Lawrence Compressed Blanket is a very finely woven, 100% wool ‘fronting’ or ‘sizing catcher’ blanket of between 2.5 and 3mm. The compressed blanket is the first blanket to go down, next to the paper. The dense, tight weave ensures no pattern will be reproduced on the finished print. Its purpose is to apply an even pressure across the paper as it impresses onto your inked-up printing plate. The Lawrence Compressed Blanket will last you decades when handled with care.
New Blankets - brand new blankets will need some ‘breaking in’. This can be done by putting them through your press multiple times. As the blankets are used more, you will notice them start to soften, and your printing results will be better.
Because the compressed blanket sits closest to the paper, it catches the moisture and a little size from the paper that you have dampened. After a longer session, it is good practice to remove blankets and hang them out to dry. Eventually, over time, the accumulation of size from the paper can start to stiffen your blanket, or you might notice that your print quality is dropping. It is at this point that you need to properly clean your blanket.
Cleaning - The Compressed blanket (or whichever you use as the fronting one) will require the most care as it is the one in contact with residual ink, moisture from the printing process and the sizing from the paper. Both the Compressed and the Flannel blankets are made of 100% wool, so their cleaning instructions are similar: you can soak them in lukewarm water without detergent (or you may use detergent specifically for wool). Avoid using the bathtub for this purpose, as it has residue you don't want to transfer to your blanket. Squeeze the blanket out without wringing and rinse it multiple times until you are satisfied with the results. To dry the wool, shape it and pin it to the wall or a similarly rigid surface to keep it in place. This will help it dry without becoming stretched out or misshapen. Drying will take a few days. When dry, you will have to soften the blanket by twisting and rubbing.
Alternatively, you can put wool blankets into the washing machine, however, please note that residue from linseed oil and other chemicals may build up in your machine. Flannel blankets can also become very heavy and hard to handle because of their thickness.
A third way to clean them, and this may save you the most headache, is to send your blankets off to the dry cleaners.
