It ain't spaghetti...
Saturday, June 25, 2005
Dyeing Again
I suppose you could say I'm crazy. With temps in the 90s around here, what does Paula do? She presoaks 2 pounds of yarn, unearths the 60 qt stockpot that will never be used for food, fires up the new Cajun Crawfish Boil outdoor propane stove, and soon is set to dye.
It's not as crazy as it sounds. I chcek the status every 15 minutes or so, then retreat to the air-conditioned living room. So far, so good, and I am actually going to be a good-dyeing-do-bee for the first time ever and leave the skeins and swatch outdoors in the pot overnight to cool. Whatever exhaust dye is left will be re-heated and used for some other yarn. I have a bunch of mohair boucle hanging around for just this purpose, as I hate to let any of the dyestuff go to waste.
This yarn is for a commission job I'm doing. I'll be designing (what else?) an Aran style sweater for a dear singing friend who is a member of my alto section on a part-time basis. So far she has commissioned this sweater, five hats and a pair of mittens made from my handspun yarn, and she also purchased my "Stars in the Night Sky" triangle shawl. How's that for a vote of confidence? I feel very blessed to have a friend who likes my work this much!
If time and luck are with me this summer, I may get the new sweater done in time to enter in The Big E. Wouldn't it be nice if I could tell my friend that, not only did I design her sweater and hand-dye the yarn, but it took a ribbon at The Big E. That would make it even more special than it's already going to be.
Above is a picture of the yarn and swatch simmering in the kettle. Too bad I didn't think to throw the swatch into the mix until the yarn had already been in the dyebath for 20 minutes. It just is not going to match the color of the yarn, but at least I'll have an idea how the sweater's textures will look with some color added.
I'm using Cushing's Egyptian Red for this. What a nice color, and of course I cannot say enough good about Cushing's. Love the stuff. So easy to use, a good value, and splendid colors!
I missed the spin-in today -- too hot -- and decided not to go to the NETA Summer Spa after all. I was just too tired after Phoebe's first week at RISD and all the driving I had to do to accommodate her schedule. Plus it was a rough week moodwise. I was just feeling unfit for human consumption all around. But being in the process of finishing this dyework that was hanging over my head is helping. So too is the fact that business has really picked up quite a bit in the last couple of weeks. All three lots of my first attempts at dyed silk roving have sold. One little bump is actually on its way to Chilliwack, British Columbia. I haven't looked at a map yet to see, but it sure does sound like a far-flung part of Canada to me.
Fifteen more minutes 'til I can turn off the fire under the dyepot, pop the lid on the pot, and forget about the whole darn thing 'til morning...
It's not as crazy as it sounds. I chcek the status every 15 minutes or so, then retreat to the air-conditioned living room. So far, so good, and I am actually going to be a good-dyeing-do-bee for the first time ever and leave the skeins and swatch outdoors in the pot overnight to cool. Whatever exhaust dye is left will be re-heated and used for some other yarn. I have a bunch of mohair boucle hanging around for just this purpose, as I hate to let any of the dyestuff go to waste.
This yarn is for a commission job I'm doing. I'll be designing (what else?) an Aran style sweater for a dear singing friend who is a member of my alto section on a part-time basis. So far she has commissioned this sweater, five hats and a pair of mittens made from my handspun yarn, and she also purchased my "Stars in the Night Sky" triangle shawl. How's that for a vote of confidence? I feel very blessed to have a friend who likes my work this much!
If time and luck are with me this summer, I may get the new sweater done in time to enter in The Big E. Wouldn't it be nice if I could tell my friend that, not only did I design her sweater and hand-dye the yarn, but it took a ribbon at The Big E. That would make it even more special than it's already going to be.
Above is a picture of the yarn and swatch simmering in the kettle. Too bad I didn't think to throw the swatch into the mix until the yarn had already been in the dyebath for 20 minutes. It just is not going to match the color of the yarn, but at least I'll have an idea how the sweater's textures will look with some color added.
I'm using Cushing's Egyptian Red for this. What a nice color, and of course I cannot say enough good about Cushing's. Love the stuff. So easy to use, a good value, and splendid colors!
