10 new uses for vintage wool blankets
Wool blankets are one of the main items I look for at garage sales, thrift stores, and antique stores. Textiles are usually pretty inexpensive when you find them used. Wool blankets might have a high price tag, even at a thrift store if they are considered collectible. Hudson Bay blankets with their heavy fulled character and stripes are usually at the high end, along with Pendleton blankets. Most other 100% wool blankets will be very inexpensive in the $3 to $15 range, depending on their condition and size. But I buy even the higher-priced Hudsonโs Bay blankets when I can find them, because of their warmth and durability. The most Iโve paid is $29 for a full size, Emerald Green, heavyweight, Hudsonโs Bay Point Blanket that had a few small moth holes but was otherwise in good condition. The least Iโve paid is $5 for a natural beige, medium weight, wool blanket from a Scottish woolen mill. Garage sale prices are usually less than thrift store prices.ย If you find a Hudson’s Bay Point blanket and would like to find out more about its provenance, check here.
Advantages of wool blankets over synthetics
Wool has some very valuable characteristics that can help you in winter:
- It is insulating even when wet.
- It is naturally flame resistant
- It is soil and stain resistant
- It is naturally antibacterial
- Wool is breathable
- Wool is nontoxic
- Wool wicks moisture away from your skin
- It grows on sheep so itโs a renewable fiber
- It composts naturally
- It is washable
- It can be stored until you need it
- It is durable and will last for many, many years
- When it wears out it can be repurposed through several evolutions before itโs no longer useful.
What to look for when you purchase thrift store wool blankets
The most common issue with thrift store wool blankets is moth holes. Look over the blanket thoroughly for holes. Even hold it up to the light to see. Often these donโt show up until you wash it but when you hold it up to the light youโll see thin areas that will wash away. A few small holes arenโt reasoning enough to reject a blanket but it could be evidence that there are live larvae or eggs in the blanket. If you decide to purchase it in spite of the moth holes be sure to wash it in hot water as soon as you get it home. Small moth holes can be repaired. Large areas of damage will need to be patched to prevent further damage.
Blankets that have been stored in the attic or the basement may have mold or mildew. If the blanket smells musty or you can see visible black spots, these probably wonโt wash out. The musty smell may also be permanent. I generally wonโt bring a musty blanket home.
Strong odours like mothballs or smoke can be problematic as well. These generally need several washings to clean out of wool blankets. Weigh the price against the extra work to make them useable.
Moth damage on a Hudson’s Bay Point Blanket
How to wash a wool blanket
Plan to wash any wool blankets as soon as you get them home. I wash mine using a special technique that I reserve for wool garments. I have a top-loading older Maytag washing machine that doesnโt let the water run into the machine during the spin cycle. If your machine doesnโt have this feature, youโll want to turn off the water once your machine is filled up.
I fill my washing machine with hot water. Add a squirt of Joy dish soap once it is full. I put in one to three wool blankets, depending on how heavy they are. I let the wool blankets sit in the washing machine, without agitating for 1 hour. Then I turn the dial to the spin cycle and spin the excess water out of the blankets. I then remove the blankets from the machine and refill them with the same temperature water. Add the wool blankets back in and let them sit in the clear, hot water for an additional 30 minutes. Then I turn the dial to the spin cycle and spin the excess water out of the blankets. If the blankets are especially musty smelling I will repeat this step once more. Then I hang them out on the line in full sun, to dry. If itโs winter, Iโll hang them over clothes racks by the wood store. Try to dry them completely within 48 hours.
Generally, I wash my wool blankets every spring, after a winter of use, before storing them for the summer. I will also wash them if they become soiled from using them in the car or outside.
What about bed bugs?
If you have a concern about bed bugs in your region, after washing your wool blanket in hot water, and air drying it, do one more step to ensure that there is no contamination.ย Iron the wool blanket with a hot iron set on the wool setting.ย Be sure to iron every inch of the blanket and overlap your strokes. It is alright to steam wool blankets, once they are thoroughly dry.ย The heat will kill any eggs or larvae of any pests that may still be in the threads of the blanket.
