Penny Rugs

While traveling this summer I found myself in a place I have never been. Without a project to work on. All the projects I brought with me were finished in record time and I was panic stricken at the thought on my hands sitting in my lap, empty, without needle or fabric.

The next day I made plans to find a fabric store with wool. Luckily, the owner waited for me to get there and I bought a project and some small pieces of wool for a penny rug.  The project hasn't been touched yet but I had so much fun with the pennies. I found objects in the 5th wheel in three sizes and proceeded to draw circles.  I then found the Valdani Pearl Cotton I had purchased at the Woolen Needle and started stitching.  I never knew sewing circles could be so enjoyable. I'm quite certain it won't be my last penny rug.

This cute little pattern from Reets Rags to Stitches was my latest set of projects. One I made for Traci Marvel, and one for myself. I reversed the pattern pieces quite by accident but it certainly didn't deter from the design. These adorable little shephardesses were so fun to make.

This adorable little basket mat was made from a pattern by Primitive Gathering. It is one I finished while on vacation. I didn't put the stars on the baskets like the pattern.

My First Time Dyeing Wool

After collecting all the tools, dyes, and recipes I needed to dye wool, I was finally able to dye my first batches last night.  I decided on some greens since I need to add 11 more wool applique blocks to my Applique Affair quilt to make it large enough for our bed.  I had pretty much depleted my green stash so I chose colors to match the greens I had used in the blocks I already finished. 
The first stack on the left are the original wools I used. There was a great sale on wool on an Internet site so I bought one yard each of some of the greens. I wasn't quite sure how great the wool was so I didn't want to get to much and with my antique monitor I wasn't sure exactly what color of green they really were. The second from the bottom is very yellow. The original colors weren't exactly what I wanted but the over-dyed fabric sure is.
I have all three of the color ways I dyed in the same order of fabric as the first stack.  There is one more green I need to dye which is a camouflage green. Then I'm moving on to other colors, especially in the red family.
Dyeing wool is so much fun. When I first found out the wool had to be dyed on the stove I decided that was just too much work and too hard. In all the rug hooking books I bought they talked about dyeing wool. Once I saw how easy and fast it was I couldn't wait to try it. I prefer dyeing wool over cotton dyeing now. Much faster results!
Now I need a gas line put in my garage for my old stove, which isn't very old, so that I can dye the wool there. It is right next to the laundry room and utility sink so that will really make it easy for me.
I am SO hooked on WOOL!!!