[Maggie]

I’m thinking of making a school days jacket in wool. I have never sewn wool. Since it will not be washed, should it be dry cleaned before I sew it? That doesn’t seem necessary, but I’m unsure.

Has anyone made the jacket in wool? I’m off to search the Flickr group.

[Lightning McStitch]

I’ve made a few in wool (and one in corduroy) and have thrown them in the wash to prewash them as that is how they’ll get treated for the rest of their lives! if you’re using something that really can’t be washed then I can’t imagine you’d need to dry clean it prior to sewing. You only prewash something in order to shrink the fabric before cutting right? Surely nothing shrinks when dry cleaned?… I could be wrong, though…

Here’s a link to my recent wool ones: http://bartacksandsingletrack.blogspot.com.au/2013/07/a-pattern-to-make-product-to-be-proud-of.html

[Nicole]

I always pre-wash as I intend to care for the item too.

[Maggie]

That makes sense. I’ve done that with other fabrics–just wash cold before sewing. Thanks

Lightning, I love your versions. The wool I bought is woven coating rather than Melton. The sale was too good to pass up. You know how that goes…

[beachmom]

I pre-wash my wool too as I know I’ll be tossing it in the washing machine if it needs to be cleaned.;)

[Sarvi]

Things that come back from the dry cleaner can shrink a bit, I think. I have pre-washed wool and found it changed the feeling of it quite a bit, so I don’t wash it anymore, but my kid is small and we have warm weather so we get very light use, which makes spot cleaning with a rag feasible. An active older kid, with a bigger coat, that sees a lot of use, would probably need different handling.

[Nicole]

Wool should wash and wash well. However, Sarvi is so right, often a sponge down and a brush with a firm clothing brush will carry a wool garment through an entire season.

[Maggie]

Ah, yes, I figured some of you would know— especially since certain persons know from wool production as well as consumption. 😉