Protect Wool Blankets from Wool Moths
One drawback of using wool blankets is that they should be protected from wool moths and pantry moths. The nitrogen in wool attracts moths. They lay their eggs in wool and the larvae eat holes in the wool before they spin their cocoons. You can protect your wool blanket investment by always storing your blankets clean. Wash them after the winter, and store them in a cedar chest, like grandma used to. Or hang aromatic cedar blocks in your blanket closet. Alternatively, sachets with tea tree, peppermint, and lavender essential oils will repel wool moths. Check your closet at least once a month during the summer and vacuum well, if you find any evidence of moths. I find that July and August are the most critical times and if I can win the battle there, Iโm good for the year. Wool blankets that are used regularly are not as prone to moth damage.
10 uses for Wool Blankets
1. Use a wool blanket under the fitted bed sheet
Wool is insulating. Just by adding a wool blanket under the bottom sheet, youโll create a warmer bed. Wool is warm in winter, but wonโt increase the heat in summer. Just place the wool blanket over your mattress pad but under your fitted bottom sheet.
2. Cover a window in wool
Wool on the window will cut down on drafts โ keeping the warm air in the room and the cold air outside. But since itโs a natural fiber, it still allows air exchange so you wonโt have the condensation problems that plastics contribute. I add a wool blanket to the windows in our unheated bedrooms in winter, fastening them with clothes pegs to the curtain rod. In summer I take them down and store them.
3. Keep a wool blanket on the couch
When itโs cold and the woodstove just isnโt keeping the room warm, cuddling in a wool blanket can make the difference between whiney kids and contented kids. Better yet, cuddle with someone else under a wool blanket and youโll both be more content.
4. Keep a wool blanket at the foot of the bed for cccold nights
Sometimes you need just a little extra warmth. Or if you are a woman of a certain age, you may not but your partner might. Wool blankets are the perfect solution. You can add a wool blanket just on the side where the extra warmth is needed without cooking out the person who experiences summer in winter, on occasion. We have two heavy Hudson Bay blankets on our bed, one for each of us, because we no longer have the same internal thermostat. Most nights I donโt need an extra blanket, but when it’s -30C, and youโre heating with wood, the extra insulation of a wool blanket can be a lifesaver.
5. Keep a wool blanket in the car
On long car trips, a wool blanket can be cozy. In an emergency, it can save a life. Donโt keep your best blanket in the car, though, as the blanket in the car gets soiled more often than the ones in your house. On long trips, I pack a wool blanket for each person in the vehicle. Weโve used them in hotels when the hotel didnโt provide enough blankets. Weโve used them to keep warm on cold mornings while waiting for the vehicle heater to warm up the car. Weโve used them as a pillow to take a nap on the drive.
6. Take them with you to cushion furniture or windows when transporting
We bought windows for the writersโ retreat last summer, and when we picked them up I took 10 wool blankets to place between the windows and to keep them from damage on the long trip over the mountain to take them home. Wool is soft and wonโt scratch fine furniture, and itโs resilient, cushioning the shock of transport.
7. Use wool blankets as a bedroll or sleeping bag
A full-size wool blanket is lightweight and can be used as a sleeping bag. Simply lay on it diagonally and pull the bottom corner over your feet. Take the left side and pull it loosely over your body, and then take the right side and pull that loosely over your body, the other way. Tuck the corner under you to secure the end. Youโll have 2 layers of wool over your body and one under it, keeping it warm.
Check out this video from Forrester Bushcraft to see this technique demonstrated.
8. Turn a wool blanket into a chair
This is genius. Check out this video and see how Black Owl Outdoors folds and ties a wool blanket into a useful camp chair.
9. Turn a wool blanket into a coat
The Hudson Bay Company occasionally has workshops where Hudsons Bay Blankets are sewn into classic coats.ย Here is a layout pattern to make a Capote coat from a Hudson’s Bay blanket.
Hereโs a way to make a wool coat from a blanket without cutting the blanket.
