Wool and linen washing

Halfdan · Post by **Halfdan** » Tue Mar 23, 2004 1:03 pm

So I dropped some fat cash on wool and undyed linen. Should I wash the fabric before I make anything out of it? Some concerns:

1. I don't want the wool to felt, but I don't want it to shrink if I ever have to wash it. However, I don't plan on washing it unless I absoulutely have to, then I plan on doing it by hand.

2. My understanding is that linen in my period (Danelaw-era Norse) was valued more if it was slick and shiny. I know that washing linen softens it up and takes some of the shine off it. Should I avoid doing this.? The linen I have is intented for undergarments.

Thanks in advance!

Primvs Pavlvs · Post by **Primvs Pavlvs** » Tue Mar 23, 2004 1:12 pm

Halfdan I believe Vikings "felted" or fulled the wool. Also I read once that they polished the linen by laying it out and rubbing it with a glass ball.

James B. · Post by **James B.** » Tue Mar 23, 2004 1:25 pm

Halfdan

Your wool will looks a bit funny unfulled. After you make your garment never never wash it. Dry clean it or leave it be. I just brush the dirt off my wool, it has never needed washing.

Linen should be washed too, sizing is nasty stuff on your skin. If you want to make your linen washable you must finish every seem or the linen will unravel.

Flonzy

Gwen · Post by **Gwen** » Tue Mar 23, 2004 1:28 pm

Producing a smooth finish on linen was called "calendaring", and was accomplished by "polishing" the wet linen with a large glass drop. You can do the same thing by washing your garment, then laying it out on a table and going over it with a large smooth glass paperweight or the like. Make sure whatever you use is smooth and flat on one side and has no sharp edges! Allow the garment to dry flat.

Good luck-

Gwen

Maeryk · Post by **Maeryk** » Tue Mar 23, 2004 1:32 pm

The word from my wife, the seamstress is:

WooL.. wash in REALLY hot water 2 or three times, in the machine, before you cut it for assembly. That way it gets all its shrinking done, and as a bonus is totally machine washable from then on. DONT USE WOOLITE!

Linen: wash hot, rinse cold, and then tis machine washable from then on as well.

BTW: fulling the wool is done because when you wash it, it mats together and "locks in". That keeps it from unraveling in the future, something you will probably wish you had done if you end up with unbasted edges and stuff. It also makes it softer.. both looking and feeling.

I have to say.. the wool garb she has made me, vs the wool garb I have had that was made by others (Dry Clean ONly) hers is far superior.. both in wear comfort and in look. (at least to my eye)

The reason stuff ends up "DCO" is because the stuff is never washed, and never dried, and never gets its shrinkage out of the way. Hence, if you sew it together wrong, or it was sewn together wrong initially, a wash-shrink may cause it to self destruct at seams. (sewing is a lot like woodwork in this way, I am discovering)

Maeryk

kass · Post by **kass** » Tue Mar 23, 2004 2:02 pm

Wash your wool. Hot wash. Cold rinse. Like Maeryk's wife says. You will be glad you did. Some of the chemicals used to finish modern wool cloth include nasty things like formaldehyde. Now wonder people think wool is irritating, right? You want that washed out. Plus the wool will be more comfortable and your seams will hold better if it's washed first. Believe me.

Wash your linen in hot and rinse in cold and throw it in the dryer. The shiney finishing on the linen now will wear off after you wear it a few times even if you don't wash it. But since it's being used for underwear, are you really saying you won't ever wash it? What are you proposing to do? Dry clean your skivvies? Not worth it. Plus it won't stay shiney anyway. Linen softens when it moves, not just when water hits it. So by not washing it, you're trying to retain a quality that doesn't stick around after use anyway.

Wash it all. It'll be more comfortable too.

Kass

Halfdan · Post by **Halfdan** » Tue Mar 23, 2004 3:14 pm

Thanks everyone. I'm going to wash it all now. I hope I still have enough wool after shrinkage!

Halfdan

Gwyneth · Post by **Gwyneth** » Tue Mar 23, 2004 6:25 pm

Halfdan -

If you have enough linen left after making your garments, make a few napkins or hankies too. I made some out of scrap pieces (OK, I had big scraps) and they are better on a sore nose than paper tissues!

Gwyneth