Dyeing, again

My next rug is going to be a combination of shades of bright hungarian paprika red and dark chili powder red. I have an appetite for this color, especially at this time of year. I dye the wool pieces in approximately 1/2 yard chunks, to fit the stainless dye kettle I use. There are some variations between each kettle, which is an effect I try to accomplish by changing the color mix a little for each batch. The differences are subtle, but the mixture of close colors across the surface of the rug is much more vibrant than a rug made with a single color. Exciting the eye is what I'm after. My favorite dyes are Procion fiber reactive dyes, because they are quite safe to work with and dispose of, and are also very light and wash fast. With red, this is especially important. My wool rugs are washable, so I don't want any running reds.

The blanket wool I use is a beautiful quality, and quite thick to begin with. To make a 22" X 36" rug I need a little more than 2.5 lbs of wool. This is useful to know when I'm custom dyeing, because I don't make more than I'll be using.