WoolWeenies Club

[Triskeliongirl]

I asked this earlier but it got buried in all my verbiage.

Can SOMEONE please tell me if its normal to see fuzzy things on my shak? It doesn't smell but does that mean its time to wash it, or does it need a lint brushing, or is something really wrong? I wouldn't really call it pilling, its just starting to get covered in small fuzzy stuff. If I lint brush it off, which direction do I go. Someone had posted that it is normal to see this stuff, and to wash it with jeans to get it off, but I have been hand washing alone with woolite, isn't that safer, or is that what I have to do????

[mimitabby]

Trisk, i'll let the experts answer you. I don't have a shak.

Announcement

It looks like i'm going to be the first to try one of those ahem sports tops undergarments... Cost a fortune, but with free shipping and the mulberry ribby...
I will write a review on my first woolen brassiere when it arrives. (such an odious word)

[Triskeliongirl]

Announcement

It looks like i'm going to be the first to try one of those ahem sports tops undergarments... Cost a fortune, but with free shipping and the mulberry ribby...
I will write a review on my first woolen brassiere when it arrives. (such an odious word)

Well Mimi, I would love to join you, but alas they don't appear to make them in my size (34D). Looking forward to the review, and an expansion of the size range!

[Natasha]

Trisk,
I haven't had that happen to any of my shaks yet. I have heard though that woolite is kind of harsh. Try using something like a mild dish detergent such as dawn. I tend not to wash my shaks very often, as they don't get smelly.

[Triskeliongirl]

I only washed it once, and it didn't happen immediately after washing just after use. I am confused. I used woolite precisely cuz I thought its NOT harsh, designed for hand washing woolens. I don't mean big pills, I just mean tiny pieces of fuzz are starting to accumulate on the surface as I wear it day in and day out, waiting for my second one to arrive.

I guess it can't hurt to try the lint brush while I wait for the experts to answer me...... I am starting to worry that this is something bad though......

Trisk,
I haven't had that happen to any of my shaks yet. I have heard though that woolite is kind of harsh. Try using something like a mild dish detergent such as dawn. I tend not to wash my shaks very often, as they don't get smelly.

[mimitabby]

Trisk,
don't forget to call Ibex's 1-800 number.
I throw my Ibex stuff right in the washing machine with everything else. It does not need to be pampered. i think woolite is fine!

[BleeckerSt_Girl]

Trisk- I launder my shaks in the machine as well, on cold, gentle cycle, with some Woolite. Then I tumble dry on LOW for the smallest time possible, with a dryer sheet because that's the only way the cat hair comes off my clothes.

If you wash by hand, be sure to NEVER make scrubbing motions to wash it. Just swish it in the water like a tea bag and press gently to remopve water- no wringing. Put fresh water several times to rinse, and never scrub or wring the wool. Then press the excess water out gently (or put in the machine gentle spin cycle for a minute), and lay out to dry.

My advice?- use a lint brush in whatever direction works. I think you should expect all wool to develop some sort of minute fuzzy "patina" surface. It's wool, remember- woven from natural fur fibers. I wouldn't call it pilling though, it's just a softening/fuzzing of the surface. That's as much as I can guess.
I do notice little teeny fuzz balls occasionally accumulate along the flatlock seams of my shaks, but they just pull off easily and there are not that many of them at one time to be a problem.

[Triskeliongirl]

Thanks Lisa.... I think that's all it is, I just wanted someone to tell me its normal and not gonna get worse or turn into real pilling! Most of it did come off with the lint brush. It did need laundering, so I have it soaking in woolite now. I still feel better doing it by hand, but I do handle just like you described.

Also Lisa, do you think if the ribbie feels rough on my skin, its cuz its too small (but it looks nice, snug and close to my skin but its described as form fit which I think that means, its not pulling or anything), or its cuz that paricular weave doesn't agree with my sensitive skin? Maybe I've been spoiled by my Kates, but the Icebreaker stuff also feels very soft to me. I like the ribbie so much, but I am not going to spend another $11 on shipping just to see how the medium fits. I think their shipping rates are outrageous.

[BleeckerSt_Girl]

Also Lisa, do you think if the ribbie feels rough on my skin, its cuz its too small (but it looks nice, snug and close to my skin but its described as form fit which I think that means, its not pulling or anything), or its cuz that paricular weave doesn't agree with my sensitive skin? Maybe I've been spoiled by my Kates, but the Icebreaker stuff also feels very soft to me. I like the ribbie so much, but I am not going to spend another $11 on shipping just to see how the medium fits. I think their shipping rates are outrageous.

My large ribbie is a bit roomier on me than my medium ribbie (which is pleasantly snug, like yours), but they both feel exactly the same on my skin. The ribbies definitely have more of a texture, because of the tiny ribs. I happen to love the way that feels on my skin- it feels like a nice massage all day, like a baby washcloth. But some people might find it irritating, I can understand that. Ever wear those shoes that have dozens of teeny rubber knobbies on the insole, to massage the bottom of your feet?- that how I feel about some of these wool items. Of course there are limits- a coarse spun Bolivian raw wool sweater would be too much against the skin even for me! I have a feeling that after wearing your current merino items for a month or two, you will begin to enjoy the sensation of wool on your skin more than before. That's what happened to me- I suspect it's kind of addictive, like a new exotic food one is not used to at first. I could be wrong though- you might always hate it!

GLC- nice to see those photos!!