Todays call came in early. Someone looking for some samples. She wants to make Vogue 1257 and she is thinking purple wool jersey. So, how will wool work when a knit is called for? Is there another fabric that may be better? What other options are there?

We spoke of the benefits of wool jersey, about maybe using bamboo spandex jersey, and what qualities she wanted for her dress.

Wool jersey is a timeless classic for a dress. It is an elegant and often ignored choice for the home sewer. Wool comes in as many weights and styles as any other fabric. It has many benefits: it sews easily, most often does not ravel, absorbs moisture, and with the stretch gives a flattering line.

Give wool a look next time.

We are finally able to announce that we have a complete collection of wools in stock and ready to go.
This is perfect timing considering the weather in most of our country now.
We are offering 4 different types of specialty wool – all made in the USA. Our wool is knit with the finest Oeko-tex 100 fibers. All of our wool can be dyed easily. There are complete instructions on our FAQ page. Feel free to contact us with questions. I wanted to take a moment and describe them, and their properties to you.
Our washable wool interlock is super soft, so soft that it can be worn directly against the skin with no irritation that other wools can cause.
This wool is great for adult clothing, cycling jerseys, base layers, hats, gloves etc. This wool also makes a great layer inside cloth diapers to help absorb moisture and it is the only stay dry material available for diapers that is all natural and absorbs. It is washable. After the initial washing and drying shrinking will be minimal, so the garments can be washed in a gentle routine. The ends will ravel, so care needs to be taken to serge or sew the ends prior to washing. This wool dyes the easiest of our wools. We also offer this as a wholesale product by the 25 or 50 yard rolls. It will drop ship directly to you.
We have just received our 100% Wool Interlock. Again this is a very soft wool that is able to be worn directly against the skin. This fabric will shrink or felt when washed and dried. It is the most natural product we carry, it has no spandex and has not been treated in any way. Our 100% wool interlock is ideal for diaper covers, longies, as well as base layers and blankets. An ideal use would also be sleep sacks and snap shirts for babies. We have drop shipping available for rolls of this wool in 25 or 50 yard lengths as well.
Our 95% wool/5% spandex feltable wool is in stock now as well. We always have a hard time keeping stock in this product as it is the premier choice of WAHM’s for diaper covers and pants. This is the softest wool available for diapering. This wool can be used for blankets, sleep sacks, base layers and cold weather gear. It is ideal for camping and boating as well.
Our final wool is our 100% wool jersey. This is a lighter weight wool jersey. Several WAHM’s use 2 layers of this wool for covers, and it can be used for skirties. It is another good choice for base layers, though it will need hand washing as it will continue to shrink if washed by machine.

The specials for the week are as follows:

• Sunday: Knit Prints, includes rib, jersey and interlocks 9 a.m. est
• Monday: Holiday Fabrics 9 a.m. est
• Tuesday: Trims, Patterns and PUL 9 a.m. est
• Wednesday: Bamboo Fabric 9 a.m. est
• Thursday: Cotton Velour 9 a.m. est
• Friday: Wool Fabric 9 a.m. est
• Saturday: Cotton Fleece 9 a.m. est
• Sunday: Solids 9 a.m. est
• Monday: Wovens etc 9 a.m. est

Each of these days we will offer fabrics at remarkable pricing. We have worked hard with our suppliers to get these great deals. Quantities are limited, so you will need to be fast! Some will of course sell faster than others, and there may be limits to how much each person can buy. The daily specials will be easy to find, each day will have it’s own category under the main Thanksgiving Week Specials. You will not be able to see the pricing ahead of time. As usual we are happy to offer worldwide shipping on all of our products. We have recently tweaked all of our shipping prices to give you the absolute best shipping available.

We are fully stocked on our bamboo fabrics, we are now one of the only places stocking the heavy bamboo fleece. Which is proving to be a hard thing to keep in stock. We have a great product range of the bamboo fabrics, and they are top quality and we are continuing to improve them.

We have expanded our cotton velour line as well. Last count we had 77 colors/prints of cotton velour. From the very basic natural cotton velour to our heavy stripe cotton velour and all the choices in between, we are full!

Be sure to sign up for our mailing list to be included in all the inside information. We don’t send a ton of mail, 2-3 letters a month maybe.

Here are some basic bamboo facts!
• Bamboo is grown without pesticides or chemical fertilizers
• Bamboo requires no irrigation
• Bamboo rarely needs replanting
• Bamboo grows rapidly and can be harvested in 3-5 years
• Bamboo produces 35% more oxygen that an equivalent stand of trees
• Bamboo is a critical element in the balance of oxygen and carbon dioxide in the atmosphere
• Bamboo is an excellent soil erosion inhibitor
Additionally, bamboo fabric is breathable, thermal regulating, wicks moisture better than polyester performance fabrics, will resist odor and is absorbent and fast drying keeping you dryer and more comfortable than any cotton or polyester fabrics.

But what about the chemicals used in bamboo production????
The main chemical used in the processing is sodium hydroxide, also known as caustic soda. Caustic soda is one of the most widely used chemicals in the world. It is used in food production, soap making, manufacturing of bio diesel, production of paper, and is used on nearly all cotton fabrics, including organic cotton, during wet processing. Caustic soda is approved for use on textiles under the Global Organic Textile Standard (GOTS).

While caustic soda is a strong chemical it poses no health hazard if used and disposed of properly.

The fiber should be produced in a ‘closed loop’ system where 100% of the sodium hydroxide and 74% of the carbon disulphide is recovered and recycled for further use.

Is this information true of all bamboo fabrics and suppliers? NO, bamboo can vary wildly from supplier to supplier. Be sure to shop around for the very best quality you can find! What makes it different? The first possibility would be that the fiber that was used is the mechanically produced variety, which does not produce a soft fabric, as opposed to the chemically produced type, which produces a very soft fabric.

In addition, even if the fiber was of the chemically produced variety, other factors can dramatically impact the softness of the finished fabric, as they can with any fiber. The type of yarn, open end or ring spun is a major contributing factor to how a fabric feels. Ring spinning causes the fibers to lay down in a parallel fashion, where open end yarns tend to have more fibers that have exposed ends, making that yarn less soft to the touch than ring spun.

Finally, during wet processing (the scouring/bleaching/dyeing and finishing process) many variables exist. Some of those could certainly result in a change in the hand on the fabric. A pH level that is too high, temperatures exceeding the limits of the fiber, any surface applications such as anti-curling agents, flame retardants, softeners, etc.; any of these could impact the look and the feel of the finished fabric.

Be confident in your use of bamboo, nothing is softer, squishier, and more comfortable against the skin!