Wool Wisdom

Giving Yourself Permission

Jan 062012

January 6, 2012 Wisdom - My Way No Responses »

As quilters (and mostly women) we tend to have a need to follow the rules or directions. What happens if we don’t like the directions or want our finished product to look different than everyone else’s? We panic! Then fall in line with everyone else and hope no one noticed our lapse in judgment! What we are all missing, is that most ladies in your classes are thinking the very same thing! We all want our projects to be original and just a little different than our neighbor.

People – GIVE YOURSELF PERMISSION TO BE DIFFERENT!
Change the colors, use different thread, add more flowers, sew beads and embellishments on – BE DIFFERENT! Make it your own design.

Any design or pattern you purchase from Wild Thymes, is considered a beginning for you to change as you choose. We encourage you to add more flowers or leaves, change the colors, use a different background – anything goes – just be happy with the end result. And, if it turns out just like mine, then it means you liked it exactly as it is, which is also fine.

The most important factor is that you enjoy the process, and stitch for your personal satisfaction.

Where Can I Purchase 100% Wool?

Dec 222011

December 22, 2011 Wool No Responses »

100% Wool at Wild Thymes

Wool is hard to find, mostly because of the cost; however more and more quilt shops are stocking a few bolts of background colors, and then filling in with some smaller hand-dyed pieces. Check around your area to support your local shops before you look elsewhere.

The Internet has been a good source for finding wool. Just type into Google or your favorite search engine and presto – up come several options. Here at Wild Thymes we stock over 400 bolts of 100% wool. Our selection has been collected from 4 different wool vendors and includes tweeds, solids, textures, natural, black & white, and heathers. In addition we offer a full line of hand-dyed woolens.

Another place to find wool is at thrift shops. Read the labels, if it says “dry clean only”, that is usually a sure bet that the garment will shrink/felt. If the label says “washable wool”, pass over that piece, it has been treated to NOT shrink or felt. Once you have purchased a garment, cut all the seams out before felting it. Any sewn seam will cause the wool to ripple and you will never get them apart. Cut off the waistbands, cuffs, hems, darts, collars and separate the larger seams – then felt the dickens out of the remaining fabric.

Scissors on an Airplane?

Dec 222011

December 22, 2011 Tools No Responses »

Round tipped scissors

Air travel! Those rules change with the time of day! I am asked all the time about taking scissors, needles, and pins on an airplane. From day one after 9-11, I have traveled with my hand stitching projects. I bought the round tipped (kindergarten type with bright colored handles) and took them out of my bag so the security could see them – they have passed EVERY time, even on International flights. The blades are sharp for cutting the wool but there wasn’t a point that could be used as a weapon. Now they tell us that you can travel with scissors that have a 4” or smaller blade, I’ll play it safe and stick with the kindergarten scissors. As for the pins and needles, there was never a question. Even my tin full of pins has never been questioned. Knitting needles are a different story. However, the rules have lightened up on those as well, especially the larger round tipped needles. If in doubt you can always call the airline to check on specific items. If you can’t get through security with them, be prepared with a self-addressed and stamped envelope and mail your items back to yourself from the airport. Better safe than sorry.

My Thoughts on Hand-Dyed Fibers

Nov 302011

November 30, 2011 Wool No Responses »

Hand-dyed wool by Wild Thymes Pattern Company

There have been some questions about hand-dyed wool lately that I am going to try to address. The word “colorfast” should not appear in a description of hand-dyed wool, cotton or any other fiber. Every hand-dyer will make their product as “colorfast” as they possibly can; however, they can never guarantee it. If you look at the fine print, there will be a disclaimer (or there should be one) which explains that the dyers’ have done their very best at making their wool colorfast.

We receive bolts of commercially dyed wool all the time from our professional distributors that bleeds or runs all over the place! Colorfastness simply can’t be guaranteed.

On the bright side, you shouldn’t be afraid of using the hand-dyed fiber products. If you are using a red floss on a white background – you should color test the red thread. Don’t color test it in hot water, (unless you are going to wash the finished piece in hot water) test it in lukewarm water. If you know a finished piece is going to be laundered frequently, then give washing instructions with it and never wash hand-dyed fibers in hot water, always in lukewarm.

In regards to Wild Thymes’ wool, we can’t guarantee that it is “colorfast”. There is also a multitude of dying products available on the market and each has it’s own formula for how the dye adheres to the fibers. The bottom line is how well the wool/fibers accept, absorb, and hold the dye. It’s all chemistry; my water may have more minerals in it than another dyer’s water or they may have city water with chlorine in it. All these factors play a role in providing the very best colorfast fibers that a hand-dyer can achieve.

There may be hand-dyers out there that will not agree with me on these points; however, I am leaning on the side of caution and why wouldn’t you? Our wool designs don’t need to be laundered unless something really nasty happens to them. We felt every piece of wool that goes into our kits or bundles and like all the other dyers out there, we provide colorfastness to the best of our ability.

To sum up my thoughts. Don’t be afraid of using hand-dyed fabrics or thread, just treat them carefully when you need to launder them.