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Working with wool interlock  

post #1 of 12
6/12/05 at 1:03pm
Thread Starter 
Does it *have* to be felted to make a good diaper cover? If it isn't felted, will it be less absorbent or generally less effective? This fabric feels so heavenly as is (untreated wool interlock w/a touch of lycra) that I don't WANT to felt it if I don't have to, but I do want it to be practical, KWIM?
post #2 of 12
6/12/05 at 1:25pm
Is it from the DiaperShop? I have some from there too and I think it's great minimally or not at all felted.
post #3 of 12
6/12/05 at 2:09pm
Thread Starter 
No, actually it's from the Fabric Farm. Hmm...the Diaper Shop sells untreated undyed wool interock too? (evil grin)
post #4 of 12
6/12/05 at 5:32pm
Here is a reason to felt it at least once through the wash.. if you don't and it felts easily.. the first 3-4 washes ... even though they are hand-washes.. of your finished product will cause it to felt and change the size. Once it's been through the first felting, any felting caused by hand-washing is minimal.

You don't HAVE to felt it before sewing, but a felted cover that gets into a wash by mistake often doesn't felt so much that it no longer fits. But soemthing you DO want to do is at least hand-wash it first because it can still have chemicals or sizing on it from the factory that you'll want to remove or it won't accept lanolin as well as it should.

If it were me, I'd felt a small piece of it.. just a little 3-4 inch piece to see how I liked the texture after it felted. Toss it in with a laod of laundry and fish it out when it's done. You might be surprised at how little the texture changes.

Amber
post #5 of 12
6/12/05 at 5:35pm
:

I have lots of the wool/lycra blend and have felted it all. It didn't change it's feel that much, made it a little denser but not bumpy. It's still smooth and stretchy. Very stretchy :LOL
post #6 of 12
6/12/05 at 7:41pm
Thread Starter 
OK, thanks for all the advice! Stupid me, I thought that untreated wool wouldn't have chemicals on it. Live & learn.
post #7 of 12
6/12/05 at 7:49pm
it might not, but most places don't consider spraying it with sizing to be treating it and you never know what else is floating around in the facotry. I've gotten rolls of fabric that look like they have literally been dragged across the floor *L*.. better to give it a little bath just to be on the safe side.

Amber
post #8 of 12
6/12/05 at 8:44pm
It won't felt much - at least not the kind I have experience with - ours doesn't have any lycra in it. But I was amazed at how soft and wonderful it still felt after felting it wasn't like wool jersey at all that totally changes into a new fabric. Felted interlock is still so soft and stretchy and then you won't have to worry about it shrinking or felting up with use.
post #9 of 12
6/12/05 at 9:19pm
I wasn't very clear with my extremely short post! lol I usually throw it in the washer and run it for one cycle and then hang it to dry.. but I have the kind of top loader that puts holes in my diapers!
post #10 of 12
6/12/05 at 10:43pm
Thread Starter 
Lightly felted it is then! Since I'm boiling it in water anyway for an hour to set the dye, do I have to wash it in the machine too, or would that do for felting it?
post #11 of 12
6/12/05 at 10:47pm
Geez Louise! You boil it for an hour to set the dye, what kind of dye are you using?
post #12 of 12
6/12/05 at 10:51pm
Thread Starter 
Washfast acid dye.
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