I'm brand new to this forum, but I believe I can answer your question. There are quite a few fabrics that have wool content that can be washed, but I would first test a small piece of the fabric to be sure. You should process it just like you would if you were going to wash it with your other clothing. If it shrinks, then you can bet it is fabric that needs dry cleaning. For lining your skirt, you use the same pattern and cut a lining material such as a polyester blend that your fabric store can show you a selection of. There are many blends of fabric available, but you want to get a complimenting color to your fabric. The lining is usually attached at the waist band, and stitched with the zipper also. Hem it just as you would the outer skirt, but put it about an 1" to 1 1/2" above the bottom hem, this way you will have give to the skirt and with the lining you don't have to wear a slip. Good luck.

Thank you for responding so fast! I'm doing laundry right now, so I can toss in a sample strip of the fabric. It's good to know about the hem, as I recall having a pair of lined slacks as a child, and the lining was attached in the hem. This is why I wasn't sure about the skirt hem. I will post my laundering results.

You can indeed 'bag' a skirt the same as you bag a jacket - that is attach the lining all along the hem, and I have done this with a wool skirt, but it doesn't hang quite as nicely (it was more of an experiment in techniques than necessity). If you would like to explore the topic of linings Connie Long has a great book Easy Guide To Linings and there is another in the same series on skirts. Tell you everything you never knew you needed to know!! They are both by Taunton.

That said the advice you already have is quite correct!

The only real advice I can add is that if a lining is twisting around inside a skirt, you can anchor it by putting a thread chain between each side seam of the lining and side seam of the skirt, at the hem.

Good luck, sounds lovely fabric.

Cheers,
AJ

Well, here is my little fabric sample(cut from 1 1/2yd X 60"). I know it's small, but I was afraid to cut too big of a piece before I know what I am going to make out of it(I'm starting to lean towards a cute little jumper). I cut it 2"X4", washed warm, dried high heat, and it only shrunk about 1/8" in either direction, and with hardly a wrinkle. It has a wool feel to it, but maybe it's acrylic after all. If it was wool or a blend, do you think it would last a while if DIL washed it in cold and dried on low heat or hung dry? Thanks again both of you for the info!
{{!gwi}}

If I remember my textiles class correctly: burn a small sample. If it's wool, it will sizzle and burn slowly, leaving a fine black ash. It will smell like burning hair or feathers (I always thought it smelled like wet dog). If it's an acrylic, it will melt and leave a brittle black bead. No smell.

Mary

Mary, it melted when burned. At least I don't have to worry about ruining it in the laundry, but given the texture, I will still use a lining. Thanks!

It's possible your "wool" fabric is a wool and polyester blend, sometimes referred to as "washable wool" on the bolts at the fabric store.

At any rate, it seems you have found a wonderful fabric for an attractive and easily laundered skirt. I hope you'll post a picture of your finished project.

CMC