make a lot of worsted wools as well since people love not having their clothes shrink and felt! LOL! Good luck!

[@wildplumbeauty]

Smart lady 👍

[@marymittelstadt6208]

Thank you for taking the time to view and to leave a comment!

[@solb101]

All of these samples look like boiled wool. I’m confused why you need to wash them to felt?

[@DesignAndBeMary]

Thank you for viewing. The whole point of this video was to explain the difference between wool blend felt and woven wool that has been felted. I wash and felt all my woven wools as well as the wool blend felts I purchased...so in essence they are all 'boiled' wool. And all the samples used in the video have been washed in hot water and dried to 'felt' them - that is why they look like 'boiled wool'. If you buy wool yardage or wool felt blends (by the yard ) you will likely need to wash them to have them felt. (Worsted wool will not felt - it is designed NOT to.) Some stores sell wool in bundles and pieces that are already felted (sometimes by the store) while other wools and wool felt blends are sold in their original state and will need to be washed and felted to use for wool embroidery.

[@solb101]

Wool felt blends may need to be felted? So why do you call them wool felt before they are actually felted?

[@DesignAndBeMary]

@@solb101 Because they are wool felt and many people use them 'unfelted' for other purposes. They are called wool felt because in the industry the fibers that make up felt are not woven but simply fibers that have been 'meshed together' through a process of heat/water/etc. to make a stable consistent piece of felt. Actually the wool felt blends I use (National Non Wovens) are a blend of mostly wool and rayon and the directions on bolts say not to wash them. I discovered that when washed and agitated at a moderate level in hot water, they shrink...after which I block them out with a hot iron. The process totally changes the 'hand' (the feel) of the wool felt and people like it much better. Some do not iron it and like the bumpy nature of the result. I wash all my wool felts (blends and otherwise) to felt them and change their state. You can also buy 100% wool felt and do the same thing. I think this is all semantics which is not always standard in the industry.

[@solb101]

@@DesignAndBeMary thanks for the clarification. I assume that washing the felt will make them more durable too.

[@carol1derful]

Can tweed be felted?

[@DesignAndBeMary]

Thank you for viewing and taking the time to comment. Technically, tweed is a 'form' of wool that is generally woven in a specific texture or weave...or at least that is how I understand it. (There are a ton of descriptions in the industry and they don't always agreed!) I believe it tends to be a 'rougher' wool. That said, any wool can be felted so long as 1)there is at least about 80% of wool in the mix (today I find it amazing what they mix in with the wool fabrics!) and 2)it is not a worsted wool as worsted wool is a wool thread that is made specifically NOT to felt. Many people repurpose wool clothing for felting, but you have to make sure it is not worsted wool! I would felt in the same way I do my other wools - hot water, medium agitation with a tiny amount of soap/detergent till felted to desired state, dry in electric dryer, and then steam press. I'm guessing, but I'm thinking that maybe felted tweed might be a slightly 'coarser' finish - so it really would be personal taste, no different than other woven wool felts. But I'm also thinking that felted tweed might have more 'depth' to its appearance. You might want to try a small swatch to see if you like it!

[@carol1derful]

Thank you so much for your prompt and detailed response. I'll give your techniques a try with tweed 🤩

[@DesignAndBeMary]

@@carol1derful good luck..hope you make something wonderful!