10. Fold a wool blanket and use it as a chair cushion
Sitting for long periods in a cold house can be uncomfortable. Just adding a folded wool blanket to the seat of a chair can improve the seating comfort. Wool is breathable and comfortable, as well as insulating.
What’s the best blanket find you’ve made?ย What did you do with it after you brought it home?
One of the best methods I have discovered for storage of any woolens is dry ice. After draping an old sheet in a large Rubbermaid container and filling it with any woolens (coats sweaters, blankets, etc.) I cover the wool with the other side of the sheet to keep the dry ice off the wool. Then I put a bunch of dry ice on top, close the container and use duct tape to seal the lid to the base.
I came across this site by accident. Went to a yard sale down the street. Got a couple items, The lady said she had some blankets she was going to take to the thrift store for doggy beds. She showed them to me, I said I have a dog. She gave them to me. I got them home an they are pure wool, Have a pattern on one end, that is reverst on the other side. And in pink and white. No moths holes, they have hair in them like maybe Alpaka ? I took some fray pieces and burnt it. It turned to ashes. Each blanket has a different pattern strip. unsual and I feel they came from out of the country. Maybe South America? Have never seen a pattern like these ones, Full Size. Can I wash them with Woolit? Hang them out to dry. They dont have a off oder. But they were found under her house. Must have been stored in an airtight container.? She had no idea what she gave me. My lucky day. & no labels.
Yes wash them for sure. But don’t agitate them in the washer. I just fill my washer with hot water. Add the soap. Turn off the machine and soak the blankets. Turn to the spin cycle and spin out without water spraying on the wool. Then remove the blankets and refill the machine with fresh water for the rinse. Its important that the rinse water is the same temperature as the wash/soak water. Add the blankets. Turn off the machine. Let it sit for about 20 minutes to rinse. Turn the machine to the spin cycle and spin out without any water spraying on the wool. Repeat the rinse. Hang to dry.
I’ve always understood that using hot water or even warm water is the worst thing for washing wool as it will shrink it for sure. I’m surprised to see this advice!
The issue isn’t the temperature of the water but a change in temperature between the washing and rinsing water. If they are the same temperature you are golden. The hot water dissolves the lanolin and loosens dirt better than cold water.
My sister just gifted me a gorgeous huge Beckman Mills double sided wool blanket. It has such vivid collars. Still with original leather grommets. Canโt find much info on Beckman Mills. Any ideas?
I have a custom ironing board (37×52) that is covered with a wool blanket and duck cloth on top. The layers are stretched and stapled on the underside of the board. A frame surrounds 3 cube shelving units making a nice pressing station, and I just put a cutting mat on top when needed.
Iโve had this for 6 years, and itโs all holding up quite nicely!
Thanks for this article. I have two 100-year-old wool blankets in perfect condition. My grandmother made them on a loom she brought from Scotland to Western Canada I 1910. My father used them when he went to university (early 30’s – he was born in 1912) . And my parents used them a bit. They’ve been stored maybe four decades now. I had no idea what to do with them.
Now I have some good ideas! thanks.
Oh wow! you are so fortunate! Use them! Iโm jealous!
I have a Beautiful Vintage Pendleton Wool Blanket with a Theme in the design . I plan on using it for a Wall Hanging in my new house !
Reading here , I am Happy to Know I am not the Only one that uses a wool blanket under my fitted sheet ! My Best Friend and I have been collecting Vintage Wool for years ! She is the Sewer and Also Gifted me the blanket I plan to hang Thank You for this Awesome Site and All the Useful Info from You AND Your Readers !
I have 2 Whitney blankets and would like to join them to make a king size blanket. I would like advice on how to do the seams
I have joined many pieces of wool blankets together using a stitch on my sewing machine.
I butt the two pieces together FLAT and sew – this stitch is a zig zag with stitches on both edges. My machine is a Janome. After I iron the seams with a wool setting.
FABULOUS!!!
I was hoping to get an answer could I have a hudson bay blanket without the label?
