Hi!
I've been making felted wool covers from recycled wool (blankets, shirts, even thin sweaters) for a month or so now. It's really addicting!
To felt any wool, new or recycled, you just need to wash it on hot in the washer and dry it on hot as well. Some folks say to do it twice before cutting, but once seems to work fine. Mine are either front aplix or side aplix, as I have no snap press. I also use swimwear elastic because I hate Lastin. :LOL
Once the wool is felted, here's what I do...
Cut a single-layer of your pattern from the wool. Then cut another layer, minus the wings. Serge (I use wooly nylon) the front and back end of the 2nd layer of wool (the piece without the wings). Leave the side edges of the piece raw. Lay your pieces on top of one another, pin, and sew (I use fine nylon thread so I don't get any wicking) one line of stitches down the sides about 1/4" from the raw edge. Do on both sides. Then sew another line about 1/4" in from that one (creating a channel for your elastic). Then make a similar channel along the back-waist if you want elastic there...I do. Now serge the two raw edges of wool (the doubler and the full piece) together. The entire cover will now be serged. Feed a length of elastic into each channel with a safety pin on the end. Sew one end, stretch and gather, sew the other end to secure. Cut off extra elastic. Do on both sides and the back-wiast. Sew down any parts of the doubler that may not have been tacked down yet. Place snaps, and you're ready to lanolinize!
If you want to hide your snaps, you can place the snaps on the front of the cover before you sew the doubler in and the doubler will be between the snaps and the baby.
I have made 5 or 6 now and they have progressed from extremely rustic :LOL to not half-bad
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. No matter how they look, they all work very well, with is cool. They key is a great pattern, of course. I'll try to get some pictures up tomorrow if ya'll promise not to laugh....
I've been making felted wool covers from recycled wool (blankets, shirts, even thin sweaters) for a month or so now. It's really addicting!
To felt any wool, new or recycled, you just need to wash it on hot in the washer and dry it on hot as well. Some folks say to do it twice before cutting, but once seems to work fine. Mine are either front aplix or side aplix, as I have no snap press. I also use swimwear elastic because I hate Lastin. :LOL
Once the wool is felted, here's what I do...
Cut a single-layer of your pattern from the wool. Then cut another layer, minus the wings. Serge (I use wooly nylon) the front and back end of the 2nd layer of wool (the piece without the wings). Leave the side edges of the piece raw. Lay your pieces on top of one another, pin, and sew (I use fine nylon thread so I don't get any wicking) one line of stitches down the sides about 1/4" from the raw edge. Do on both sides. Then sew another line about 1/4" in from that one (creating a channel for your elastic). Then make a similar channel along the back-waist if you want elastic there...I do. Now serge the two raw edges of wool (the doubler and the full piece) together. The entire cover will now be serged. Feed a length of elastic into each channel with a safety pin on the end. Sew one end, stretch and gather, sew the other end to secure. Cut off extra elastic. Do on both sides and the back-wiast. Sew down any parts of the doubler that may not have been tacked down yet. Place snaps, and you're ready to lanolinize!
If you want to hide your snaps, you can place the snaps on the front of the cover before you sew the doubler in and the doubler will be between the snaps and the baby.
I have made 5 or 6 now and they have progressed from extremely rustic :LOL to not half-bad
