A word to the wise

Today's blog title is less than apt: if you were wise, you would not be here, and I am not fit to advise the wise anyway, my blog being proof that I am far from it myself. Though somebody did call me "wise eyes" yesterday, if I didn't mishear "wise guy." That being said,

If you prefer instant gratification to long periods of knitting for three minutes of felting, and

If you give in to tantalizingness from certain friends who buy second-hand wool sweaters to felt into blankets etc. and

If you insist on buying a ton of sweaters yourself (unexpectedly half-price in a Friday madness sale!) and turn on the washing machine the minute you're home, then

Do wash the sweaters separately (I am that smart) and contain each in a pillowcase (not that smart) with a clip (not that smart even on the third try) to keep the loose fibers out of your washing machine. It's also good to have a mesh strainer on hand because it's soooo much easier to scoop the loose fibers out of a washer-full of rinse water than to wipe it dry off the walls of the drum.

Keep a bowl handy to toss all the loose fibers into so you can stuff dolls or toy animals later or at least toss it more conveniently into the trash, and do NOT plan on doing any other laundry for a very, very long time. Unless you want puffs of blue and grey and off-white all over the rest of your wardrobe, which is starting to look significantly more attractive to me than more cleaning, wiping, and skimming.