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Member since 9/5/08
Posts: 709
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Posted on: 1/24/09 1:08 PM ET
I thought people might be interested in the results of my abuses of two different wool challis fabrics.

In my research, I've found out that wovens don't felt as well as knits, but I decided to try it anyway. As much as anything, because I want these fabrics to be washable, and not require drycleaning.

I've subjected them to 3 hot loads/cold rinses in my front loader, and 3 trips through a hot dryer as well. One load had a spiky dryer-fluffer ball (the "spikes" are blunt bumps) in both the washer and dryer, and the third load had some dark hand towels and wash clothes added.

These photos show the results. I'm planning to try one more step - to actually boil and agitate them on my stove top.

These photos are big - I tried my best to capture the differences, but it's hard to do, so I tried different lighting conditions and left the photos big so you could better see detail:

Gray Challis 1

Gray Challis 2

Teal Challis 1 - Shrinkage

Teal Challis 2 - closeup

Teal Challis 3 - harsh light

If you'd prefer to see all the photos in a smaller size by scrolling - they are at the top of my Flickr photo stream, here:

Cathy's Flickr photo stream

You can always click on the individual photos, and then click on the "all sizes" icon just above the photo to get to the bigger sizes, that better reveal the details.

Interestingly, the teal challis has only shrunk about 4" in length, but none in width. I doubt they are going to shrink enough to make the fabric warm enough for mittens, but both should make LOVELY hats.
-- Edited on 1/24/09 1:11 PM --
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My (mostly) green sewing blog: http://NapkinLady.blogspot.com/
  
Member since 8/24/02
Posts: 13492
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Posted on: 1/24/09 8:05 PM ET
Cool experimenting! Thanks for the photos, and keep us posted on your future efforts.
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Elona
  
Contest Committee
Member since 7/30/02
Posts: 8991
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Posted on: 1/24/09 9:50 PM ET
Thank you for sharing those pictures! Very interesting. They look fuzzier and softer. I like the effect.


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With a great wardrobe that's still in the flat-fabric stage.
  
Member since 12/24/05
Posts: 441
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Posted on: 1/24/09 10:18 PM ET
In reply to CathyWeeks
Thanks for show us this. Very interesting.
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Leslie (Auckland, NZ)
  
Member since 11/22/07
Posts: 506
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Posted on: 1/24/09 11:56 PM ET
In reply to CathyWeeks
thanks for sharing.

I know that some of my knits shrank one way more than the other (can't remember which way though ).

The teal challis was particularly interesting in that aspect, I wonder why it was that way? ML
  
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