I missed the spin-in today -- too hot -- and decided not to go to the NETA Summer Spa after all. I was just too tired after Phoebe's first week at RISD and all the driving I had to do to accommodate her schedule. Plus it was a rough week moodwise. I was just feeling unfit for human consumption all around. But being in the process of finishing this dyework that was hanging over my head is helping. So too is the fact that business has really picked up quite a bit in the last couple of weeks. All three lots of my first attempts at dyed silk roving have sold. One little bump is actually on its way to Chilliwack, British Columbia. I haven't looked at a map yet to see, but it sure does sound like a far-flung part of Canada to me.
Fifteen more minutes 'til I can turn off the fire under the dyepot, pop the lid on the pot, and forget about the whole darn thing 'til morning...
Monday, June 13, 2005
I have been busy...
Barely any time to write lately, but I HAVE taken a few pictures to share.
The one below is a test swatch for an Aran commission. It's to be knitted up on size 4 needles, and the yarn is a gorgeous wool/silk blend. I haven't started the actual sweater yet, as I will be dyeing the yarn beforehand, and it has just been too darn HOT around here to fire up the outdoor dye stove.
The one above is a Shetland Lace Cockleshell scarf, pattern from Candace Eisner Strick's lovely book, "Beyond Wool." Her original pattern called for quiviut but, lacking the funds for that kind of expenditure, I decided to use Su's fabulous space-dyed kid mohair/silk yarn instead. Su started making these sorts of yarns in the last month or so, and it was so luxurious I had to have some. Of course, at the time I had no idea what it might become. Then, a serendipitous browse through Candace's book whilst in the "reading room" one morning got me thinking that this scarf might be a perfect, simple project. Well, sho 'nuff! This will be a gift for Daphne's classroom teacher, Miss Mahoney, who has put up with an awful lot from my girl. Miss Mahoney wears a lot of red, I've noticed, so this will be a perfect accessory.
I'm working on another for the classroom aide, Mrs. Beccia, who seems to volunteer so much time for kids' programs all over town. Phoebe had her as a teacher in her last year of the town's Vacation Bible School and loved her as much as Daphne does. She's one of the most enthusiastic and energetic senior citizens I have ever met. Daphne says her favorite color is purple, so I am making the scarf out of a beautiful, deep purple laceweight wool yarn I just happened to have on hand.
It was such a pleasant surprise to have the cockleshell pattern turn out to be so EASY. I was not expecting that. But it is sooooo easy, I have managed to memorize the entire 12 row repeat! This is a first! Memorization of anything lengthy has never been my forte, but I've noticed that I've been doing this more and more with choir music. It must have to do with the amount of repetition we do. Somehow it all gets into my brain, so many times on gig days I am holding the music for security's sake, but rarely do I even look at it. Evidently, this skill is beginning to translate to my knitting. Who'd-a thunk it???
Time to go scavenge through my inventory again, with an eye to possible new listings. I'd like to keep my weekend sales trend going. It wasn't huge, but it was steady, and I have a lot of nice little hosta plants coming in from Vermont soon...maybe tomorrow? I owe, I owe, so winding skeins I go...
Heat wave is due to break tomorrow, but does anyone believe that's REALLY gonna happen? Thank God for AC, is all I can say. Keith put the big one in the living room yesterday, so now I feel as if I can breathe and function semi-normally.
Stay cool! Think snow! Think knitting!
The one below is a test swatch for an Aran commission. It's to be knitted up on size 4 needles, and the yarn is a gorgeous wool/silk blend. I haven't started the actual sweater yet, as I will be dyeing the yarn beforehand, and it has just been too darn HOT around here to fire up the outdoor dye stove.
The one above is a Shetland Lace Cockleshell scarf, pattern from Candace Eisner Strick's lovely book, "Beyond Wool." Her original pattern called for quiviut but, lacking the funds for that kind of expenditure, I decided to use Su's fabulous space-dyed kid mohair/silk yarn instead. Su started making these sorts of yarns in the last month or so, and it was so luxurious I had to have some. Of course, at the time I had no idea what it might become. Then, a serendipitous browse through Candace's book whilst in the "reading room" one morning got me thinking that this scarf might be a perfect, simple project. Well, sho 'nuff! This will be a gift for Daphne's classroom teacher, Miss Mahoney, who has put up with an awful lot from my girl. Miss Mahoney wears a lot of red, I've noticed, so this will be a perfect accessory.
