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Why Does Wool Shrink?

I am asking about this as part of an offshoot thread to the Needlework Tips thread. Some of us are talking about having pet hair made into yarn and then felting the object made from that yarn. The topic of shrinkage came up and I was wondering why it is that wool shrinks. Then Sheena mentioned that 100% natural fibers will shrink when washed in hot water. So -- I'm still curious what it is that makes wool and cotton, to a lesser degree, shrink when washed in hot water. I know we have at least one chemistry maven here so hopefully she will read this and give me an answer in language I can understand :-). CiaoMeow >^;;^<

PAX, Tia Mary >^;;^< (RCTQ Queen of Kitties) Angels can't show their wings on earth but nothing was ever said about their whiskers! Visit my Photo albums at

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Tia Mary
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I have looked it up -

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and the answer is ithas to be pure wool, can be alpaca etc though I can't see why onewould use such lovely wool for felting purposes. I did a bag with handles to use as a knitting bag - when done youcould no longer see how the handles attached, felted it appeared as ifthe handles were one. I also did a small purse with strap, that Iinvented myself, should have knitted the purse itself a little larger,you have to allow for shrinkage as it felts. There are dozens of felting suggestions here - it is fun though of limited application.

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Reply to
lucretiaborgia

Posting to my own post, bad manners ! I have put a pic of the knitting bag up on my album at rctnp. The small purse was already there.

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lucretiaborgia

Reply to
Olwyn.Mary

I`ve never found that cotton shrinks just by putting it in water - It certainly does if you put it in the tumble dryer!!!

Pat P

Reply to
Pat P

My theory: Wool shrinks because it no longer has the sheep inside that was keeping it stretched out!

just me, Cathy from KY in CA

Reply to
Cathy from KY in CA

My theory: Wool shrinks because it no longer has the sheep inside that was keeping it stretched out!

just me, Cathy from KY in CA

LOL! Nothing if not logical! How do you explain cotton shrinking? And why don`t sheep appear thinner after rain?

Pat P

Reply to
Pat P

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