August 21, 2005
Progress, Amazing!
In spite of my earlier whining about being too busy this summer to do much knitting, I have made some progress on two of my WIPs (works in progress). The sun was out this afternoon and I took advantage of the light to take photos of my Silk Waves Poncho:
and my entrelac sweater:
Are you noticing the similarity in colorways? It suddenly hit me as I looked at the two pictures that they have similar color palettes. Not surprising since my favorite colors are purple, blue and pink.
The poncho is made from two identical rectangles and the first one is nearly complete. I want to make the poncho as large as possible with the yarn from the kit. So, I'm going to finish this next repeat, place the live stitches onto a spare needle and knit the second rectangle. Then, if I have yarn available, I can add repeats until it's gone.
The back of the entrelac sweater is nearly complete, too. I just have a few more bands to go and then it's on to the front. It's nice to see progress!
August 17, 2005
Dye Day
What a busy summer! I haven't had much opportunity to knit with all of the family activities. However, I did take this past Sunday afternoon to spend with the girls, dyeing fiber and yarn. We used acid dyes and the cold pour method to create some absolutely beautiful variegated and self striping yarns. I enjoyed myself so much that I think I've found myself a new hobby!
These pictures aren't intended to document each step of the process, rather just capture the fun of the afternoon. Each participant brought supplies for the event, including the dyes already mixed into squeeze bottles. As a result, we had several shades of each of the basic colors to choose from: blue, purple, red, yellow, orange, and green, as well as brown and black. The dyes themselves are not acidic. Rather, they are properly activated in an acidic, aqueous solution. Everyone brought their own yarn/fiber and soaked it in either water or water/vinegar. We used vinegar to reduce the pH of the water. For those who soaked their yarn/fiber in plain water, they sprayed the yarn/fiber with straight vinegar after applying the dye. We worked outside on planks covered with plastic table cloths and balanced on saw horses:
We then pulled off a long length of wide plastic wrap on which we applied dye to the yarn/fiber:
After squeezing out the excess water, we spread the yarn/fiber on the plastic wrap and began to apply the dye. Some applied many colors in very narrow segments to create a variegated yarn. Others thinly applied dye to their fiber to create a marled or heathered effect when spun:
Others were aiming to create self-striping yarn, including fairisle sections:
After achieving the desired effect, we folded over the long edges of the plastic wrap to enclose the fiber. We then rolled the yarn/fiber up, starting from a short end. The rolled packets were placed on a steamer rack in a stock pot and allowed to steam for 20-30 minutes. We did this on camp stoves outside due to the heat:
After steaming was completed and the fiber had cooled, most people took their packets home to wait 24 hours before rinsing. Others didn't want to wait and unwrapped their yarn/fiber as soon as it was cool:
We then gently rinsed the unwrapped yarn/fiber in a dishpan or kitchen sink using plain tap water at room temperature. Voila! The finished product became visible for the first time. I dyed two skeins of sock yarn:
Fun!
These pictures aren't intended to document each step of the process, rather just capture the fun of the afternoon. Each participant brought supplies for the event, including the dyes already mixed into squeeze bottles. As a result, we had several shades of each of the basic colors to choose from: blue, purple, red, yellow, orange, and green, as well as brown and black. The dyes themselves are not acidic. Rather, they are properly activated in an acidic, aqueous solution. Everyone brought their own yarn/fiber and soaked it in either water or water/vinegar. We used vinegar to reduce the pH of the water. For those who soaked their yarn/fiber in plain water, they sprayed the yarn/fiber with straight vinegar after applying the dye. We worked outside on planks covered with plastic table cloths and balanced on saw horses:
We then pulled off a long length of wide plastic wrap on which we applied dye to the yarn/fiber:
After squeezing out the excess water, we spread the yarn/fiber on the plastic wrap and began to apply the dye. Some applied many colors in very narrow segments to create a variegated yarn. Others thinly applied dye to their fiber to create a marled or heathered effect when spun:
Others were aiming to create self-striping yarn, including fairisle sections:
After achieving the desired effect, we folded over the long edges of the plastic wrap to enclose the fiber. We then rolled the yarn/fiber up, starting from a short end. The rolled packets were placed on a steamer rack in a stock pot and allowed to steam for 20-30 minutes. We did this on camp stoves outside due to the heat:
After steaming was completed and the fiber had cooled, most people took their packets home to wait 24 hours before rinsing. Others didn't want to wait and unwrapped their yarn/fiber as soon as it was cool:
We then gently rinsed the unwrapped yarn/fiber in a dishpan or kitchen sink using plain tap water at room temperature. Voila! The finished product became visible for the first time. I dyed two skeins of sock yarn:
Fun!
August 13, 2005
Where Has the Summer Gone?
I can't believe that summer is nearly over! The past six weeks have been fun but incredibly busy. We spent the first two weeks of July on vacation. We started with a week in Gatlinburg, Tennessee. I love the Smokey Mountains. Here's a picture of my husband, Jerry, and me in the national park at a pull-off:
We pulled over at another spot and went wading in a stream:
On another day, we went horseback riding through the mountains. Here's a view from my horse:
After our time in Gatlinburg was finished, we visited family in Kentucky and Michigan for a few days each and then headed home to Boston. Another favorite place is the Niagara Falls, which is conveniently located at the half-way point between Michigan and Boston:
After we returned home, we began a search for a dog for my son. He has been obsessed with Dachshunds for years and after visiting several breeders, we made our selection, a miniature wirehaired. His name is Oscar and he was eight weeks old when we picked him up:
He's very active, as most puppies are, but there are moments of rest for the weary:
And then he looks at me with his sweet face and I don't mind all of the work:
Now the children are at sleep-over camps in Maine for the week and we have an opportunity to regroup and organize our lives and I'll be able to get back to one of my favorite hobbies: knitting.
We pulled over at another spot and went wading in a stream:
On another day, we went horseback riding through the mountains. Here's a view from my horse:
After our time in Gatlinburg was finished, we visited family in Kentucky and Michigan for a few days each and then headed home to Boston. Another favorite place is the Niagara Falls, which is conveniently located at the half-way point between Michigan and Boston:
After we returned home, we began a search for a dog for my son. He has been obsessed with Dachshunds for years and after visiting several breeders, we made our selection, a miniature wirehaired. His name is Oscar and he was eight weeks old when we picked him up:
He's very active, as most puppies are, but there are moments of rest for the weary:
And then he looks at me with his sweet face and I don't mind all of the work:
Now the children are at sleep-over camps in Maine for the week and we have an opportunity to regroup and organize our lives and I'll be able to get back to one of my favorite hobbies: knitting.
