Giveaway update and felting wool at home

Giveaway still going on...send your friends and have them tell who sent you...then you each get a kit! Don't forget~~~~~If you don't have a blog, please leave your email so I can get in touch with you in case you win.

I found a book on penny rugs so long ago that I can't remember what it was or by whom, I hate that! But it caught my attention. The history is fascinating. Now I don't know for sure, do any of us, where penny rugs originated. But I do know that (for the American colonists) the settlers who came here from other countries brought everything they owned...including woolens from Europe and coins from England, France, Italy, and all the other countries out there who had people immigrate to this country.( I am not forgetting anyone, I promise).

                 

                                                                                                      

The ladies of the houses cared for everyones clothing in the home and when the woolen clothing and/or bedding wore out, the ladies would use the coins for templates, (are ya visualizing this one...?), and cut out pieces of the wool. They used different sized coins for different applique pieces. Thrifty little women, eh? They would make rugs of different sizes for what they needed them for. The rugs were NOT made for floors....they were what WE call table mats, runners or just little quilts. They were made for tables! Now can you imagine what that thrifty little crafter must have done to the husband who put his coffee down on THE RUG!! Oh Lord!                                           

                                                     
Back to the action. Ya'll know I'm cheap...! I wanted to try this wool myself. So I hit the thrift stores and yard sales and bought woolen skirts, jackets, coats and blankets until I couldn't believe the amount I had! Brought it home, removed the buttons (saved them) and took the items apart, removed as much facing as possible. Then I washed the wools in hot water, rinsed in cold and tossed it into the hot dryer for at least an hour. The process of washing, agitating, rinsing in cold....it all contributes to felting the wool. Be mindful of the article,. Try to stick to 100% woolens. I have bought mixtures of wool and other fibers because I knew I loved THAT color. Sweaters work very well, they felt up like crazy!

It seems every country has thrift shops, or op shops (is that right?) and isn't it time you tried something new? The next time you go into one of "those" shops, really look around and check out the different sales for clothing.

VERY IMPORTANT FOR ALL OF US OVER 30: When you pick your wools out of the box, make sure they are ALL either blue or black, not a mixture! And can you believe I sewed them on and still didn't notice! Ahhh no, I am not changing it...it is niave, right??    Elaine