tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3790990372963930245.post526806406488156135..comments2024-03-27T14:47:50.419-05:00Comments on SweaterDoll - Allison Dey: Natural Fiberfill Comparisons - Part Three: WashabilityAllison Dey Malacariahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10581900166979459948noreply@blogger.comBlogger14125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3790990372963930245.post-30554436867878058512021-12-28T16:36:15.980-06:002021-12-28T16:36:15.980-06:00You're very welcome! Have a happy New Year!You're very welcome! Have a happy New Year!Allison Dey Malacariahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10581900166979459948noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3790990372963930245.post-25162058001289994362021-12-28T16:10:32.570-06:002021-12-28T16:10:32.570-06:00It was very sweet of you to offer, Allison! Unfort...It was very sweet of you to offer, Allison! Unfortunately I ordered some cotton fill before seeing your reply, since I wanted to get started. I don't mind saving it for future projects. I am sure I can find many uses for it. Thanks again!Jocelyn Dexterhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04733824980590280185noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3790990372963930245.post-72791820859747960772021-12-19T07:41:04.335-06:002021-12-19T07:41:04.335-06:00BTW, it was very clean. So you don't have to w...BTW, it was very clean. So you don't have to worry about that. :-)Allison Dey Malacariahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10581900166979459948noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3790990372963930245.post-50235330990806792002021-12-19T07:38:38.197-06:002021-12-19T07:38:38.197-06:00Recently, I pulled apart an older pillow cover tha...Recently, I pulled apart an older pillow cover that had a very large piping around it, maybe an inch. I took it apart and pulled out the core and it appears to be cotton. I did a burn test and it's definitely not wool or synthetic. I'd be happy to send you a photo and see if you'd like it. Email me at sweaterdoll(at) gmail (dot)com if you're interested. No use buying a pound if you only need a good handful. This is still more than that. but you'd have enough to play with. Some bigger cities used to carry some cotton, but I haven't seen it in years. You can also buy cotton batting but I've never tried to comb that out into stuffing. Don't know if it can be done. I love your ideas. Allison Dey Malacariahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10581900166979459948noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3790990372963930245.post-71751679502505606752021-12-18T23:29:01.650-06:002021-12-18T23:29:01.650-06:00Thank you for responding on such an old post! The ...Thank you for responding on such an old post! The toy will be quite small, so hopefully weight won't be too much of an issue. I wish that I could find a smaller quantity of cotton to purchase, but I have a feeling that if I go to my nearest craft store that they will not have the cotton fill. I can always use it for future projects, as I hope to have my own little ones someday. :)<br />Jocelyn Dexterhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04733824980590280185noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3790990372963930245.post-75029996583255915902021-12-17T07:47:55.385-06:002021-12-17T07:47:55.385-06:00How lovely you found this! I'm so glad it was ...How lovely you found this! I'm so glad it was helpful to you. I really don't know what brand of cotton stuffing I used. It was so long ago and I use wool fleece for everything and don't machine wash. I can't find the HoneyBGood online but the NearSea looks right. The cotton will do well but remember, it's also heavier and less "bouncy/squishy" than polyfill. A small infant toy will be fine, but I wouldn't make a large toy with cotton. I'm so excited for you trying out a new maker material!Allison Dey Malacariahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10581900166979459948noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3790990372963930245.post-62868228944306501342021-12-17T00:46:35.592-06:002021-12-17T00:46:35.592-06:00I am thinking about making a small toy for an infa...I am thinking about making a small toy for an infant as a gift, but did not like the idea of using plastic fill. I won't have any control over how the toy is cared for, though, and wanted to make sure that if the new parents throw it in the washer that it will survive. I was googling all over for the washability of natural fills, without many good results, before finally finding your experiment. This is an incredible post. I am so grateful! I loved seeing the results for each fiber. I think I will go with the cotton. Did you end up using honeybgood, nearsea, or something else?Jocelyn Dexterhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04733824980590280185noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3790990372963930245.post-10628095136719850942016-10-21T06:02:15.343-05:002016-10-21T06:02:15.343-05:00Hi Allison! Thanks for responding. I went to EcoFi...Hi Allison! Thanks for responding. I went to EcoFilling's shop and found out you actually remove the seeds and the pods. In my country, we don't do that. And we don't have natural fibre companies. So I'll have to clean kapok myself. I can do it haha! I sell embroidered dolls and imagine my shock to see my finished doll having stains all over?!! I'm switching to natural fibres because of your blog post which I read many months ago. Thank you and More Power!findingyogurthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02916223915851328276noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3790990372963930245.post-41037106610298776672016-10-20T18:17:14.739-05:002016-10-20T18:17:14.739-05:00Queenie, do