Sewing wool question

enjoylife

So, I've been making a few soakers and longies out of some old wool sweaters, and then washing/lanolizing before I use them on the babe. But now I'm wondering....should I be washing the sweaters first to felt them and then cut them into the soakers and such? Will that make them more effective? I know it does shrink them so I would need to do it before I cut into the pieces.....thanks!

emolee84

i usually send them through the washer once and then lay them out to air dry so that they're slightly felted but not so much so that they don't have any stretch left to them