Date: 11/19/09 3:53 PM

I just bought three yards of beautiful wool crepe at Metro Fabrics in NYC. (The photo, taken on this gray day, doesn't do them justice.) I've never worked with wool crepe before and I've been reading a LOT on PR and elsewhere about pre-treating the fabric before cutting and sewing.

I stumbled up Pamela Erney's blog, OFF THE CUFF, and her method of prepping the wool crepe sounds SO much simpler than the others (like the London Method, which nearly had me ruing my purchase) that it seems almost too good to be true:

Basically, you just throw it into a dryer (on HIGH) for about 40 minutes with some hot wet towels. THAT I can handle.

She describes it in detail here.

Has anyone tried this with success?

Also: I bought one yard each of three related colors, all reds. Is there any reason why I should do them in separate hot dryers or can I throw them in together? They're 60-inch rolls, so it might be too much fabric for one dryer,, but do I have to worry about the colors themselves?

Thanks!

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You'll be in stitches at malepatternboldness.com!

Reply to Peter in NYC
Date: 11/19/09 4:02 PM

I've never tried this method, but I, too, saw it on Pamela's blog and plan to try it on some wool crepe that I've got lined up for a dress! It does seem relatively easy, and wool crepe is pretty forgiving so I'm going to try it, but probably not 'til after Thanksgiving, so my results won't be in for a while.

The color might bleed, but I think not as much in wool as can happen in other fabrics (like cotton). I'd be more concerned about my towels picking up the color! So, maybe use dark and/or old towels.

HTH
Liz

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Liz

Date: 11/19/09 5:11 PM

Yes, dark towels -- never even occurred to me. Thanks!

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You'll be in stitches at malepatternboldness.com!

Date: 11/19/09 7:20 PM

I used this method on 2 recent purchases. Not wool crepe, but suiting wool, like for dress pants. One had '120' in the selvedge.

It worked wonderfully. I did both pieces at once - about 11 yards, but I do have a large dryer.

Definitely use old towels (no lint) and if you're worried about bleeding, you can always throw in a Shout color-catcher or two. Good luck

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Claire
1seamatatime.blogspot.com

Kenmore
Necchi BU Mira
Singer 99 (3)
Singer HD110
Singer 66 (RedEye)
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Singer 15-90
Singer 221

Date: 11/20/09 10:43 AM

Thanks, Claire. I did it this morning and it seems to have worked:

The piece that was 54" shrank to 52.5".

The piece that was 48.5 shrank to 47".

The piece that was 49 shrank to 47.5".

I threw it all one dryer with two very wet, but not dripping, dark towels and let it tumble on HIGH for approx. 40 minutes (the towels had dried out by then). No visible running, no felting whatsoever.

Ready for cutting!

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You'll be in stitches at malepatternboldness.com!

Reply to Peter in NYC
Date: 11/20/09 3:38 PM

That's great ! I'm going to use this method from now on, I think. Pam says she uses it for all wool & I guess she should know.

I just went back to your original post and looked at the picture. Those reds look fabulous !

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Claire
1seamatatime.blogspot.com

Kenmore
Necchi BU Mira
Singer 99 (3)
Singer HD110
Singer 66 (RedEye)
Singer 127 Treadle
Singer 15-90
Singer 221

Date: 11/21/09 11:52 AM

I tried this method earlier this summer and thought I had ruined my fabric.

I had a silk wool blend in a cream and light blue houndstooth. I placed it in the dryer with old towels that were wet but not dripping. When I took the fabric out there were splotches on it that looked like damp spots where the towels had touched the fabric. They didn't feel damp but I laid it out flat on a bed for several days to "dry". The splotches didn't go away. So I threw the whole thing in the wash again and hang-dried the fabric. After it dried the splotches were gone, thank goodness.

Now, I'm afraid to use this method but it sounds like it worked for your wool crepe....

Mary

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"Why be difficult?.....with just a little more effort, you can be completely impossible."



2009 out: 25.5 yds
2009 in: 15 yds.

Reply to MsMaryO
Date: 11/21/09 6:38 PM

I used Pam's method for 10 yards of black lightweight wool suiting and it turned out perfect. The fabric just needed light pressing when it was dry. The only reason it needed pressing is that I didn't fold it right away.

I just pre-treated a silk blend by soaking the fabric in Euculan and hanging it air dry. I wanted to wet the fabric so the silk would not spot while being pressed. I going to try Pam's method for silk or silk blends but very lightly wetting the fabric first. I'll pre-test a sample first.

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Towanda
Happiness is an endless fabric budget
http://lifeissewsewgood.blogspot.com/