raminthethicket web store FAQ section

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- I can't really call myself 'green' but I do like to conserve and do things that make sense along the way in life. So at the store, if I can just carry a purchases out in my hand, I pass on the bag, or I use cloth bags. I print very little on my printer, using the monitor whenever possible -- you get the idea. I decided at the beginning not to send a shipping bill with wool shipments, to conserve on paper. I know that you have the information in your original email, and can refer to that if you need to. However, if you do need an invoice for business purposes, and printing a copy of the Paypal invoice will not do, let me know and I will send something along.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Yes! And it's easy. Once you are done shopping, proceed to check out, fill in your shipping information, then click 'Next'. On the next screen, select 'Paypal' as your payment method -- click 'Submit Order' and 'Continue with Paypal' on the next screen. This will take you to Paypal. If you click on the link that says, " Don't have a Paypal account?" it will take you to a screen that allows you to pay with credit card, without having to log in to a Paypal account. Just fill in the steps there and you're all set!

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- I have tried, and will continue to endeavor, to render the colors of the wool correctly on my monitor. I work in Photoshop to alter the color cast and color saturation of each piece until it matches the wool actually in front of me on my desk, for tone, value and brightness. At present, this is an ongoing task, as I dye large pieces of wool for orders, rather than working from the samples I started up with. So bear with me through this year (2011) as I complete the task of making all colors as accurate as they can be. If ever a color doesn't look right, just let me know -- I will be happy to exchange until you get the color you need! The colors you get may also differ from dye lot to dye lot, although this difference is often negligible. In the end, I want you to be happy with your wool, so I will do whatever I can to make sure that the color you wanted is the color you end up with in your hand. Lastly, I strongly recommend that you use a desktop monitor for shopping. Laptop monitors, while excellent quality overall these days, may not render colors properly. When I look at colors on the monitor of my Mac laptop, or any of our PC laptops, they simply don't render the colors as I see them in person. I have checked on a couple of very new laptops, and I can see that the quality of color rendering has improved in the last year or so, but overall, I can only suggest that you use a desktop computer.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Yes you can, and you can exchange also. If it is only one piece to return, you may just want to keep it. Then let me know about the problem, and I will send another, hopefully closer color for you, at my expense. If the mistake is mine, you may keep what I have sent, and I will send the right item, at my expense. Ultimately, I will work out returns on a case-by-case basis. Just know that in the end I want you to be happy and I will absorb whatever time and/or expense is needed to get there!

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- I always prefer online shopping vs. phone call or mail orders, and payment by Paypal if possible -- it automates everything on my end and gets your wool to you much more quickly. I have a tendency to lose addresses written on the backs of envelopes on my desk! That said, I realize that many of you are not computer buffs or are leery of shopping online, so I am happy to accommodate you if that is the case!

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Yes! See the "Terms and Conditions" page for more info.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- The wool I use for the bulk of the overdyeing that I do is an 11 oz. 2/1 warp-faced unfinished twill. This means that each yard weighs about 11 oz. -- a medium weight weave, well-suited for rug hooking and applique. The looser twill weave leaves room for a moderate amount of fulling during the dyeing process. Fulling, for those who may be new to the wool arts, is the process by which a WOVEN wool fabric fluffs and shrinks, greatly reducing the amount of raveling along the threads. Felting is the process of causing shrinkage and fluffing of random fleece fibers to produce a NON-WOVEN product, like the felt squares you buy in the craft store. While the term 'felting' is often used to refer to 'fulling', fulling is the proper term to use when referring to woven wool fabrics that have been 'pre-shrunk' and fluffed to retard raveling. This naturally occurs during the dyeing process and makes the wool that you buy at Ram in the Thicket ready to work with.