you mean when used as a filling, it st...Queenie, do you mean when used as a filling, it stains the fabric? That would be very frsutrating to be sure. In that case, I wonder if it can be pre-washed in a sealed pillowcase and see if that first wash removes any natural color in the fibre. <br /><br />If that doesn't work, you may want to try another natural filling. If you are having a hard time finding something where you live, perhaps you have friends in countries where natural stuffing is more available, or order directly from a natural fibre company, and because it's lightweight, can be shipped to you for not too much money.Allison Dey Malacariahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10581900166979459948noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3790990372963930245.post-89633649359147367112016-10-20T17:46:16.563-05:002016-10-20T17:46:16.563-05:00kapok here in my country is not treated. kapok sta...kapok here in my country is not treated. kapok stains when washed, do you have suggestions?findingyogurthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02916223915851328276noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3790990372963930245.post-15151759721741642014-04-05T17:31:47.968-05:002014-04-05T17:31:47.968-05:00Angela, thank you SO much for your input. It IS a ...Angela, thank you SO much for your input. It IS a rather unpopular stand to take to ask people to do as mothers have done for centuries and simply hang toys in the sun to disinfect and dry. <br /><br />I like your idea about the pull cord. I used to make meditation cushions that had a zippered removable cover. Many dolls and toys are a whole outer shell so that could work really well.<br /><br />In Australia, EVERYONE has a clothesline in the yard. Most people don't use a dryer because power costs costs so much. One of our hosts showed me an electric bill at 57 cents per kwh and last year my stepmom in Kansas said she still paid 10 cents per kwh. No wonder women here hang their clothes. <br /><br />Thanks so much for sharing the link. I encourage readers to try out new stuffings and find a favorite or two. <br /><br />Honestly, my loyal readers, I switched to wool fleece originally because I loved the feel and look so much more than polyfill. I encourage you to run your hands through some other fiberfills. If you can't be enticed by "natural" and "ecofriendly" then be enticed by "sensual" and "delightful" and "delicious"! After all, you're giving a child a cuddly comforting toy. Why not look for the most delightfully cuddly filling that YOU enjoy holding and giving?Allison Dey Malacariahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10581900166979459948noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3790990372963930245.post-70351508996407406052014-04-05T10:33:49.543-05:002014-04-05T10:33:49.543-05:00This is wonderful! Great research, great experime...This is wonderful! Great research, great experiment- thank you! I use Alpaca shavings from the necks and legs. I wanted something soft, organic, natural and sustainable. Plus, I fell in love with Alpaca's after hand feeding them in Peru. Not as soft for making sweaters and scarves, these "Alpaca Seconds" are great for stuffing toys. I clean and dry it at my house. It's a long process, drying it out. <br /><br />I stuff my organic toys with it and tell customers to spot clean the surface. Soaking it all the way through, would be difficult to dry out in the middle and probably cause mold. No body wants to hear this. I don't even like saying it. I realize that I am in the minority and line dry our family of four's laundry. We all have grown addicted to the convenience, no matter the cost to our health or environmental detriment and it's going to take some effort to get off all these bad habits. <br /><br />After reading your post, I've decided to leave a pull cord at the opening of my toys. If they really want to soak it, they can untie the cord, remove the stuffing from the animal, hand wash the body, let it air dry, re-stuff him and tie back the cording. That's my plan, until we come up with something better. Thanks so much for sharing. I'm at www.LittleBarefootPrincess.com WyomingAlpaca's is where I get my seconds...they're also on Etsy.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15126628575690241570noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3790990372963930245.post-82908027113789642162014-02-18T14:53:47.048-06:002014-02-18T14:53:47.048-06:00You're so welcome and thanks for taking the ti...You're so welcome and thanks for taking the time to read the test results! Hand washing or spot cleaning is always going to be the best option for a stuffed toy. We are so used to convenience, but sometimes we have to get real and simply learn to take care of things properly, even if that means taking a little more time.<br /><br />Please come back and share your experience. It will help other makers if you share what filling you used and how you care for it. If it works well in the washer/dryer, we're going to want to know your secret! Allison Dey Malacariahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10581900166979459948noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3790990372963930245.post-62812946545872422762014-02-18T13:04:16.200-06:002014-02-18T13:04:16.200-06:00Thank you soooooo much for your experiment! I am ...Thank you soooooo much for your experiment! I am attempting to make my first doll for my baby girl's 1st birthday. I am trying to make the doll as natural & organic as possible & was unsure how filling would hold up in the wash. This helps so much! Thank you again. ymmahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13030608245588690014noreply@blogger.com