more adventures in dying...

Well after a bit of a break I pulled out the dye pot again yesterday and got going on the last 2 colors of my original order...pale cocoa and Midnight purple. I figured the cocoa would be a nice latte colored wool with a tinge of peach in it. Just like the sample showed.

It was apparent in the first few seconds that latte was no where on the menu! Orange is what I got. ORANGE! Not light primitive pumpkin ladies, but bright, shocking, pumpkin pie O-R-A-N-G-E!!

The top left if the jacket wool dyed and the top right was pulled early to be lighter. Okay, so I' m set for wool needed in any quilts made for next fall. Not that I don't like orange, but I was just expecting a different color. I really think the dye got mixed up a bit cuz this would never be a version of the pale cocoa in any form. It's really okay though. I'm still learning how to adjust for each color. Some dye quickly and others like these dark ones take longer to pull up all the dye.

Remember the first brown plaid jacket? Well I grabbed a bunch of that wool and used it in both dye baths. Here's how they look out of the dye and dried. Original wool in the middle and how the colors look after dying.

I also realized that this process doesn't felt the wool either. It does fluff it up some because I go from the hot dye pot into cold water to rinse and wash but it doesn't really felt into that thick wool that hardly unravels. Since the jacket wool was really thin, I threw it all in the super hot wash/cold rinse and then into the hot dryer to felt. Worked great. It also removed a tiny bit of the dye color and made it a deeper color wool too. SO let me ask your opinion:

Do you like felted wool better than thinner? The wool from the bolt is not felted. It gets thicker from dying, but certainly not super thick felted. I've bought both types of wool from stores and online places.

Now the midnight purple wool...turned out wonderful and dark. I pulled a few pieces earlier shown below: the jacket wool is on the right.

The rest stayed in for about an hour after turning off the heat, soaking up dye color.

I also tried something that worked pretty well. Since I like the dark spots, I took a dropper and pulled up some concentrated dye from the pot before the rest of the water gets added and poured it on the wool that I pulled up out of the water. All those spots stayed super dark and I got a deliberate mottled effect. It's still cool to play with new techniques and see what happens!

as promised...

...lots of pictures. We hauled out the super big ladder and hubby stretched it up nice a tall and climbed up to switch out the quilts. I'm not as super fast as some at getting the decorations out, so they will be done slowly over the next week or so. Now if I could fly Kim out here and let her loose I'm sure in under 2 hours the house would be totally loaded! She seems to fly!

First up in the dining room section is the newly finished Nativity Quilt by Cheri Payne. Don't laugh but see the thread tail hanging off the lower right corner? I'll have to send hubby up the ladder with scissors. Geez!

Next is hubby's favorite, what I call Log Cabin Angel. She's up in the living room at the tallest point of the room.I haven't a clue who made this pattern as I saw Libby's version and made mine from her picture. I did goof it a bit because on my computer her red touches in the black background made it look like a BROWN background. Heck brown works for me, so I like it.

Last of the biggie's is another Cheri pattern! The Christmas Sampler. I will say that it's smaller than I thought when you see it on the wall. Seeing it now I would have added to the size a bit had I know that. But nonetheless I love it still! It hangs right behind hubby's chair. I love that hanger but it never gets easier to use. Lordy it's an all out fight to get those rollers to drop down and engage.

***Cheri's Christmas Sampler isn't currently on her website so if you want one, I'd email her personally and ask if it's still available. Buggy Barn is currently doing a BOM of that quilt so they probably have the pattern too....Or you could try Country Loft.****

Right after getting all that done hubby's sister and brother stopped in for a visit so we talked with them for a while and then I settled onto the couch for dvd's and applique! I've gotten 2 of the blocks done for the new Pokeberry quilt that I just had to start after drooling over Kathie and Juliann's blocks. No, I do not need another project but too late. Had to be done.

I think rather than add more to this post, I'll make a second post in the morning with the new dye pieces and the new block finishes. It's late and I have a lovely block crow waiting for me to sew it down.

still playing...

