"Sheep in Sunflowers" - Designed by Joanne Gerwig - Hooked by Deb Burcin

Penny Rugs:
When making penny rugs, draw patterns on freezer paper and iron, shiny side down, on top of wool.  The freezer paper pattern is then reusable many times.


EVERYDAY TIPS


This is a good tip for the upcoming winter and dry skin:  Use coconut oil to keep your skin soft and moisturized during the dry weather.  Coconut oil can be bought in the baking department of any grocery store or Costco.  It looks like Crisco, but is hard.  You put a tablespoon or so in your hands and rub your hands together and then apply to your dry skin.  No more itchiness.  This has been put to the test by quite a few of us from our group and it works!


To Keep Flies Out of Your Garage:
Put a few pennies in a baggie and fill the baggie with water.  Then attach the baggie to your door knob with a rubber band.  I know this sounds crazy, but it worked all summer for me.


How to clean your showers & glass windows/walls in the shower to look like new:
Mix together a combination of vinegar and blue Dawn dishwashing liquid in a spray bottle.  This will clean the calcium and other minerals off the walls of your shower and glass.  Scrub your walls and glass with a non-abrasive rag or scrubby.  
Fill a baggie with vinegar and put the baggie around your faucets or shower head to dissolve the sediment.  Leave the baggie on all day.
You can also use blue Dawn dishwashing liquid on stains on clothing before adding them to your wash.
Vinegar and a small amount of eco-friendly household soap cleans wood floors beautifully.  
Add a small amount of vinegar to the rinse container in your washer to soften clothes.


I think this is the very best tip and I won't say who it came from, but...... invite your friends over later in the day when it is getting just a little darker or even on a dreary, rainy day.  They won't notice the dust in your house nearly as much as if the sun is shining!  But then again, if they are true friends, they don't care if your house is a little dusty, right?

TIPS
Send us your top tips.  We will add more as we receive them.  What things have helped you along the way?  What tip do you have that you think everyone should know if they are starting?  We know that everyone has secrets.... what are yours?

Binding or Finishing Techniques:
Pull cording every couple inches when binding to avoid ripples in the finished edges.    

Use torn edges of strips to go around curves in your design.    

Dyeing to Dye:
Partially dyed wool can wait in the freezer until your next dye session.    

Blemishes on enamel pans effect the color that wool is dyed, as it changes color later.  To avoid this problem, repair enamel pans with JB Weld (available at hardware stores).  It is permanent and does not transfer.

If washing any hooked piece, prevent any color running by including a sheet of “Color Catcher”.    

Miscellaneous Tips:
When hooking the stripes of an American flag, always begin with the color red and end with red.  Hook the field of stars on blue with a blue and white strip wool. 

Use a liquid gold or silver Deco Fabric marker to transfer patterns for dark
backgrounds.

Dover Press publishes books of motifs which are public domain.
  

TIPS FOR HANGING RUGS from Arleen

Using carpet tack boards for hanging rugs is a great tip!  As you can see from photos below, it is an easy way to show your rugs.  Be sure that you have the tacks pointing up on the top of your rug, pointing down for the bottom of your rug, and pointing out on either side to get the best stretch so that the rugs hang evenly.  (Only three screws were used to hang the frame and rug.)  For more info go to:
​Cindy Gay's site for instruction.