WoolWeenies Club

I'm not officially a wool weenie because I haven't tried it yet. Reading this forum has thoroughly convinced me, though.

I am trying to put together a wardrobe of commute-worthy clothes for this fall and winter, but can't afford the likes of Ibex or SmartWool. Today at a local consignment shop, I found two Pendleton washable merino wool turtlenecks - one red and one heather gray. Brand new, with tags still attached. The red one was $10. The gray one has a little hole in the neck part, and it was $5. Good start, huh?

Geocam, great score on the Pendleton turtlenecks! Those consignment shops and thrift stores are a great place to look for wool wear. If you're handy in the sewing department, check out the mens section for wool pants. It's usually not too hard to find a pair or two that can be hemmed into a nice pair of commuting knickers.

I think we all love finding wool treasures in thrift shops and Salvation Army!
I love the thrill when I see a likely item for $5 and look at the neck label and see "100% Merino Wool" Or better yet, the more rare "Cashmere" find!!! :D

I have lots of second hand wool, they make great undergarments for winter rides if nothing else!

ebay too.....type in merino or cashmere or _______
and check the "search inside listings" box.

I got 2 VERY nice merino pieces for under 10....

Oooooh....we're going to New Hampshire for the weekend, and will be taking our bikes. Forecast says high 50's daytime, in the 30's at night.


IT'S WOOL TIME. :D :D :D

Details, Lisa?
Where?

A place called Hebron/Newfound Lake....I've never been there before. Some friends have a family lodge there on the lake and there'll be a dozen of us music friends there for the weekend. 3 or 4 others are bringing their bikes besides us- experienced riders all, so it should be fun riding around the lake and playing music and relaxing. :p I hope nobody suggests any monster hill climbs. :cool:
Sat and Sun forecasts look good....

One thing about hill climbs, Lisa, they keep you warm!

:D

It sounds like fun. If you are near a lake, you can probably avoid the monster climbs, but that isn't easy in NH. The last time we were up near Mt. Washington, I got a book out of the library to look for rides before we left. I chose the one that was called a "ramble," i.e. did not entail climbing the Kangamangus Hwy. Well, it was short (28 miles), but there was about 3200 feet of climbing.
The weather should be great.

Hey - Though October 16, you can get anything 50% off retail (note this is not 50% off any "sale" price - you have to look for "retail" price) at

www.backcountryoutlet.com

with coupon code:
38M-1-GGDSP

Note this is only good at the "outlet." It does not work at backcountry.com.

What does this have to do with wool? Well I found Smartwool, Ibex, Icebreaker, Kavu, Swobo, Patagonia, and others on there!

Have fun!

I found a Smartwool midweight turtleneck base layer at Marshalls today, for less than half retail price. I never find good stuff there. Now I realize, I must be waiting until too late in the season (like I try to buy bathing suits in Summer, stupid me). I bet by next week, they'll all be gone, and the swimsuits will be back.

They also had lots of cashmere sweaters, which are my favorite things to ride in in winter, but they were soooo expensive, and they were too poofy/dressy for road-bike riding.

For the last two days I've been wearing the light-pink merino wool turtleneck I bought for two dollars at a church thrift sale last month. The turtleneck shows under my cycling jacket. Never looked so elegant on the bike! (And I'm toasty, too.)

One of my favorite wool items cost me nothing and is also very sentimental to me...

My mother had a pair of 100% cashmere black gloves. She actually never got a chance to wear them, and they were brand new. She died two years ago and since then I use her cashmere gloves as liners inside my other various gloves in the winter- for both biking and snowshoeing, walking, whatever I do out in the cold for hours. They are not thick, but they are incredibly fuzzy and soft and cozy.
She would be so pleased to know she was still keeping me warm. :)

I just got this
http://www.teamestrogen.com/prodSW_15204_1.html
Very nice, the fit is great. One thing worries me though. I like the way it fits now but the washing instructions say it might shrink slightly on first washing.

Anybody?

You know that is one thing I don't understand. Can you refit it back to size? You know when you dry a pair of jeans in the dryer and the come out a size smaller but a day after you have worn them they are back to usual, does that happen with wool?

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Originally Posted by Zen

I just got this
http://www.teamestrogen.com/prodSW_15204_1.html
Very nice, the fit is great. One thing worries me though. I like the way it fits now but the washing instructions say it might shrink slightly on first washing.

Anybody?

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I've never had any of my smartwool shrink on me.

However, for the most part I don't put my smartwool or any of my wool in the dryer. I just hang them to dry. My bf puts his smartwool & icebreaker in a dryer on high without any problems (and much to my dismay he's put mine in as well)

I did just stay in a last week hotel and saw a bed bug (EWWWW), and after changing rooms - I washed all the clothes I had with me on high heat & dried them on high heat (supposedly kills any bugs or eggs) and left them on high heat for 5 mins after dry... I was about to cry because I did that to a ibex climawool softshell, an ibex shirt, and a smartwool shirt. Then I repeated that treatment when I got back home.

