I’ve been dyeing lots and lots of yarn lately. And I do mean a lot. Between the thirty-odd skeins for Knitting With Jane, my Aunt’s visit, and getting in fall stock. . . yes. You get the idea. So, here is what a typical day of dyeing might looks like for me.
I’ve gotten a couple new yarn bases for Fall, and they are delightful! They’re both fingering weight, and will be carried in my Maiden Yarn store.
This one is a very smooshy single-ply of a wool and nylon blend. I think it would make gorgeous scarves, cowls, or even a shawl. I’ve already gotten to dye some up as a test, and this yarn is begging to be dyed in rich tones of a kettle-dyed nature.
As a side note – I will also be carrying a more familiar fingering base. The 70/30 merino/silk blend I’ve had in before. It’s a nice four-ply, non-superwash yarn with a little bit of shine to it. Lovely lovely.
In case you’re wondering, I’m moving Maiden Yarn to mainly fingering weight (my favorite to knit with) and spinning fiber at the beginning of October. It’ll simplify things for me, and allow me to offer a wider range of colors in the same weight (if not same fiber blend) of yarn. Plus, who doesn’t like fingering and sock weight?
I’m really rather excited, but I shall try to remain rational.
. . . a time for hot apple cider and the tangy snap of cinnamon. A season of whispering cold, trickling smoke, and utterly schizophrenic winds.
Mornings when I wake up toasty warm under the comforter and have the luxury of deciding whether to huddle there awhile longer, or burst out into the chilly day and fill it with sparks.
Leaves crackling, smooshing, fluttering, and blowing. A time when every fallen leaf has a story and its own distinct face.
A time for packing away memories of the summer, opening last year’s “leavings” chest, and pulling out new ideas and old acquaintances.
The gleam of golden afternoon light on dark wood, and blue glass vases full of chrysanthemums.
The memory that, once again, I will probably never get around to planting pansies and snapdragons for winter, but that I’ll still enjoy thinking about it.
Now. How to turn all of that into color.
My twelve days in Colorado were beautiful, fun-filled, and entirely too short. They were also filled with the ups and downs of things like rattlesnake sightings, frozen yogurt, dinner in a room with around two hundred people, twinkle lights, self-locking room doors, vocal kitties, and many friends. In short, can I go back for another visit now?
We spent our first few days in the Springs area, visiting friends and doing fun little trips during the day. One of which including the Rocky Mountain Zoo, and yours truly got to feed a giraffe. I’m very grateful the giraffe seemed to know the difference between lettuce and my shawl.
And, I should point out, that the majority of the giraffes were taller than that one. The others could reach right over the fence and give you the full benefit of their liquid brown eyes. These little guys, on the other hand, gave you the full benefit of these hungry little mouths trying so hard to reach the lettuce – how’s a girl supposed to decide?
Oh, and that shawl is a present from the family that went to Israel. Isn’t it pretty? I wore it so much during the conference. (Or “Moot”, as we call our Colorado get-together.)
After a lovely time together, my “Rondel” base laceweights are retiring. These are the lovely alpaca/silk blends with a unique construction, lots of drape, and a little touch of fuzzy halo. It’s been lovely having them, but it is their time to go.
All that being said, the skeins of Rondel left in my laceweight store are now on sale. So drop on by if you’d like to adopt one before they go away. I’m sure they’d appreciate it.
~ Rebekah
Special update – my Maiden Yarn and Fiber store is having a coupon promotion from now until September 21st. Use the code “FALL25″ during checkout for 25% off the items in your purchase. Some of the items in the store are about to be retired, as I have grand plans on a new direction to take the store, so grab them while you can.
I’ve come to the conclusion that fall could use a little shoving along. It’s been in the eighties around here (lovely!) and getting chilly at night. Let’s hear it for the caramel apples, candy corn and peanuts, and cold apple cider.
Wow. Do I sense a food theme here?
Alrighty, so, I’ve finally had a week or two to mentally recover. My babysitting trip in July (ten days, four kids, and thankfully an amazing lady to work with) was good, but very physically taxing. I’m just plain not used to getting up at seven-thirty and working with children all day. And I really used to think I’d never see the day when I’d be crashing into bed as early as. . . nine. O.O Who are you and what have you done with myself?
I took along a new knitting project – two color toe-ups – and maybe knit six or seven rounds max. Yes. That’s all. Like I said, I was helping watch four young children. You don’t just hunker down with two balls of yarn, pointy sticks, and colorwork. Even if it just stripes. Maybe some of you are amazing and incredible and somehow someway manage to knit fair isle lace from a chart while running a daycare center (even with the exaggeration, I’m fully ready to pass out in awe), but not this girl. It only came out during nap time or once everyone was in bed. The rest of the time it hid, trembling, in my big bag on the pantry shelf. Out of reach of the two under-five year olds, and the eight-month old Boxer puppy. Safety first, you know.
I’m actually pleased with how the sock is turning out, especially the colors. When I picked the two balls of stash yarn – orange and green – I stared blankly at them for a bit, trying to figure out what I’d call them. Ravelry has changed my knitting to that extent – I must have an inventive, fun name for the project, otherwise it’s no fun. “Peas and Carrots” came to mind, as well as something of a “Pumpkin” nature, but I decided those were a little too tame. Then, keeping in mind the fall-ish tones of the colorwork, I came up with something that suited me fine. These will be my “Bushwhacked Chrysanthemum” socks, and they will be amazing.
I’m finally back from my childcare sojourn, and can’t wait to get these fibers up and running. Here’s what will be available in the shop later today.
Incase you’re wondering, I wasn’t able to have my little sushi treat for lunch. The grocery store hadn’t made the rolls when I dropped by.
But, I got to spend a good four or five hours dyeing yesterday. Unfortunately, that means most everything is too wet to photograph, but I snagged a few pictures.
Yesterday’s mood and general vibe can be summed up fairly well with just one picture.
My sister was gracious enough to lend me her tiny teapot, so I curled up at my desk with my prettiest teacup, and a whole pot full of Lipton’s “Vanilla Caramel Truffle,” with lots of heavy cream and sugar. Sometimes an emotionally low day requires such things.
Unfortunately, the emotional benefits were quickly overridden with a sudden headache. Either I used too much sugar, or it was just inevitable. Either way, the tea tasted really good.
The irony of taking refuge in my room lay in the fact that I was completely surrounded by piles and piles of unfinished projects. (Not to mention stacks of old notebooks from my emptied desk!) We’ve been busy filming some how-to DVDs for my family’s business, so I had adhered to the deceptively simple practice of “Oh, I’ll just lay this here until I get a chance to put it away.”
Let me tell you, that doesn’t work so well. Especially not two-and-a-half weeks at a time. The piles were downright scary.
If you don’t believe me, take a look.