I'm working on another for the classroom aide, Mrs. Beccia, who seems to volunteer so much time for kids' programs all over town. Phoebe had her as a teacher in her last year of the town's Vacation Bible School and loved her as much as Daphne does. She's one of the most enthusiastic and energetic senior citizens I have ever met. Daphne says her favorite color is purple, so I am making the scarf out of a beautiful, deep purple laceweight wool yarn I just happened to have on hand.
It was such a pleasant surprise to have the cockleshell pattern turn out to be so EASY. I was not expecting that. But it is sooooo easy, I have managed to memorize the entire 12 row repeat! This is a first! Memorization of anything lengthy has never been my forte, but I've noticed that I've been doing this more and more with choir music. It must have to do with the amount of repetition we do. Somehow it all gets into my brain, so many times on gig days I am holding the music for security's sake, but rarely do I even look at it. Evidently, this skill is beginning to translate to my knitting. Who'd-a thunk it???
Time to go scavenge through my inventory again, with an eye to possible new listings. I'd like to keep my weekend sales trend going. It wasn't huge, but it was steady, and I have a lot of nice little hosta plants coming in from Vermont soon...maybe tomorrow? I owe, I owe, so winding skeins I go...
Heat wave is due to break tomorrow, but does anyone believe that's REALLY gonna happen? Thank God for AC, is all I can say. Keith put the big one in the living room yesterday, so now I feel as if I can breathe and function semi-normally.
Stay cool! Think snow! Think knitting!
Monday, June 06, 2005
Just checking...
Which flock do you follow?
OK, so I took The Sheep Quiz again. Thought maybe my general outlook might have changed since the last time I took it, but nooooooo. I am still a "Goth" sheep. [sigh]
Choir season is almost officially over, with Phoebe's RISD program due to start a few days after the last gig. I'll be on the road a lot more than I had anticipated. Blogging may be even more sketchy than it has been in the last few weeks. Urrggghhhh...
Am also bumming because I did a preliminary check on airline tickets for next summer's Orkney trip. [ulp!] I had originnally planned to bring Keith AND Daphne along, but yikes! And I don't think the price will go down significantly by next summer. Keith, like a good sport, says I can go solo, but I am wondering WHEN I am ever going to get to travel someplace exotic WITH HIM! If business doesn't pick up soon, I may not even be able to go solo. A sobering thought, when I am so looking forward to meeting fibery folk from all over the world. Well, it's still a year away. Perhaps there will be a Miracle. Or perhaps I will finally begin buying lottery tickets.
Thursday, May 19, 2005
I Dyed Again...
The white silk roving keeps calling to me, so when all else fails...DYE!!! Today I chose some orange, and as you can see, even wet, it is gorgeous! The subtle variegations never cease to amaze me.
There was, as usual, plenty of dye left in the pot when the roving was done, so rather than waste it, I grabbed 400 yds of white mohair/nylon and threw it in. Never mind the fact that I had not presoaked or mordanted it. What the heck, just toss it in and see what happens. It will be done in half an hour or so, and it looks like it's sucking up the "exhaust" beautifully, and EVENLY. What an adventure!
Below, the roving. Above, another amusing pic from NH Sheep & Wool. With any luck at all, I may actually be a vendor there next year! What a great excuse to hang around for more than a few hours. [grin]
There was, as usual, plenty of dye left in the pot when the roving was done, so rather than waste it, I grabbed 400 yds of white mohair/nylon and threw it in. Never mind the fact that I had not presoaked or mordanted it. What the heck, just toss it in and see what happens. It will be done in half an hour or so, and it looks like it's sucking up the "exhaust" beautifully, and EVENLY. What an adventure!
Below, the roving. Above, another amusing pic from NH Sheep & Wool. With any luck at all, I may actually be a vendor there next year! What a great excuse to hang around for more than a few hours. [grin]
Monday, May 16, 2005
Fleece Sins and Confession!
I made a mistake, but it's not irremidiable.
I came home from NH Sheep & Wool with the proverbial Three Bags Full. One black Corriedale, One gray Romney, and one white Romney. I mean, I am Woman, I have a Drum Carder. Right???