There were a number of mills that made the striped blanket , most of them in England- and numerous stores sold and traded with them.
Hudsons Bay only trademarked the classic stripe design in the 1980`s.
Eatons of Canada- Mohalk
Sears- Traders
Whitneys of England
Pendelton of USA
and a few others I can`t remember right now.
Most of the different mills used slightly diefferent colors- esp w the black/ indigo, and the green can range form light teal to dk green
I make pillows with the blanket stitched edges, and recover ottomans and footstools with them- its hard to cut, but when its done its a useable, loved item!
instagram- rdecorstudio
Yes, I bought a Hudson Bay blanket in very good shape but the label was falling apart. I finally removed the crumbling label.
During warmer seasons I put a homely old wool blanket, one that hasbecome a bitfelted over the years, in a duvet cover instead of a down comforter.
I have used old ugly wool blankets as the batting in quilts as well, making sure they have been washed and dried so future shrinking isn’t an issue. Makes for lovely extra snuggly quilts!
One other thing; put the blankey in a plastic bag in the freezer at -4 farenheit will kill everything, mites fleas bed bugs scabies, in 5 days.
Thanks for the nice website!
Love your ideas!
I buy wool blankets for batting inside quilts I make
Well, I have used a wool blanket that had seen better days and dyed it with natural botanicals and made a jacket. https://www.madebybarb.com/2018/01/31/handmade-eco-printed-jacket/
Wool eco-prints wonderfully; check my site for more info. I am a bit of a wool-blanket-o-holic!
Barb, that’s a gorgeous jacket.
Love all these comments and ideas.
I’m in the UK and finding vintage wool blankets is still possible….hence I probably have 30 to 40 of them. eBay is a great source and still cheap here. I use baby shampoo on wool cycle to wash for maintaining. I wash on hot wash and don’t mind if they felt as in my opinion makes them even cosier. I cut to make smaller more manageable sized sofa blankets. My dogs have wool pads in their beds as wool doesn’t hold pet odour like synthetic does. They also have sheepskins in their beds in winter. My duvet is stuffed with wool and I love it. Really going to make more stuff this winter…..especially as now living in very drafty old house, window treatments are high on the list.
I buy wool blankets from thrift stores and also vintage sheets from the 60’s and 70’s. Great colour and design combinations. One side is the blanket and one side the sheet. With a folded edge hand stiched with colour corresponding embroidery thread. Pretty, functional and unique. Great gifts.
Hi! Love this article. I found your site while searching for information on whether wool blankets can rot. I haven’t been able to find any information online. I have purchased a number of wool blankets at thrift shops. Most behaved as expected in the wash and after, but 2 of them are “shedding” – or something. Many, many short, broken strands are coming off the blankets. Have you come across this? Is it rotted wool or something else? Thanks for any help you can provide.
Marty
Is it possible that your wool blankets have been infested with moths. When moth larvae eat a blanket you’ll find holes plus lots of short fibers where the moths have eaten holes. You may also find a gritty sand feeling in the blanket or on the shelf below the blanket (the larvae’s droppings). A wash in very hot water and a hot water rinse will kill the larvae and their eggs.
I’m considering purchasing a 1940’s wool serape blanket from ebay to use as upholstery fabric on a chair. However, the description says it has never been used and it has fold lines from being folded so long. In your experience, do fold lines come out of vintage blankets after washing? I am afraid to invest so much in a blanket if I will be unable to remove the fold lines.
i use a narural shampoo with argon oil or shea butter to wash my wool blankets . I was told by an older woman not to use harsh soaps that would strip the natural lanolin out of the wool . it makes a scratchy feeling blanket. Also my sister swears by hanging a musty smelling blanket on the clothes line outside and spraying with Lysol to kill mo;ds and mildew . Let dry , turn blanket spray other side , dry . Then launder .Really like your site. Laureen
Back in to 1940’s, My mother used to send all her old used woolen clothing and items to The Olsen Rug Company. They turned them into room size rugs, and that is how we were able to have rugs in our old farm house.
