Dyed in the Wool Handmade

The last post I wrote was in June. July was almost a complete write-off for me because I was lucky enough to get pneumonia. I don’t get sick often, so when the cold was going around the weekend I had guests, I wasn’t worried about it. I seemed to get over it in just a couple of days, but my cough kept getting worse. I couldn’t figure it out. Within a couple of days I was coughing so badly I could barely breathe and I felt like my ribs were going to break. The doctor confirmed pneumonia and got me on some inhalers and antibiotics. I am just so glad no one else got it. It took me the whole month to get over it and I still have a bit of a cough, but doctors say I’m not contagious and it’s safe to make out with me now. Ha ha.

Alex is having a great summer fooling around with his guitar, going to taekwondo and occasionally babysitting. Jeremy is working on storyboarding a pilot for TNT and was treated to a business trip to LA so he could get a head start with the director. And that’s why I have this video:

Now that I can breathe without an inhaler and have enough strength to pick up a wet noodle, I’ve gotten back to prepping for the K-W Knitter’s Fair. I’m terrified I’m not going to have enough time to prepare enough stock! Whatever…I will go with whatever I have and do the best I can. Wish me luck!

There have been a few discussions on Ravelry about dyeing yarn and fibre and I’m noticing a disturbing trend of misinformation being spread around when it comes to the subject of using the same pots for dyeing as for cooking. Please don’t do this! The particular argument is that if one is not using professional acid dyes but using food colourants instead, it’s safe to use the pot for both dyeing wool AND cooking food.

The fact of the matter is that while food colourants are indeed safe, unless you raise your own sheep, shear them and process their wool yourself, you don’t know what chemicals the wool has come into contact with. In some cases, pretty serious chemicals are used to process commercial top in order to clean and remove vegetable matter. Don’t take the chance of having those chemicals leach into your cookware. Maintaining separate pots need not be costly, you can go to the Goodwill and buy second-hand cookware that you use only for dyeing.

Bottom line, whether you’re using acid dyes or Wilton’s cake dyes, you should keep all of your materials completely separate from the ones you use for food. Be safe! Why risk it?