The Sewing Place

Pre-shrinking wool

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Re: Pre-shrinking wool
« Reply #15 on: September 24, 2017, 17:15:53 PM »
The odd thing about this is that steaming and ironing will not shrink wool?

sewmuchmore

Re: Pre-shrinking wool
« Reply #16 on: September 24, 2017, 18:36:43 PM »
I am making a wool duffel coat and it never entered my mind to pre-shrink it. Wool has a natural water repellency so not worried at all about getting wet in it.
If you really feel the need to pre-shrink try each of the methods on a sample and see what happens. As a felter i can tell you that wool fibres will felt even with lukewarm water so i would be very wary of putting it in the washing machine.
It's not easy being this perfekt

Janet

Missie

Re: Pre-shrinking wool
« Reply #17 on: September 25, 2017, 10:29:07 AM »
The odd thing about this is that steaming and ironing will not shrink wool?

It will if it is not pre-treated/shrunk, but you have to give it a really good continuous steam!

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Re: Pre-shrinking wool
« Reply #18 on: September 25, 2017, 16:28:46 PM »
This is a subject I never seem to completely sort out. I am still quite sure a 20% polyester blend  will not shrink more than any other fabric.

Various laboratory tests of wool fibers and wool fabrics have several times concluded it's neither water nor temperature that causes shrinking, but these two factors in combination with tumble movements, wringing, stirring, garment rubbing against itself will make  the fibers crimple together. It has something to do with the shell like surface on each hair, it catches on another and the result is felted wool of various degrees. As I mentioned this is how they found a way to make super wash and shrink free wool too, they treat the shell like surface of the wool fiber with resin or they rub them off mechanically.

When we buy wool as yarn or fabric it has already been through several washes involving water and soap. Spinning of the yarn or thread is done after the cleaning.

I wonder what the explanation for steam shrinking will be, because it doesn't quite fit the regular theories. That said, I know some use all kinds of detergents on wool and doesn't tell much difference, but I know pure wool needs a mild detergent suitable for wool to stay soft and geneally stay the same quality it had when it was new. Stains, grime and dirt needs to come off, and occation we sort to what ever needed to get things clean. So there's never are complete never either. 
« Last Edit: September 25, 2017, 16:34:57 PM by arrow »

Tamnymore

Re: Pre-shrinking wool
« Reply #19 on: September 25, 2017, 17:32:33 PM »
That's useful information, Arrow. I've not found wool fabric a problem for shrinkage. However I did once take a red wool tartan and did a boil wash on it to make boiled wool. It worked a treat and I got a very interesting smudgy boiled wool tartan, similar to one that M&S did in their Per Una range a year or so later.... but I did it first. :D
'One should either be a work of art, or wear a work of art.' Oscar Wilde

tumblina

Re: Pre-shrinking wool
« Reply #20 on: October 03, 2017, 18:04:43 PM »
I knew I wasn't going to dry clean my coat, I wash it in the tub in tepid water and hang it to dry. So I went one step up and threw the yardage into the washing machine on cold. It's been a while so I can't remember if I "dried" it by hovering an iron over for extra protection. It certainly hasn't gotten shorter in the last 15 years!

sleepraptor

Re: Pre-shrinking wool
« Reply #21 on: October 04, 2017, 13:41:22 PM »
Just an update: spoke to the retailer.  The lady I spoke to wasn't aware of the more professional tailoring techniques like rolling in wet sheets or steaming.  She suggested just putting it in the washing machine on the wool cycle.  I asked if she thought it might felt and she suggested doing a sample.

After laying out my pieces I realised I probably had spare so I cut off around half a metre (so if still usable I could still get my bodice pieces out of it) - I wanted it long enough to be able to "agitate" whereas a small piece might not.  I put it in the washing machine on the wool cycle and it's come out fine  0_0.  It took ages to dry - I laid it out of towels.  I also steamed it with the iron once dry and it's fine.  It's shrunk quite a bit, around 3% in width and 6% in length but it now means I can wash my coat on the wool cycle without worrying about shrinkage!

My remaining piece is 3.5m so too big for my machine so I've cut into 2 pieces at a strategic point and the first of these is now in the washing machine - fingers crossed a bigger piece doesn't felt!  Next to stick my lining and interfacing in the machine!

Thanks for everyone's help. 

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Re: Pre-shrinking wool
« Reply #22 on: October 04, 2017, 15:55:27 PM »
6% shrinking is withing what's expected, good quality cotton is usually expected to shrink around 5% I think, or maximum 5%. A bull cotton denim I had shrank much more, but it was unbleached cotton. Some fabrics have had several turns of dyeing and washes compared to others others, so first wash is always a bit exiting.

Best of luck with your project, it sound like a very nice fabric.