What a neat idea! Recycling or upcycling at its finest! How I would love to have my Mother’s wool blankets turned into rugs.
Just found your site and hope you have a suggestion or two. I have had a Hudson Bay 4 point blanket for many years. Now, however, the two ends are starting to unravel a bit. I thought it would help maintain this blanket by wrapping the ends with a length of ribbon and then sewn the ribbon in place. Does this make any sense? If so, do you have any thoughts about the ribbon to use? Of course, any other suggestions to deal with these unraveling threads would be appreciated.
Have you considered using a blanket stitch over the ends of the blanket? That would secure the threads in place. If you used a contrasting wool yarn it would also add character. My experience with satin ribbon with wool blankets is that the satin gets very pilled, on blankets that receive use.
Wow, this was the question that brought me to this page! I picked up a beautiful grey and black wool blanket at a second hand store today but the edges are quite frayed. If I trim them back is a blanket stitch enough to prevent future fraying? Thanks!
Yes, that’s exactly what I’d do. Make the stitches about 1/3 inch deep and fairly close together to capture the threads.
A faster way to do this is to do a crochet chain stitch over the edge. Using sturdy wool yarn and as small a crochet hook as possible, make each stitch 1/4โ1/2โ from the edge and the same distance apart. It looks similar to blanket stitch, and Iโve seen this edge treatment on many vintage blankets.
I am planning to remove the satin and trim the blankets with print Liberty if London seam binding..
Nice treasure
Does the hot water soak not shrink the pure wool blankets?
No, as long as the rinse water is the same temperature as the wash water they will not shrink. But don’t agitate them in the water. They should just soak and then be rinsed and hung to dry.
i Accidentllly found this page while trying to find the worth of my queen sized handmade wool blanket , knitted i think , 2 years and a lot of work AND Wool ,lol, a wedding gift i considered selling ,thou i didn’t find the info i was looking for yet i’m certainly happy for what i have found , i have been educated and i have a new appreciation for wool i never had before, handmade quilts of any kind are valuable so i may still pursue selling this gem but after all i learned i’ll be on the look out for the less expensive wool blankets hat i will put to many uses i know of now , i thank for educating me of the many reasons to appreciate wool blankets and their many uses , so very glad i ended up here today,thanks again
Living in East Texas, wool blankets are a rare treasure! I buy the few I find at garage sales, Goodwill, etc., I found some online last year, and bought enough for each in our house to have a couple. We use them at reenactments, and the guys even fold them over and use them under their saddles. (My daughter does, too) I have a cot with an air mattress on it (for reenactment camping), and I put a couple of wool blankets down, then sheets, then more wool blankets. Stays nice and warm.
I have an army blanket that was in perfect condition.
I folded it and stored it in a basement cabinet with cedar blocks.
A mouse chewed through a fold and it now has three holes about 11/2 – 2 inches big.
I’m thinking about patching with similar gauge wool material.
Any suggestions will be greatly appreciated.
Thank you
You could try darning it. Or you can make a decorative patch with other fabric. Just use worn and washed fabric rather than new, so the differential shrinkage doesn’t create more tears. Bad mouse.
I have patched many a wool garment, woven or knitted, by felting in a patch for larger holes or a little darning with wool thread for smaller ones, but in a contrasting colour and used a few embroidery stitches in wool embroidery yarn to make the holes into flower centers and it was then a work of art!
12-24-2019 I would suggest buying some wool roving & felting a shape possibly a heart over the holes!
Bonnie/Minnesota HUGE fan of the candy stripe Hudson Bay Blankets
Keep up the awesome work !! Lovin’ it!
Another benefit of wool is that it is healing. It’s the only fiber besides linen that was tested to be so. Here is the study if you are interested: http://www.lifegivinglinen.com/linen-study.html
Hi, Amy, I actually came across that study just last week and wanted to follow up with the source of the study. Thanks for the reminder. We grow, spin, and weave linen here as well.
