Dyeing Rug Hooking Wool is Messy

This post is for Hilda in Olive Branch, MS. Hilda is thinking about getting into dyeing. I hope this does not scare you off, Hilda.

Dyeing wool is a long process. Once I get the stuff out, I usually dye for several days in a row. I will dye the entire month of April getting ready for camps in the spring and fall. I do not have air conditioning, so dyeing in the summer means suffering through the heat and humidity or rigging something up outside. I try to keep the counter on the left of the stove clear so I have somewhere to cook meals. I do not have the luxury of having a separate dye kitchen. Luckily I have been able to clean up even the worst of spills. My studio class can attest to that statement. During a dye lesson several years ago, I spilled a full cup of extremely strong green dye down the front of the white cabinets. After wiping them down with paper towels, you could still see a yellow stain. A damp cloth with bleach took care of that. No sign of the accident remains.