where do you find 100% wool blankets for cheap?

[DallasMomAgain]

Preferably new ones. I checked army stores online but all of the wool blankets were a blend of wool with synthetic fibers.

I want to use the blanket as puddle pad for my son who is in night-time potty training. The wool puddle pads at online stores are around 90 to 100 dollars which is expensive addition to the already expensive organic mattress! Do I really have any option?

I am not too crafty but I can try my hand at the needle & stuff, not a big deal if I can save a tonne of money! :)

Thanks everyone in advance!

DM.

[swede]

I know you said new, but I would consider using thrifted 100% wool sweaters.  You don't need it to be that big.  I have also seen patchwork wool stuff made from sweaters cut into squares. 

[34me]

Army Navy store

[DallasMomAgain]

Thanks everyone.

The online Army surplus stores all have blended wool blankets with typically between 40% to 70% wool mixed with synthetic fabric. Is this effective enough? I don't want the expensive organic futon to be ruined! Anyone tried such a thing on an organic mattress or futon?

TIA!
 

[mumkimum]

I've used the army/navy type wool blankets as puddle pads before - I've usually folded it in half so it's basically 2 layers and it's been fine (I also usually put an extra, older sheet on top for a bit of absorbency and to prevent anything from running off the sides of the blanket.)

[neonalee]

I found military blankets online that were 100% wool, not new though. I found them at some sporting goods store, the hunting kind of sporting goods. Can't remember where though.

sent from my phone using tapatalk, please forgive typos

[artekah]

eBay!!!

[nstewart]

Originally Posted by DallasMomAgain 

Thanks everyone.

The online Army surplus stores all have blended wool blankets with typically between 40% to 70% wool mixed with synthetic fabric. Is this effective enough? I don't want the expensive organic futon to be ruined! Anyone tried such a thing on an organic mattress or futon?

TIA!
 

I know for felting wool sweaters to use as wool longies with cloth dipes they need to be at least 70% wool, so I suspect the same ratio would hold true for the puddle pad as well! 
 

[mamayogibear]

So the $20 surplus wool blankets that are only 70% wool would work for puddle pads (or cut up to become soakers/covers)?

I have heard that most commercial wool is treated chemically somehow. Does anyone know how to remove any chemicals it may have been treated with? Would soaking in bakingsods before felting be effective?

I have always avoided wool blankets from army surplus places because I had thought that it had to be pure wool for the lanolin to be effective creating a barrier for moisture to escape.

I appreaciate any information on how to be thrifty with wool;) Were good for now but I'd love to create some wool/bamboo 'pull ups' and a few puddle pads for my little man since he's just started trying to use the potty!

Thanks and sorry for hijacking!

[nstewart]

Wool that has the symbol on it indicating it can be machine washed and dried has been treated.  I don't know how to remove the chemicals, or if you can...To make the wool work for the puddle pad it would be best to felt it.  This is really easily done, with lots of tutorials on line.  Again, the higher the percentage, the better.  At least 70%, but 100% is better.  For making covers, I don't know how well the blankets would work as I haven't used one.  It is crazy easy to make wool longies or shorties with felted wool sweaters though, so I would suggest that route rather than using blankets.  There are lots of tutorials online for how to do this as well, and you can get beautiful sweaters at thrift stores for felting for $5 or less.  And, you really only need the sleeves for the longies, so then you can make other crafts with the rest of the sweater such as mittens, touques, quilting squares, a soft wool ball, stuffed animals, the list is as long as your imagination is broad.

[atan]

Does you visited this website Lebarca ?

There are some interesting suggestions

[mum4vr]

I've used the wool army blankets-- they smelled like mothballs when they arrived. I hung them on the clothes line dry for a week or so, including a few light sprinkles and one good rain. The smell was gone (I am very chemically sensitve).

To improve the waterproofing, wash with Eucalan-- it's a natural wool-wash liquid that contains liquid lanolin. I also have bought "Now" brand liquid lanolin at the healthy food store, and added it to Dr Bronner's eucalyptus soap-- it works just as well and is less expensive, long term. I didn't treat my wool every wash, but only 2-4 times/ month or anytime it had to be "deep-cleaned" dt potty stains.

I wish I'd asked you mamas when my dc were small bc I spent a LOT on wool diaper covers and longies (that I couldn't much affonrd at the time, lol) and only discovered the relative freedom of wool puddle pad with my youngest!

HTH & hold them while they're young bc soon enough they'll be asking for your car for Christmas!

[Poddi]

I bought most of our wool blankets (100%) from thrift stores.  I wash them all in my front loader with a gentle detergent, and hang to dry.  Some of them feel a bit rougher but most feel just the same.

If I want to buy a new one I'll probably order one from Land's End.  They have 100% wool blankets made by Pendleton that are machine washable.  When you catch their 30 or 40% off (there's one right now actually) sale the price is pretty decent. http://www.landsend.com/ix/home-travel-luggage/For-The-Home/Blankets-and-Throws/Blankets/Wool/index.html?seq=1~2~3~4~5&catNumbers=256~2772~2773~2776&visible=1~2~1~1~1&sort=Price%3A+low+to+high&pageSize=24
 

[sunanthem]

I got ours at a high discount from O Wool, through a co-op. Lot's of mamas run them through yahoo groups.