Stumbled acrossed your websit via Pinterest. I would like to offer a suggestion to get the musty smell out of wool blankets ( also works on old furniture rescued from barns and basements!) place the item that smells musty in some type of closed container…….poor fresh, dry coffee grounds over the contents in the container, trying to distribute through the material. Put the cover on and walk away. Leave for up to a week, shake the coffee out and voila! Smell will be gone! The item will smell like fresh coffee for a short time, but that will fade with time, and of course will wash out. If you are doing this technique for must furniture, sprinkle the grounds in the drawers and base of the furniture, close the doors, leave for a week, vacuum out. Works beautifully!!
That’s ingenius. Of course it would work. I put it in my soap to get buck goat off my hands. I never thought of it for larger items. Thanks for sharing.
Love your website. Very informative. I have a collection of 4-5 wool blankets handed down in our families. I’m a new quilter and am playing with the idea of piecing them together into a “new” quilt. What do you think of this idea? Are there any precautions I should take when cutting and sewing with wool?
a little hesitant,
JB
Washing could be an issue. How do you intend to wash them, after you are done?
I love wool blankets too but would never buy old ones due to the fire retardants they used to cover the blankets in. Those retardants aren’t washable and the chemicals aren’t healthy. I try to find bargains instead and buy newer ones from craigslist. Ikea even had wool blankets some time ago.
I’ve never heard that fire retardant are used on wool. Wool is naturally fire retardant. There’s no need to use a chemical on it to make it fire retardant.
Yes they do put it in it, and it’s very toxic. They have found it in baby’s blood systems who sleep with pj’s that have fire retardant. There is a professor/scientist at my local university who is trying to stop the practice of adding it to furniture for this reason.
https://www.nytimes.com/2015/05/04/us/a-flame-retardant-that-came-with-its-own-threat-to-health.html?mcubz=0
It is even listed on the tag of my wool blanket. Stupid they add it.
That’s crazy.
Nowhere in this article does it say anything about adding a fire retardant to wool blankets. Perhaps your blanket is of a synthetic material. As Joybilee says, wool is naturally fire retardant.
do you think a wool blanket such as a hudson bay or pendleton would be good as a beach blanket to place on the sand? or too warm?
It would be fine. But it would be a little picky to wash it up. You can’t just throw it in the washer and dryer. I’d probably go with a quilt for a beach blanket so you can wash it as necessary.
But as far as warmth, at the beach I wouldn’t think it would matter. You are on top of it not under it. Wool tends to insulate, so if the ground felt hot it would be less so with wool on top of it.
Hi Chris!!! Such a great collection of ideas. I too love these blankets. Although, I may part with one soon if I can’t get it clean. I have a ken wood wool products made in Canada blanket. Love the colour and stripe. Amazing condition. But about to give up because it has animal fur embedded. Not a lot. But some. I’ve tried brushing, beating, washing again, bounce sheets. Can’t get last bits out. Any thoughts? Thanks so much!
Have you tried vacuuming it with a handwand?
I did give this a go, but with with limited success . I wonder if I washed again and tried? If it would bring more to the surface? I feel like I’ve exhausted to resouces!!!
You might want to try shelf paper. It’s like using one of those sticky lint rollers but in large size. I use it to clean dog fur off of my car seats. peel the backing off, stick it to the furry spot and peel off! Voila!
Good idea
Hi Robin,
this is a nice begin for a collection ๐ We have more than 600 of them in the meantime. We are collection them for yround 5 years now, and only the colourful patterned 50s/60s style. Some of the blankets are from flea markets around, but most of them are from textile recyclers. They are sorting them out as garbage for shredding. Too bad.
If you like these kind of blankets, have a look at our website.
Have fun! Cheers
There is a product called ‘Fray Check’ that can be purchased in most fabric or craft stores. Just run a line along the fraying edge. It’s a great product to use if you don’t know how to do a blanket stitch on the fraying edges of a blanket. You can also put a couple of drops of Fray Check on moth holes to prevent them from fraying.
