80/20 vs 100% wool

[gaz_miggy]

Hi guys Im looking at having a go at making a bush shirt by useing one of my old smocks as a template. The problem is I cant seem to get my hands on 100% wool but I can get 80% wool 20% polyester how do you think this will perform for our needs as in will it still melt if sparks fall on it and will it hold moisture in the same way synthetics do. Basically what im asking is do you think I would be wasting my money by buying the 80/20?

 

[John Fenna]

Mixed fibre content is generally not too bad - the poly adds a bit of wear resistance without detracting too much from the performance of the wool content.
If it was my smock I would buy the mixed wool/poly without worrying

 

[Macaroon]

Mixed fibre content is generally not too bad - the poly adds a bit of wear resistance without detracting too much from the performance of the wool content.
If it was my smock I would buy the mixed wool/poly without worrying

I agree fully, I've found 80% or higher wool content excellent and, as stated, better wearing than 100% wool. Either Polyester or Nylon do the job and won't melt onto you in this proportion.

 

[cranmere]

80/20 is pretty good in my experience and is usually less prone to shrinking when washed. It certainly doesn't melt or flare if caught by sparks and it's almost as warm as pure wool.

 

[Toddy]

Pure wool is easy to get hold of, and pure new wool won't shrink.
Maggie's fabrics, Herts Fabrics or Bernard Hunt, will all sell it at very reasonable prices.

I admit my bias; I don't like polyester. I find it gives a hardness to the wool. I know it stops it seating or creasing at elbows, but I feel it alters the handle of the wool.

If it's that or nothing though; yes, I'd use it.

M

 

[Hibrion]

I have an 80/20 wool or possibly 85/15 wool pullover and it is very warm and performs every bit as well as my 100 wool equivalent. Don't worry and buy the cheaper blend. The more important question should probably be what weight wool you use. That, of course, will depend on where and when you intend to use the garment.

 

[gaz_miggy]

Thanks for all your views guys sounds like I'll be having a go at making a smock I'll post some pics when its done but that could take awhile!

 

[santaman2000]

Pure wool is easy to get hold of, and pure new wool won't shrink......

I've always wondered why wool doesn't shrink on the sheep?

 

[Toddy]

Mostly 'cos we don't wash them with hot water, detergent and lots of agitation

M

 

[Toddy]

Human dreadlocks are just partially felted hair.

Sheep wool has scales and the skin sheds stuff called suint, which is a natural kind of washing mechanism when the sheep gets wet....as it does in the UK so our sheep have kemp in their fleece. Kemp is uncrinkly straight hair that helps shed the rain. It makes a brilliant carpet but a damned itchy jumper. (that's UK jumper not the NA ladies pinafore/tunic)

To felt wool successfully it needs heat, moisture and pressure. So wool socks on warm sweaty feet wil felt down nicely to a perfect fit

Pure new wool means that the scales that interlock to bind the individual crinkly wool hairs together have been chemically removed. The wool can't felt, and it won't shrink as it does so.

M

 

[British Red]

Mostly 'cos we don't wash them with hot water, detergent and lots of agitation

M

Enquiring minds wonder if we should try?

 

[Toddy]

Not unless you really like dealing with irate farmers ........not to mention thoroughly disgrunted sheep.



M

 

[British Red]

You can imagine its little face going round in the "window" of the washing machine though.......

My machine will do 90 degrees C too. I could just throw in a packet of Paxo and be done

 

[Toddy]

Having washed raw deerskins in the washing machine (Inuit style handcream tan) and the first machine was fine, but the second one had plastic bars inside the drum....and hair got trapped under and in the hollow bar....it was beyond a pain to clean out. I nearly dismantled the machine to get rid of all the hair; I would advise only parboiling the sheep if in dire need.



M

 

[British Red]

It seemed such a good idea. I've known people who cook fish in the dishwasher (seriously)

 

[Toddy]

A whole salmon cooks very well in a sink full of boiling water. Just keep it topped up from the kettle.
Don't think I'd do it in the dishwasher; not keen on chemically soapy additives and rinsing agents in the dinner I'm feeding folk.

 

[santaman2000]

Mostly 'cos we don't wash them with hot water, detergent and lots of agitation

M

Now you've given me visions of somebody chasing a sheep around with a hot, soapy bucket and trying to antagonize them. LOL

 

[gaz_miggy]

Could you imagine back combing a sheep 80s style they would be perfectly round, unless they were wearing shoulder pads.

 

[British Red]

How would you know it wasn't just a cloud?

 

[sunndog]