I still have not tired of the colors and playing in the dyes! Nope, not one bit. I got my new order from Dump 'N Dye just today and was thrilled with the lovely bolt wool and the new brighter colors of dye. **I have to say that some have said the site isn't easy to navigate. I know it's not the easiest, but the best way to reach them is to either write down what you want and send them an email or use the onsite order form. They will respond and let you know how much your order will be so you can send a check. Remember it's two gals who love making hooked rugs. I've been super pleased with all my dealing with them.**

Check out the beautiful wool to over dye. Yum! They don't have all the plaids I had before but they had two new ones and it should be fun to see what the colors look like on the white wool. From what I understand you get a clearer coloration on natural and white, whereas the oatmeal color is truer to a Primitive coloration in the end. Oatmeal is in the center of the pile. I know the colors I dyed before were lovely in oatmeal. I still have the Midnight dark purple and the Pale Cocoa to do too, but these are the new colors!

From the left:
Raspberry Sherbet
Granny Smith
Forest Fire
Dusky Mallard
Burnt Orange
Molly's Blue (teal)

I plan to play some today dying and I'll make sure to take loads of pictures of how these wools and the jacket wool turned out!

On another note, Friday was spent getting all the quilts out and ironed for hanging. I was so excited to get my newly done Christmas Sampler and the Log Cabin Angel on the wall. I have to thank Libby for showing that quilt...I think it's my most favorite of all! I'll take pictures of them on the wall and post them later today. I also got a few new blocks sewn together and some other works finished as well. I think a nice new LIST is in order soon to get me back under control and working smartly towards getting more quilts finished. Okay..off to sew, more pictures tomorrow!

serious obsession...

I have a very bad feeling that I am developing a thing for these tiny Japanese craft books. Not to mention the cool packaging and sesame street box tape that they get sealed with on their journey from Japan! I saw one of these on a blog a few months back and can't remember where but I followed the link and found myself in the coolest place! Since that day I have placed another order, this time for 3 books. The two on the right are from the same collection of Patchwork Books. I think there might be 10 or 12 of them. While I certainly know my way around squares and log cabins, it's the patterns for the most fun bags that get me interested. The larger one I had to get after seeing the subject matter! The most fabulous book all about purses, cases (for makeup, pencils, keys, needles, glasses, etc) and sewing kits. Just look at some of these cool things!

I really need to find a source for zippers with the little metal ball on the end...seriously nice for these projects. Look at these two sewing kits! Simply to die for! The inside is in the right lower corner shot.

This gal has pages and pages of books at very low prices...or what seems low to me. I also like how she shows you several pages of the inside of the book so you have some knowledge of what you are buying. I think I'm gonna love collecting these little books very much!

Have a very Happy Thanksgiving today with your loved ones around and give thanks for all you are grateful for in your life.

I'm grateful for a loving husband whose is not only a good provider but my very best friend in the whole world. Two beautiful cats who make life fun and who adore every thing we do. A roof over my head, enough to eat, and peace to live our lives and enjoy the simple things.

lying in a manger...

Finally dug in and got the Nativity Quilt all done, quilted and ready to go on the wall for Christmas! I enjoyed quilting this one in a very tight elongated stipple. Believe me, it could stand on it's own!


I ended up putting none of the writing on the quilt after all. I couldn't decide what to put on, so I just left them all off. If I want something later I can always add it. If you're careful you can sew back stitching from the top and leave no trace from the back! I really love how this turned out...it's one of my favorites of Cheri's patterns.

I hate interfacing....

Man those jackets are full of lovely wool. But I lost the whole front panels of the jacket to yucky interfacing that looked like rubber and burlap! More on those later. Right now, looky at the lovely new Cheri Payne patterns that arrived today at my door! Yippee! a reason to use more of that lovely wool!

I can't wait to get sewing next year for Christmas. Some are more elaborate than others, but it's not always the need for the pattern that makes me buy them. Heck it's rarely the "need" for the pattern. I think of these as a collection. Libby and I have discussed this before. I have a whole magazine holder rack with these little brown envelopes!

Now back to the wool jackets! I only cut up one today and I would guesstimate I got about 1/2 to 3/4 of a yard of wool...based on the Dump N Dye gals way of determining wool yardage for how much dye to use. Good deal! No worries about the loss, I got plenty! Those lapels and sleeves were great finds. Here's the pictures of the pieces. First are the front pieces...the inside lapels, and the sleeves.

Then the two back panels and the big section of the kick pleat. Man that was a great find!

Here's the whole pile ready for dying. I know some of you must be tired of seeing wool, but I am having so much fun seeing how this turns out and those new patterns will need lost of wool...glad I can get it cheap and dye it myself!