However, all of the wool handled it without a problem - no shrinkage.

The smartwool shirt did end up with a small hole. I've had that happen with about 6 pieces of my smartwool and lots of my smartwool socks that have developed random holes after a few washings, so I've stopped buying smartwool.

I like my ibex so much more.

I had a wool sweater shrink once. But nothing like Smartwool or Ibex.

I've seen a new Smartwool piece that says DRY CLEAN ONLY on TE though. ?????

All of my other wool stuff has never shrunk. I wash it on cold, and hang to dry.

I just got a merino wool arc'teryx emissary zip necka few weeks back, that after I washed I noticed it said dry clean only on it.

I wash all my wool with cold water and then hang/lay it flat to dry.

the fugitive zipneck was fine after that treatment.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Zen

I just got this
http://www.teamestrogen.com/prodSW_15204_1.html
Very nice, the fit is great. One thing worries me though. I like the way it fits now but the washing instructions say it might shrink slightly on first washing.

Anybody?

---

I have several of those and I do wash them on warm/gentle in the machine- very very slight shrinking but nothing bad at all.
I usually dry them in the dryer on LOW and I don't set it for too long.

I do not think they can be 'unshrunk' after they shrink.

okay i'm new here & clueless about wool but motivated by this thread I ordered from TE the Ibex arm warmers in size (unisex) small. I was hoping they'd fit but they are too big. I did a search here but didn't find info. --- My question: Is there a way to shrink them and should I even risk it? if not then i'll return them.

Thanks for any help!

oh and if you have any rec.'s for any other x-small or small women's arm warmers w/ wool let me know.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by trinena

okay i'm new here & clueless about wool but motivated by this thread I ordered from TE the Ibex arm warmers in size (unisex) small. I was hoping they'd fit but they are too big. I did a search here but didn't find info. --- My question: Is there a way to shrink them and should I even risk it? if not then i'll return them.

Thanks for any help!

oh and if you have any rec.'s for any other x-small or small women's arm warmers w/ wool let me know.

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I don't think I would try to shrink them, you don't know how they'll turn out and then you'll be stuck with expensive but useless arm warmers.

I have an old pair of Bleu Forêt silk/wool knee-high socks (with very cool stripes) that is quite worn at the heel, with assorted holes in the toe area. I'm going to cut it and somehow finish it (I'm still trying to figure out how) and wear them as arm warmers. They fit just fine and hold on to my stick arms, unlike ALL other arm warmers out there.

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Originally Posted by Grog

I don't think I would try to shrink them, you don't know how they'll turn out and then you'll be stuck with expensive but useless arm warmers.

I have an old pair of Bleu Forêt silk/wool knee-high socks (with very cool stripes) that is quite worn at the heel, with assorted holes in the toe area. I'm going to cut it and somehow finish it (I'm still trying to figure out how) and wear them as arm warmers. They fit just fine and hold on to my stick arms, unlike ALL other arm warmers out there.

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ooh maybe I can do that to my very cool striped smart wool knee-high socks. so if you figure it out let me know or i'll pass it on to my friend who can sew. i want to add some playfulness to my cycling wear!

I'm pretty sure Sheila Moon has wool arm warmers in women's x small/small. I bought some wool knee warmers from her; they were too warm! I mean, if it's cold enough for wool on my legs, then I will be wearing my tights. They fit perfectly, though.

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Originally Posted by Crankin

I'm pretty sure Sheila Moon has wool arm warmers in women's x small/small. I bought some wool knee warmers from her; they were too warm! I mean, if it's cold enough for wool on my legs, then I will be wearing my tights. They fit perfectly, though.

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It should be noted that Sheila Moon's "Dri-Release wool fleece" arm and leg warmers are actually only 11% wool:

Quote:

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Specifications:
Dri-Release Wool Fleece: 11% Wool, 81% Polyester, 8% Lycra

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sheila moon arm warmers
However, I bought my daughter their hoody made from this material, and I have to say it is very soft and snuggly....but I wouldn't call it "wool".

Lisa, I knew they were only part wool, but man, they were just too sweaty for me. And one ripped in the seam like the second time I wore them.
I ordered a LS jersey from Sheila Moon today. Not wool, but it was only $42, which is cheap for LS. It doesn't have any thermal stuff or wool, and is very similar to a Performance jersey I have, that isn't made anymore. I can wear it with a Craft base layer and it will take me through the next few weeks, with a vest or jacket. Right now, my wool or lined regular jerseys are too warm.
Still waiting to get my black Shak...

I like lots of stuff that isn't wool too. :eek:
For instance, i love my Sheila Moon poly boleros with matching sheer 'ballet skirts'. I don't wear the skirts biking though, but they are cute for everyday wear.
I love my screaming yellow polyester/lycra NightLife apparel for biking- I seldom ever go biking without at least one screaming neon yellow item. :D
I have many SheBeest and Louis Garneau biking pieces. And i love my silky Louis Garneau balaclava in the dead of winter.
There is a weather condition for every combination of duds. :)

I better warn Steve about the Sheila Moon purchase. Along with the receipt, came a warning that the charge will come through as some weird name; something Technologies, and if you dispute the charge, you will be charged more!
Oh yes, I could buy lots of cycling apparel. I think I own Terry. Have a few Shebeest and Sugoi, too.

hoo-weeeee, found 3 good wool sweaters today at the thrift shop!