I dutifully washed up a good-sized clump of the Corriedale, laid it out to dry, and this afternoon at 1 PM sharp, I set up my work table with clean fiber, hackle, and drum carder.
1-1/2 hours later I had a whopping ONE OUNCE batt, and not a very nice batt at that. [sigh]
Corriedale seems to hold beaucoup loads of grease. Words cannot fully express how much I LOATHED trying to card it. No one must EVER allow me to leave a wool fair with big bags of fleece again! Tie me up, confiscate my bags, and take them to Zeilinger's. PLEASE!!!!!!
Needless to say, I will be sending my boxes out very soon. Even if it takes 3 months (which is pretty much what they said when I called today), it's not like I don't have tons of other stuff to do in the interim. And I know I will LOVE my new fleeces when they are fresh, clean Roving.
Hubby the engineer encountered an electric spinner and wanted me to take a look. So, I looked, I tried, I bought. I now have a brand-new Roberta with jumbo bobbins, especially for plying. I have yet to try it for singles, as I think I would really prefer to do singles on a manual wheel. But this will help me a great deal with all the plying work I have on hand.
Above is a nice picture Phoebe took of Daphne with a Furry friend!
The kids are still clamoring for an Angora rabbit...
I came home from NH Sheep & Wool with the proverbial Three Bags Full. One black Corriedale, One gray Romney, and one white Romney. I mean, I am Woman, I have a Drum Carder. Right???
I dutifully washed up a good-sized clump of the Corriedale, laid it out to dry, and this afternoon at 1 PM sharp, I set up my work table with clean fiber, hackle, and drum carder.
1-1/2 hours later I had a whopping ONE OUNCE batt, and not a very nice batt at that. [sigh]
Corriedale seems to hold beaucoup loads of grease. Words cannot fully express how much I LOATHED trying to card it. No one must EVER allow me to leave a wool fair with big bags of fleece again! Tie me up, confiscate my bags, and take them to Zeilinger's. PLEASE!!!!!!
Needless to say, I will be sending my boxes out very soon. Even if it takes 3 months (which is pretty much what they said when I called today), it's not like I don't have tons of other stuff to do in the interim. And I know I will LOVE my new fleeces when they are fresh, clean Roving.
Hubby the engineer encountered an electric spinner and wanted me to take a look. So, I looked, I tried, I bought. I now have a brand-new Roberta with jumbo bobbins, especially for plying. I have yet to try it for singles, as I think I would really prefer to do singles on a manual wheel. But this will help me a great deal with all the plying work I have on hand.
Above is a nice picture Phoebe took of Daphne with a Furry friend!
The kids are still clamoring for an Angora rabbit...
Friday, May 13, 2005
Seamus' Sweater, Part 2
Seamus got his sweater last night, and kindly allowed me to snap a pic of him wearing it. I was pleased to see that it fitted so nicely! I should have made him pose in the main church, though, instead of the Chaffee room. It would have been a more aesthetically pleasing venue.
The pictures of the sweater (without Seamus inside of it) were taken with the sweater hanging on my clothesline, before washing and blocking. I have a line that can be detached and threaded through the sleeves of a garment, and while it makes for a nice photograph, I suppose one of these days I should invest in a Real Sweater Blocker, especially if intend to be serious about pursuing commissioned design work.
I had a nice vist with Jonne Gomes on Wednesday. ( http://www.manmadebyjonne.com ) Shooting the breeze with him is always such a mind-expanding experience. We get showing each other stuff, and then the ideas start flying faster than newspapers on the wind on recycling pick-up day! This of course led to a trip to Wal-Mart for me yesterday, to pick up disposable roaster pans, squirt bottles, and blank business cards. I oven-dyed a half pound of my silk rovings in various colors and made up some business cards. All in all a productive day. Now I just have to wait for the silk to finish drying so I can photograph it and put it up on eBay.
I must say, I like this oven-dyeing, especially since I have double ovens and can process three pans at once...
Looking forward to NH Sheep & Wool tomorrow! Maybe I'll see some of you there...
The pictures of the sweater (without Seamus inside of it) were taken with the sweater hanging on my clothesline, before washing and blocking. I have a line that can be detached and threaded through the sleeves of a garment, and while it makes for a nice photograph, I suppose one of these days I should invest in a Real Sweater Blocker, especially if intend to be serious about pursuing commissioned design work.
