Commercials

I love to go to thrift stores to pick up wool clothing so that I can make make purses.

Part of the process, after removing the lining and buttons, is to wash them in hot water to shrink them; or, if you like the technical term "full the wool". Rather than wash a couple at a time, which is not very energy efficient and more time consuming, I've found a product called Shout Color Catcher. It looks like a fabric softener sheet and you just throw it in the washer with your items. All the colors that would normally bleed onto each other bleed onto this sheet. Works like magic! I've even done white with dark colors with no problems. Being the skeptic that I am, I do use two sheets just to make sure. I learned this trick a while ago when I was in a laundromat. Two quilters were talking about pre-washing their fabrics and what a pain it was to pay to wash such a small amount for the same price as a full load. The tip was revealed and now I'm a happy camper.

Another tool I've found invaluable is Dawn dishwashing liquid. Let's just say that my love of chocolate and sewing don't always mix. Every once in a while I get a tiny bit of chocolate on a garment. A tiny dab of Dawn gets it right out. It also gets grease stains out of clothes. A long time ago some orange soda was spilled on a carpet I had and I couldn't get it out. I called the carpet company and they recommended mixing a quart of water with 1/4 teaspoon of Dawn and some hydrogen peroxide. Worked like a charm. Although I've read recently that if you don't rinse it properly the soap residue will make that spot turn gray.

One last tip. When I make bears there are times when I prick my finger with a needle and bleed on the mohair. The best thing to get that blood out is saliva. I think it has to be a natural fiber though because I've tried it on things that aren't all cotton or wool, etc. and it doesn't work as well.  As for the big stains of blood I've also heard that Dawn works well on that too.

Stay tuned to my StitchCraft page today. I finished the mole and he'll be posted as soon as I can get some photos.