I came across about 4-5 wool blankets in great shape, last year at a friends yard sale, 50 cents a piece I knew I would find an idea for them. I am a HUGE fan of seeing potential in something and at the right price or free I will grab it up. My kids make fun of me cuz our extra bedroom is full of stuff I have found junking or yard sales or stuff I have been given. I have finally decided to try to find some use for these beautiful blankets enjoy these ideas. Thank you
What an awesome treasure!
Great post! I will now be looking for wool blankets! Thanks so much!
Hi,
pretty nice website for uses of vintage blankets ๐
We are collecting them, too and have around 600 on our website.
Most of our colourful blankets are from textile recycling facilities.
I have one more use for vintage blankets: A lot of people are using our blankets
as an pattern idea for DIY crochet or knitting, especially for the cold season.
Best regards,
Jenny
You write to wash and rinse in hot water, from all my experience in laundering wool wash in hot water the wool shrinks excessively and becomes boiled wool.
Provided the wool is not agitated and the temperature of the rinse water remains the same as the temperature of the wash water there will be no ill effect. However, if the wool is agitated or if the temperature of the rinse water is colder than the wash water, indeed you will get boiled wool.
Years ago, when My family did lots of camping/hunting/fishing, I made quilts from used Army blankets from the surplus store. I would take two twin sheets, place the wool blanket between them. Then tack it in places so it doesn’t shift. Next step was to sew on machine down middle, then around edges, just leaving about 4 inches on each side. Then I would trim back the wool, fold the edge trim and sew that shut. I still have several from 30 years ago that do there job very well. They wash well and take a real beating on the trail or in the car. They are super warm and insulating on your bed , keep you extra warm camping , even great at the beach.
That’s perfect. I love that idea. Thanks for sharing.
That is a great idea. I’m working on a post about waterproof camping blankets (https://campingcrossroads.com/waterproof-outdoor-blankets/) and I wanted to incorporate some vintage wool blankets but wondering what the best method would be to use a wool blanket as the insulation with a more waterproof material sewn on the outside to provide more protection from rain and wet weather.
Thrift stores are not taking textiles in the Northeast because of bedbug infestations. ๐ If you do find wool blankets be aware of scabies, too. Dry cleaning is the only way to rid wool of scabies. Brilliant ideas on this website! Thank you for posting them.
My SIL (an RN) told me that a hot iron does wonders for getting rid of infestations in textiles. Ironing with a hot iron is what the health departments here in BC recommend to get rid of bed bugs. I imagine it would also work on scabies. (I don’t have personal experience with this, so if this is incorrect let me know.).
Always on my list too. I have been lucky enough to find a couple in the “dog blankets” box too, for a dollar. One of these came with a free, squashed quite flat, mouse in its folds!!! I layer the holey ones together and roughly quilt them or sew them into rectangles for critter beds.
that’s a something I hadn’t thought of.
Wool blankets are always on my thrift store list! I found a beautiful blue one last time I went thrifting. it has a strip torn out 1 1/2 X 8 in. at the middle edge. I am looking for another damaged one to patch it with. Well worth the time and energy.
Our daughter made a designer coat from an old army blanket we found. She won an award for repurpose /redesign for her FCCLA home-ech class. Its a wonderful coat.
Thanks for the videos.
Love wool but it is most difficult to find around here…..anywhere. I go to thrift shops but not much opportunity for valuable finds like wool in good condition.
I have to look hard for them, too. Usually there is only 1 or 2 among dozens of polyester or cotton blankets and afghans. But I always check the blanket rack, just in case. Mostly I find singles or doubles. I’ve only found a queen size blanket once — it’s on my bed now.
You must live in the PNW! (Oregon, here) I, too, find it difficult to find wool blankets in local thrift stores. I have only found one, in my 10+ years of โthriftingโ. I finally bought one at a military shop, but it was SO full of the smell of napthalene (a toxic chemical used like mothballs) that I had to wash, dry then hang in the sun for about a week, and it still smells a bit. It was in otherwise great condition, though.
I LOVE the idea from a reader about making quilts from them! I may do this with the thrift store one, as it does have some minor moth holes in it.