I had a nice vist with Jonne Gomes on Wednesday. ( http://www.manmadebyjonne.com ) Shooting the breeze with him is always such a mind-expanding experience. We get showing each other stuff, and then the ideas start flying faster than newspapers on the wind on recycling pick-up day! This of course led to a trip to Wal-Mart for me yesterday, to pick up disposable roaster pans, squirt bottles, and blank business cards. I oven-dyed a half pound of my silk rovings in various colors and made up some business cards. All in all a productive day. Now I just have to wait for the silk to finish drying so I can photograph it and put it up on eBay.
I must say, I like this oven-dyeing, especially since I have double ovens and can process three pans at once...
Looking forward to NH Sheep & Wool tomorrow! Maybe I'll see some of you there...
Monday, May 09, 2005
I Finished!!!!
Looky, looky, it's Seamus' sweater, at long last! I'll bring it to knitting tomorrow night for all to fondle, so don't miss your opportunity! The sweater will go to Seamus on Thursday when I go to choir practice.
It weighs a grand total of 1 pound 6 ounces, so now I have an idea of how much yarn to ply to recreate it. Now, if I only had the will to write down directions in a slightly-better-than-pithy fashion!
More pictures are available for viewing at:
http://www.mad-angel.com/knitangel/abbottsbromley.html
Suzy the crazy blind Corgi snuck into Phoebe's room this morning and got into a bag of tortilla chips -- literally! She came staggering out of the room with the bag over her head, frantically trying to retrieve the last crumbs at the bottom. They were ever so slightly out of her reach, so she butted her head up against every surface she could, just to push the bottom of the bag with its crumbs closer to the end of her nose and within reach of her tongue. She may be blind, but she is SMART and quite resourceful when it comes to Food! Roisin and Finney looked on in awe and appreciation. Makes me wonder what tricks THEY will attempt next!
It weighs a grand total of 1 pound 6 ounces, so now I have an idea of how much yarn to ply to recreate it. Now, if I only had the will to write down directions in a slightly-better-than-pithy fashion!
More pictures are available for viewing at:
http://www.mad-angel.com/knitangel/abbottsbromley.html
Suzy the crazy blind Corgi snuck into Phoebe's room this morning and got into a bag of tortilla chips -- literally! She came staggering out of the room with the bag over her head, frantically trying to retrieve the last crumbs at the bottom. They were ever so slightly out of her reach, so she butted her head up against every surface she could, just to push the bottom of the bag with its crumbs closer to the end of her nose and within reach of her tongue. She may be blind, but she is SMART and quite resourceful when it comes to Food! Roisin and Finney looked on in awe and appreciation. Makes me wonder what tricks THEY will attempt next!
Wednesday, May 04, 2005
At It Again...
I am having waaaaaay too much fun with my dyepot! Below, you see the color that resulted from throwing some skeins of wool/mohair into the exhaust left in the pot from my batch of dyed silk roving. Above is the silk roving, which I've decided to call Blackberries 'n Cream. Now, if someone could please tell me how the exhaust of a dye this purple could yield salmon pink...??? Well, I'm pleased with both final products, anyway, and looking forward to seeing what they look like when dry.
I should be working on Seamus' sweater again, but think a nap is gonna win out again. I love this dyeing business, but it does tire me out after awhile!
I bought the latest re-mastered Billie Holiday collection recently, but today is the first chance I've had to really listen closely. Gorgeous. I just love Billie.
Oddly enough, I began my listening day with Pet Sounds (Beach Boys), followed by the Screaming Trees anthology, followed by Nick Cave's latest oeuvre, followed by Billie. Yes, my musical tastes are more than a bit eclectic. Is anyone surprised?
I should be working on Seamus' sweater again, but think a nap is gonna win out again. I love this dyeing business, but it does tire me out after awhile!
I bought the latest re-mastered Billie Holiday collection recently, but today is the first chance I've had to really listen closely. Gorgeous. I just love Billie.
Oddly enough, I began my listening day with Pet Sounds (Beach Boys), followed by the Screaming Trees anthology, followed by Nick Cave's latest oeuvre, followed by Billie. Yes, my musical tastes are more than a bit eclectic. Is anyone surprised?
Tuesday, May 03, 2005
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