Making proper thick felt from old wool?

[spandit]

I've got an old wool blanket that is full of holes and wondered whether it could be picked apart and made into felt so I could make some thick insoles or something? Thinking that it would need boiling and scrubbing/agitating or is it not worth the hassle?

 

[Toddy]

If you like making things, then yes, it's worth trying to see if it'll felt up well for you.
Otherwise it's a pain to dry at this time of year.

atb,
Mary

 

[spandit]

Will the woodburner not put out enough heat, then?

 

[Toddy]

Good point !

Get it into the washing machine on a long hot wash. If it's going to felt, that'll do it

cheers,
M

 

[spandit]

How do I make thick felt, though, as the blanket is rather thin? It's a post-war ration blanket or something

 

[Toddy]

That's the rub; we just don't know what it's made from, or what treatments it's had when, and since, it was made.

You can only give it a shot.

Most times you'll end up with something useful, occasionally it's a total dogs dinner, I have made a woolly brick before now and I have ended up with some really beautiful fabric for hats, boot liners, insoles, hoods, mitts, too.

The only way to try it is to cut a sample, measure and mark it and then wash it and measure how much shrinkage has occurred.

cheers,
Mary

 

[spandit]

Can I just layer it up and boil/scrub to knit the layers together?

Pity the dog isn't longer haired, he'd make lovely slippers! I'm hoping to make some insoles

 

[Toddy]

If all you want is insoles then it won't matter what happens to it. If it doesn't shrink you can just layer up the wool and tack it together; if it does felt you won't need to bother with layers win/win situation

cheers,
M

 

[spandit]

Well, bunged it in a 90° wash so we'll see what happens. It's a Price Control Wool blanket - probably worth some money if it weren't in such poor nick!

 

[bilmo-p5]

It's a Price Control Wool blanket

Those Utility blankets were superb gear. I think I still have a couple that were my Mum & Dad's kicking around somewhere.

 

[spandit]

Well. Out of the machine this morning came a slightly cleaner blanket. Not felted at all.

 

[Toddy]

Oh well, you'll just need to make it into sommat useful

Is it not worth repairing just to make a good camp blanket ?

cheers,
M

 

[spandit]

Not worth repairing, it's very thin and full of holes. Anyway, I have my tea blanket already. Shame, I was hoping it might go better than that.

It was one I test dyed brown with tea and the colour has stuck which is good

 

[Toddy]

Well, it's clean now. It's obviously not going to felt, so just look at it as a resource

Insoles, boot liners/ tent shoes, jacket linings, shoulder warmer, fold it and tack it into a pad for a seat when out, line oven gloves, or make up those mug coasters with orange peel, cinnamon stick and cloves in them for the season, or just patchwork it.
I end up with a tremendous amount of wool offcuts (right now they're blue, from making blue bonnets) I've been cutting the scraps into regular sized pieces and they'll become a patchwork blanket one of these days

Old thin blankets like those used to be darned, split down the middle and the edges turned to the middle so that the heavier weight was still useful. Often they were then used to fill patchwork quilts.

If all else fails, put it into one of the charity clothing bags and they'll sell the stuff to get some cash back from the ragmen.

cheers,
M

 

[Retired Member southey]

Well, it's clean now. It's obviously not going to felt, so just look at it as a resource

Insoles, boot liners/ tent shoes, jacket linings, shoulder warmer, fold it and tack it into a pad for a seat when out, line oven gloves, or make up those mug coasters with orange peel, cinnamon stick and cloves in them for the season, or just patchwork it.
I end up with a tremendous amount of wool offcuts (right now they're blue, from making blue bonnets) I've been cutting the scraps into regular sized pieces and they'll become a patchwork blanket one of these days

Old thin blankets like those used to be darned, split down the middle and the edges turned to the middle so that the heavier weight was still useful. Often they were then used to fill patchwork quilts.

If all else fails, put it into one of the charity clothing bags and they'll sell the stuff to get some cash back from the ragmen.

cheers,
M

OOOO! How do they go Mary?

 

[Toddy]

Rather nice actually
Smells Wintery/Christmas...........and it stops the coffee mug marking the papers on my desk

Tis the season of tangerines, oranges and mandarins I eat a lot of fruit, rather have fruit than sweeties tbh.
Anyway, just save the peels, break them up into bits no bigger than the size of a 50p, and let them dry off. Doesn't take long.
Meanwhile made a circle, square or hexagon from wool offcuts ( you can use fleece, or old dusters/rags if that's what you've got, but the wool really prevents the white ring marks for those with real wood furniture ) Break up a cinnamon stick, I add a grating of nutmeg, and a small handful of cloves. Sew the wool into a wee pouch shape and lightly fill with some of the mix of peel/spices. Stitch closed and there's the pad. Now cover it with something. A checked hankie works just fold it over like an envelope and stitch it closed with a few stitches. Turn it over and there's you seasonal coaster. The heat from the mug releases the scent

If you make up the mix but add in dried wheat or split peas, it can be gently heated in the microwave and it'll act like a heat pad to keep your coffee hot, too

Photos when HWMBLT gets a coffee next


cheers,
Toddy