Just stuff.

Do you remember that flamingo-pink wool that I was working with last year? I found it again in my stash and it's really nice wool, thick and warm and... oh, so very pink.  A week or two back, I picked up some packets of Dark Brown Rit dye at Goodwill for 29 cents each, so I decided to try once more to change that pink to something a bit more bearable.  I used twice as much dye in half as much water as usual, a really stout, dark bath, and stirred and simmered it for half an hour. I rinsed it by hand and now it's doing a rinse cycle in the washer to get the last bits out. Then I'll put it in the dryer on a low tumble. 

Yeah, you heard me: I boiled it and now it's going in the dryer. That's not how you treat wool! I can hear you splutter, aghast. Wool needs to be delicately hand washed in cold water, and laid flat to dry! You've made a terrible mistake!

Ah, no. I treat my wool like it's sensible, hardworking stuff, not precious princess poofery. Before I sew, all my wool yardage gets a warm wash and a low tumble. And yes, it shrinks a bit. But it also gets rid of all the chemical sizing and nonsense that manufacturers put in -- things that I'm sensitive to and make me itch. The fabric tightens up a bit, but also softens --and I know that when my things get dirty, I can pitch them in the washer instead of spot-cleaning them, sending them out for expensive dry-cleaning, or handwashing them in the tub. 

**News Flash!**  I just put it in the dryer, and it's a lovely burgundy now! I'm so excited! 

You may notice things slowing down here as the holidays get closer. That's not because I've stopped making things -- in fact, quite the opposite. I have to start production on Christmas and birthday gifts for family. Since a good majority of the people I'm making gifts for also read this blog, posting pictures of my projects would spoil their surprises! But there's always something going on in Wenny-world, so keep a lookout for side projects and other holiday merriment. 

And since I read somewhere that you should never have a blog post without a picture, here's a free vintage embroidery pattern of a frolicking horse that I got from doe-c-doe, who has some really cute stuff and you should go check her out.

Also, I'm in a good mood because my wool turned out so nicely, so here's some overdyeing information that you might find useful.  Because pink is horrible and no one should have to wear it.