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Not all wool is created equal!

6/26/2014

4 Comments

 
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I’m frustrated.  My V project is going slower than water running uphill.   I barely see the progress and it’s a turn off.   And the reason?  Crap wool!  Every night the Initially Yours V stares at me from the back of the chair, calling me to pull loops and finish the rug, but that nasty wool makes me turn my back and forget it.

I’m not good with inferior; I’m allergic to anything below standard.  It’s a silver spoon problem; the stork’s GPS got mixed up on the way to Buckingham palace and dropped me here, but the taste for all things excellent is in my genes.  I guess that’s why my favourite colour is blue….it’s the colour of my blood!        

I never use inferior wools.  Nothing but the best for this princess.  I had a yard of light coloured plaid from moons ago that I hoped to use in this latest project, thinking it would be okay.  I over dyed it with turquoise and although I cut a #8, the blasted wool fell apart like spaghetti squash. Stringy bits kept coming off as I hooked it; the back was matted with them.  My hook kept getting snagged in the strings.  The loops even pulled poorly and I had to work each one to get it flat across the top.  Because of the extra tug the wool kept falling apart.   It slowed me down and that came with a bus load of frustration.  Generally I hook fast; being reigned back is not my style. 

This was my first experience with crap wool and now I understand some of the complaints I hear from tourists who drop by the shop when I ask if they are rug hookers.  Many hooking wannabes have bought kits, elsewhere I must add, that had recycled and poor quality wools and awful backings.  They say they were so frustrated they never finished the project and don’t ever want to hook again.  That kind of product is not exactly doing this craft any service.    Like I tell my beginners, it is always best  to start with quality,  get the technique under their belt and then go for the recycled and wool that takes more work.   It gives the experience a smooth take-off, makes you want to do it again.    If you have to deal with wool disintegrating in your fingers it’s a turn off.  So now I know the feeling and will be able to sympathize more.    Our kits are top notch, the best hooking experience you can have; we pride ourselves in offering the very best.

So I tore out all the nasty wool and will rehook with our herringbone over dyed with turquoise. The rest of the crap wool will go in the garbage, I wouldn't give it to my worst enemy...unless of course they wanted it to wash their car.  The herringbone wool hooks like slicing a knife through butter, a dream wool like I’m used too.    Now maybe I’ll finish my project.   I doesn’t take much to turn me off,  I’ve been saying I couldn’t hook because of the gardening but there is three hours of darkness left in the day that meant I was inside wasting time in front of the TV or doing house chores when I’d much rather be hooking!    

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I've pulled all the crappy wool out.  It looks like a rat's nest!  
4 Comments
Patsy
6/26/2014 07:57:42 am

So glad that you wrote this blog. As a beginner its good to know. Thanks for sharing wisdom!!!

Reply
MARTHA
6/26/2014 08:02:03 am

the watebasket is to good for it...... toss it and don't look back........

Reply
Marolyn
6/26/2014 11:19:33 am

I've had the same experience with bad wool and it is best to throw it out before you lose your mind

Reply
Cindy
6/26/2014 11:19:59 am

Too bad you had to tear it out. Its a pretty color.

Reply



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