Need quick help for hiding bone lines in a bodice: wool felt or cotton batting??

[gem]

So now that I've finished the "working parts" of my curved-front linen gown, I need to decide how to help conceal the ridges from the hemp cord through a single layer of medium-weight linen.

Today I bought both wool felt and some cotton batting, which seem to be about the same weight/thickness and will do about the same job coverage-wise.

There are cons to both, however:

--The wool felt says "dry clean only," so I'm a little concerned about how it will hold up over time. Can I ignore that advice and give it a gentle washing once it's inside a gown?

--The cotton batting is washable, but it's advertised as "warm." The *last* thing I want to add to a bodice is a layer of warmth!! 

I don't need the front to be totally smooth, but just sort of smooth out and soften the ridged lines of the bones. I know we've talked about using wool felt before, but I don't remember if we talked about it in a future-washability sense.

Recommendations?

Gramercy!!

[DonaCatalina]

I use cotton tent canvas or cotton oil canvas for bodice lining.
Since I wear a heavily bobed corset, I don't actually bone the bodices. The canvas is usually thick enough to keep anything from showing through and is still washable.

[operafantomet]

Try washing the wool felt gently (lukewarm both for washing and rinsing). I don't see any sensible reasons of why the wool should not handle water! If - or rather when - everything goes well, I'd use that for interlining.

[gem]

Thanks!  Anea, you're right: the wool felt has *already* been subjected to heat, water, and agitation, so it should do fine in a gentle bath.

Looking forward to getting started on this sometime this week. Um, later this week. Hee! Next step: brown linen bias tape for guards.

[isabelladangelo]

Gem, for most dry clean only things, I actually stick 'em in a pillow case and throw them in the washer on the gentle cycle and then air dry em.  I've never had a problem. 

However, given that this is wool (and will shrink!), I'd either try the gentle bath or try washing a sample of it in the washer and see how it goes.  Either way will cause some shrinkage but that's true of most fabrics.