stupid fabric question

[AinNJ]

i want to buy wool fabric for covers, but i don't know which to get... what's the difference between jersey and interlock? i thought that jersey was a stretchy knit (looks like a tiny stockinette stitch) and interlock a non-stretchy weave (fibers cross over each other), but on the preparing wool for covers page on OSDS, she's calling them both knits. she also says to prepare both with a hot wash/dry before sewing. if you hot wash/dry jersey before sewing will it lose its stretch?

AHHH!! help!!

[mamajessica]

:

[ladywolf]

Actually, jersey and interlock are both knits. The jersey if very light, very drappy, and stretchy. The interlock is more similar to a polyester double knit. Not much stretch, heavier. If you hot wash, you will not lose the stretch. But do not rub it too hard if you do not want to felt it. You can just let it soak and it will shrink some but not too much.

[rubelin]

Jersey is a single knit, it looks different on either side. Interlock is a double knit, so both sides look identical. They both come in different weights, drapes, softnesses and fiber content but I assume the descriptions above are referring to the wool jersey and interlock at OSDS. I have some of each of those; I felled the jersey myself (a lot, I accidentally machine washed a cover last week and it didn't shrink anymore so I guess I felled it as muhc as it would go!), it gets kinda bumpy but is still stretchy. The interlock is a lot softer and I've only handwashed the covers that are made out of it, so I don't know what it does when felled a lot.

[AinNJ]

did you prewash/dry the interlock before making your covers?

[rubelin]

Originally Posted by AinNJ

did you prewash/dry the interlock before making your covers?

Actually, they're from Laura at ElBee, and I don't think she prewashes her wool.

Robin~