Felting and Lanolizing questions

[lhowlett]

So I promise I looked through the other threads first so you ladies don't have to answer the same questions over again, I just couldn't find these answers.

1. Have you ever felted after pants or a soaker were made? We're talking recycled sweaters, not knitted. I've only felted one sweater and I didn't like how it distorted the sweater's shape (if it had just shrunk it that would be fine), not to mention the mess it made of my washer!

2. I have always lanolized using lanolin from the tube, not the Eucalin (sp?) wool wash. For the pants to absorb the lanolin, should they be dry first? Does that mean I would wash them with a little baby soap, let them dry, then lanolize them? If I add baby soap to the lanolin bath does that cover both bases, cleaning and lanolizing?

Thanks!

[Kari_mom]

1. I usually felt sweaters lightly before I sew them into pants. I don't know where they have been, except that they were at a thrift store, and the thought of sewing them first kind of eeks me out. Because I felt lightly (one trip through the washer, hot/cold cycle, squirt of Dawn) I have not had a problem with distortion. But if you've had a problem, wouldn't you rather work with a wonky sweater than end up with wonky pants?

To protect your washer, try felting sweaters inside a pillowcase that has been rubberbanded close. Sweaters do vary in how much fiber they throw off, and it can be bad for your washer.

2. I prefer to lanolize wet, and I use lansinoh. If the wool is clean, I melt a bit of lanolin in 1 cup of water in the microwave, then add a drop of handsoap and whisk it together. The pants are already turned inside out and placed in a basin of warm water. I add the lanolin solution, squish it around a bit, then drain. I turn the pants right-side out and spin them dry in the washer, then hang them to dry.

I know that there are all sorts of wool washes and methods out there, but honestly if I feel that my wool is dirty enough to wash, then I need more than one change of water. And if I am doing more than one change of water, then one can be wash water and one rinse water with lanolin.

[JordanB]

Here are a few links to some short but helpful instructions on your second question.
http://www.betterforbabieswholesale...._and_care.html
http://www.greenmountaindiapers.com/lanolize.htm
http://www.diaperjungle.com/lanolizing-wool.html

[georgannemomof6]

Originally Posted by Kari_mom

1. I usually felt sweaters lightly before I sew them into pants. I don't know where they have been, except that they were at a thrift store, and the thought of sewing them first kind of eeks me out. Because I felt lightly (one trip through the washer, hot/cold cycle, squirt of Dawn) I have not had a problem with distortion. But if you've had a problem, wouldn't you rather work with a wonky sweater than end up with wonky pants?

To protect your washer, try felting sweaters inside a pillowcase that has been rubberbanded close. Sweaters do vary in how much fiber they throw off, and it can be bad for your washer.

2. I prefer to lanolize wet, and I use lansinoh. If the wool is clean, I melt a bit of lanolin in 1 cup of water in the microwave, then add a drop of handsoap and whisk it together. The pants are already turned inside out and placed in a basin of warm water. I add the lanolin solution, squish it around a bit, then drain. I turn the pants right-side out and spin them dry in the washer, then hang them to dry.

I know that there are all sorts of wool washes and methods out there, but honestly if I feel that my wool is dirty enough to wash, then I need more than one change of water. And if I am doing more than one change of water, then one can be wash water and one rinse water with lanolin.

[JefsJen]

Hi!

Pardon me for possibly repeating any other replies but I didn't read them yet. LOL

Anyway, I didn't make any soakers from sweaters UNTIL I had felted them first. They shrunk ALOT!

About lanolizing... I use the Eucalan, but I also use pure liquid lanolin that I bought at a local health food store. It was about 7 or 8 dollars for a bottle. I put a good bit in it so they would be sure and work. Not sure on the amount...maybe 3 tsp or tbsp? Anyway...I added it into a cup of boiling water just from the microwave...then added about 3 caps of the eucalan..and then after stirring added it to my tub water...about 3 inches or so of lukewarm water. I let them sit there for an hour or so. I had some brand new knitted soakers in there as well and they needed a good dose of it.

hope it helps!