When it comes to sewing with natural fibres, wool can do pretty much anything and the only fibre to rival its versatility is cotton. Wool can be soft, cosy and warm, or rugged, tough and functional, or in its most drapey and luxurious form it can be sleek and elegant. Added to its versatility, as a natural fibre it is great for keep you warm in the colder months as it is insulating, and is thermally responsive so it can react to your body temperature. It is naturally antimicrobial, thanks to the lanolin wax that occurs in its fibers, which kills bacteria it comes into contact with. So there is less need to wash it.
With all these positive qualities on its side, wool is still a fabric that many do not want to sew with and will avoid for various reasons, but trust us it is one of the easiest and nicest fabrics to sew with.
In this blog we will discuss the different types of wool, how to pretreat your wool fabric, along with some of our top pattern suggestions to make.
Different Types of Wool
After the wool fibres have been separated they are given a "wool class", which is determined by the diameter of the fibre. This classification then decides the type of wool fabric the spun fibres will be made into. Thinner fibres are used for lighter weight fabrics, while thicker fibres will make heavier fabrics.
There are 2 different spinning methods used with woollen fabrics- Woollen Spun or Worsted Spun. Woollen fabrics are made from yarns that have been carded and drawn, while Worsted Fabrics are made from yarns that have been carded, combed and drawn. This extra process results in a smooth finish and a more visible structure, making it ideal for suiting.
Deadstock Navy Pinstripe Worsted Wool Fabric
After this wool can be made into many different types of fabrics, from wool gauze to worsted suiting, wool crepe to tweed. We have a brief description of the main types of wool you will find in our store.
Wool Tweed - Tweed is a generic term for textured woollen fabrics. They can have either a plain weave or a twill weave construction. Twill weaves will be more closely woven than plain weaves, and therefore more stable. The yarns can be dyed and woven in various designs to create check, herringbone or houndstooth patterns.
The fabric below has been yarn dyed and woven in a twill weave with a checked design. Generally a Tweed fabric will be heavier and suitable for coats, blazers, structured skirts or accessories.
Deadstock Pure Wool Bottle Green Check Tweed Coating
Wool Crepe - Crepe fabric uses fibres that have been tightly twisted to create a 'crinkly' texture, giving the fabric a beautiful texture and drape. Wool crepe is ideal for loose trousers, dresses, blazers or skirts.
Deadstock Pure Wool Crepe in Slate
Boiled Wool - Boiled wool is typically used for making coats, jackets or accessories.
Boucle - Wool Boucle fabric (pronounced Boo-Clay) is made from yarns that are knotted and irregular, giving the fabric a 'nubby' texture. The term comes from the French word, "boucler," meaning to curl. Boucle fabrics are sometimes woven with other fibres and sometimes even ribbon and sequins, as seen below, to create a statement fabric.
Rainbow on Black Wool Blend Boucle Fabric
Deadstock Black with White Check Wool Blend Boucle Fabric
Wool Flannel - Wool flannel is a tightly woven wool fabric which has then been 'napped' to create a 'fuzzy' texture, i.e. super soft! However unlike cotton flannel, wools natural sheen this fabric has a more luxurious and elegant appearance.
Deadstock Wool Flannel Suiting Fabric in Chocolate Brown
Pre-treating Your Fabric
Most wool fabrics cannot be prewashed as they are prone to shrinking and felting in the wash. There are many stories of adult wool coats going into the washing machine and coming out small child (or doll) size! To prevent any shrinking while you are pressing your seams, leading to distorted pattern pieces, you can preshrink your fabric.
To do this you will need an area to support your fabric while you are working with it. A chair or table next to your ironing board will help with this. Place your fabric on the ironing board and ensure the grain line is straight. Take a piece of cotton gauze or a similar lightweight fabric and soak it in cold water. Wring it out so it is damp an don't dripping wet. Place this on your wool fabric and hold the iron over this area and apply a lot of steam. If your fabric has a design on it you may even see it shrinking as you go. Make sure you move your iron in the direction of the grainline.
Once you have steamed the area the most important thing to do is wait for it to cool and dry! If you try to move it while it is still warm you might stretch it out of shape. Once it is dry move onto the next area and repeat. We would advise you to have something to watch or listen to, it is a slow process but one that is definitely worth it. For a video tutorial on this process visit our YouTube channel.
Alternatively you can take your fabric to a Dry Cleaners and ask them to pre-shrink it for you.
Pattern suggestions for Wool Fabrics
When many people think of sewing with wool fabrics, blazers and coats might be the first thing that comes to mind which we will admit can be a daunting project for many sewists. However there are many projects you can make with wool that are beginner friendly and don't use much fabric. Wool is also a very well behaved fabric once you have eliminated the risk of it shrinking. It is Sharlene's favourite fabric to sew with and you can see some of her plans for our wool fabrics this season over on YouTube.
We have split our pattern suggestions for wool fabrics into difficulty category, so whether you want a nice easy project to get you started, or something more involved to see you through the dark winter nights, we have recommendations for everyone.
Beginner Friendly
Atelier Jupe Coco Skirt, Nina Lee Carnaby Dress, Tilly and the Buttons Ramona Skirt
A skirt or simple shift dress is a great project to start with if you want to dip your toe into sewing with wool. We recommend some of our suiting weight wools for this project and a fabric that does not have an obvious pattern.
Deadstock Pure Wool Flannel Suiting Fabric in Oatmeal
Atelier Jupe Fuchsia Lines Wool Blend Fabric
Confident Beginner Patterns
Friday Pattern Company Ilford Jacket, Tauko Magazine Helpa Dress, Named Clothing Verso Trousers and Shorts
If you want a more advanced project trousers or an unlined jacket is a good option or a dress with a little more detail like this pleated style. A simple jacket or pair of trousers is a good time to try pattern matching to with a simple print.
Deadstock Pure Wool Puppytooth Check Suiting
Deadstock Brown and Mauve Stripe Pure Soft Wool Coating
Intermediate Patterns
Cashmerette Meriam Trousers - Size 0-16, Size 12-28, Cousette Rockette Jacket, Bella Loves Patterns Bennie Waistcoat
Bella Loves Patterns Billy Trousers, Tauko Issue 10, Closet Core Mitchell Trousers
Trousers with a fly front or a more detailed jacket are ideal for pushing your skill set even further once you have mastered beginner patterns. A waistcoat is an ideal introduction to tailoring, the Bennie Waistcoat covers tailoring techniques but on a smaller scale. Or if you are feeling confident the Tauko Suit from issue 10 is a great place to test your skills. We have chosen classic pinstripes and plain fabrics for these patterns to allow you to hone in on your skills.
Deadstock Pure Wool Flannel Suiting Fabric in Charcoal
Deadstock Grey Pinstripe Pure Wool Suiting Fabric
Advanced Patterns
Maison Fauve Tigris Coat, Pauline Alice Serra Trench Coat, Bella Loves Patterns Freddie Jacket.
When you are ready to flex your sewing muscles, a lined wool coat or jacket is the perfect project to see you through the dark winter evenings. Choose from a Boucle fabric to make a classic Chanel jacket, or a lightweight coating for a timeless trench coat. Or for the ultimate in luxury, a cashmere blend coat will stand the test of time.
Deadstock Charcoal Italian Wool Coating Fabric with Cashmere
Deadstock Olive Brown Lightweight Wool Coating
Head to our YouTube channel to watch Sharlene's latest video where she discusses the wool fabrics she has picked this season and what she plans to make with them.
Shop our full range of wool fabrics here.