For a total of $45, I got:

a big warm Eddie Bauer 100% wool turtleneck ski sweater in various grays in a Norwegian type pattern with reindeer....

a black boat neck DREAMY SOFT sweater- 2/3 lamb's wool and 1/3 rabbit ANGORA...yummy yummy... :p

and a thin 100% merino charcoal gray turtleneck- very soft...

oooooooohhhh.....

It's really irrational, but when I buy non-wool LS and SS t-shirts and jackets when there are equally good wool items out there I feel guilty. I have to wash the non-wool stuff more, but that's not really why I feel guilty. I feel like I'm cheating on wool! :eek: I think to myself, if I buy this $40 synthetic wicking t-shirt, that's $40 less I can spend on wool! What's wrong with me?!?!?

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Originally Posted by Flur

It's really irrational, but when I buy non-wool LS and SS t-shirts and jackets when there are equally good wool items out there I feel guilty. I have to wash the non-wool stuff more, but that's not really why I feel guilty. I feel like I'm cheating on wool! :eek: I think to myself, if I buy this $40 synthetic wicking t-shirt, that's $40 less I can spend on wool! What's wrong with me?!?!?

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Re-read post #4 please:
The Wool Commandments

Shopping in Italian open air markets I found 3 sweaters, one a brown and orange argyle for me, one, a striped zipped cardigan for me, and a third, a very fine navy blue sweater for my daughter in law.
There were absolutely no wool socks for women at all, but the sweaters (probably sewn in China) made up for it, each being less than 15 euros.

Question for all you Wool Weenies.....

This past week, I crashed while wearing my Ibex Spin merino jersey. :eek::mad:

I'm fine (sort of)...a bit of trail rash and some bruising, but I'll live.
However...
I have a tear in the shoulder of my jersey!! :eek::eek:
It's small - a three-sided flap-tear (in the fabric), about the size of a pencil eraser. How can I repair it? Should I stitch it? (From the inside or outside?) Can you patch merino?
Thoughts?
Thanks!

Is it at the seam or in the fabric?

Either way I would repair it. It will begin to unravel and become bigger. Assuming it is a tightly knitted fabric, Stitch it from the inside. You MAY wish to treat it with a drop of Fraycheck which you can get at a fabric store. It will result in a touch of stiffness though.

Glad you're OK

I'm not sure whether this will work - but it's worth a shot.

Try emailing ibex on their website, you might luck out and they'll replace it.

They've sent me new buttons when the buttons fell off my ibex cinch jacket, and they replaced a norgie for me that had an imperfection in the fabric (the tags were still attached on the latter)

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Originally Posted by Crankin

Along with the receipt, came a warning that the charge will come through as some weird name; something Technologies, and if you dispute the charge, you will be charged more!

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I'm confused as to how they could charge you more if you dispute it. I've accidentally disputed honest charges before (sometimes they come through as something really weird), and I've never been charged more. That seems really shady to me. Just my opinion.

CA

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Originally Posted by Catriona

I'm not sure whether this will work - but it's worth a shot.

Try emailing ibex on their website, you might luck out and they'll replace it.

They've sent me new buttons when the buttons fell off my ibex cinch jacket, and they replaced a norgie for me that had an imperfection in the fabric (the tags were still attached on the latter)

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Thanks for the idea.
I called them up and they're sending me a swatch of fabric that I can use to patch the hole. :cool:

CA, I'm sure they must have had a lot of people checking their charges on line (we check ours daily) and when someone saw an unfamiliar name, they had the company question it. I know that Amex does this on the spot for any disputes. So probably they were sick of it and it took time, hence, money. I just wonder why she doesn't just use her real name, i.e. Sheila Moon.

I have a question: I recently bought the Smartwool hoodie (Sagebrush, I think?) which is beautiful and comfortable and I love it. Problem: it says dry clean only! I did not notice when I bought it and just assumed it was washable like all Smartwool products.

Do I have to? I'm guessing yes, because it's felted. But this means I will probably give it away.

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Originally Posted by xeney

I have a question: I recently bought the Smartwool hoodie (Sagebrush, I think?) which is beautiful and comfortable and I love it. Problem: it says dry clean only! I did not notice when I bought it and just assumed it was washable like all Smartwool products.

Do I have to? I'm guessing yes, because it's felted. But this means I will probably give it away.

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I think you can probably get away with washing it on gentle in cold water with woolite or similar, and then laying it flat to dry.

And if you're just going to give it away - it's not like you're really risking anything to try washing it like that.

It is wool (so it shouldn't smell), you are going to be wearing shirts underneath it, so you don't really have to wash it all that often.