My latest dye adventures.......

I just had to share these yarns that I dyed. I haven't been good about coming up with names for the colors that I do, oh well, I 'm still having fun!
Shades of blue to green...

This color combo reminds me of an old china pattern, I believe it was called desert rose. This is superwash merino and didn't soak up the dye very well, not likeing superwash very much for dyeing right now. Once you spin it, you don't really notice the white spots, it just tends to lighten the color.
I was really playing around with the colors here, and tried the scarlet, diluted. I like the way it came out in the roving, and then had to try 2 of the colors by themselves on some odd bits of yarn that I had. I like the colors allot and am thinking that they might be good for some bigger sweater project.
These yarns are all 100% organic wool. Too bad I haven't learned how to use natural plant dyes yet :(
Next time I dye, I will try to get out of the darker colors. I do like the intensity of the colors though.
Hand spinning:

I finally finished and plied the mauve merino that I bought last Feb. I used my Ashford drum carder to make batts, then sun it on my Ashford Traveller spinning wheel. It was hard to get use to spinning from a batt after spinning with mostly roving, but I am happy with the results, and it is very soft.

I also have some darker maroonish/purple-ish merino to spin that I bought at the same store. I would like to get that spun up as well, but need to quit with the ADD and stick with less than 10 projects at a time!!! Must... maintain... focus........

Finished socks:

Salish Sea Socks, Finished on 10-12-2009.
Sorry about the lighting. But this is proof that I did finish both socks.
Better picture of sock....

I do love Blue Moon Fiber Arts sock yarn. It is very comfortable to wear and nice to work with. So far I have more than enough yarn from one skein to make a nice pair of socks. Maybe one day I will do something with all the leftovers.

I also have a very cute pair of socks on the needles that was just started 1 week ago. Sock #1 almost done. You can view it here on Ravelry, since I don't want to take any chance of ruining it for the recipient!

Life is busy,and I like it like that. I haven't had time to think too much about being an empty nester. So, while husband is setting up the new DVD release of "My Life in Ruins," I will give you a quick update.

Knitting projects:

A baby hat for a workmate at work that is due soon. (This really isn't the only thing I gave her, but it is the only thing I made for her).
Salish Sea Socks for the 2007 Rockin' Sock Club through Blue Moon Fiber Arts (75% finished)

New Purchases:

Yarn for the Rosamund Cardigan (see more pictures here)from the Fall 2009 issue of Knits. I bought the yarn last weekend while in Sacramento visiting Son#2 and stocking up his fridge with food. The yarn is Royal Llama Silk by Plymouth Yarn Co. (60% Llama and 40% silk)......
Mariposa Shawl kit from Southwest Trading Co. (The kit was purchased from Websters in Ashland) The yarn is Bamboo - 100%, color #182

I have also had fun cooking from the few things that we grow on our property.

Ugly apples......

Make yummy apple crisp.......

Tonight I made the Toscana Soup (Olive Garden's recipe scroll down until you see the recipe) using fresh Kale and Yukon Gold potatoes from our garden. Boy was it Yummy. I also made Cheddar Bay biscuits. Sorry I didn't take any pics of that.

Will post again with pics of recently dyed yarns when I get a chance.

I'm Baaaack...........

What a busy month I have had. Son # 3 is settled in college on the east coast and is staying very busy with classes and making new friends. He is maxed out on the number of units that he is taking and I hope that he does OK with that. The day after we left him, he texted us that he had received another scholarship to be a sound tech for the marching band.
While we were there, my husband and I were able to go to Washington D.C. for the day. One day is just not enough in D.C. A few of the highlights......












The Smithsonian Air and Space Museum and the Washington Monument









The World War II Memorial I got a little sentimental at the last Memorial.
I just had to dip my poor hot feet in the water at the WW II Memorial, and believe me, I wasn't the only one doing it!

The Lincoln Memorial just filled me with a sense of awe. Hubby and I had to read the whole Gettysburg address and his second inaugural address. What powerful speeches.

We also visited Appomattox, and the Virginia Safari Park.

After we got son #3 settled in his dorm room, we flew back home and drove to WY. We bought fruit and corn in Idaho for the in-laws and helped them process it. Then we spent "several" long days helping son #1 and our daughter-in-law with their house. We helped tear up carpet and re-finish the wood floors that were underneath - boy what a messy job! Then, when my husband finally got home, we worked on major cleaning projects at our house that have been neglected. We have been busy, busy, busy this summer. And it sure feels good to be getting some things accomplished.
Last Saturday I tried to sell some yarn at the Farmer's Market and got rained out. It started misting just as I arrived at the fairgrounds, and we were able to set up the gazebo and the yarn table without any problems, then it started really raining. When the river started running through the middle of my gazebo, I decided to call it quits. The few customers that I saw at the market were just there after their vegetables and then were making a quick exit, they weren't shopping for anything fun like yarn.
I did manage to get some knitting done while traveling on the plane and in the car. On one flight I got a little testy. I carry a tote onto the plane with my knitting in it, but when I board I take a bag with my knitting out of the tote so it looks like I am carrying 3 items onto the plane. The stewardess told me that I couldn't take 3 things onto the plane and I started panicking thinking what am I supposed to do with myself for the next 2 hours? the only thing I brought was knitting. You know the feeling? Counting on that time to work on a project? Then she explained to me that there were inspectors on the plane watching everything, and that I could take my knitting out of the toe once I got to my seat - whew, what a relief!
The purse is felted (it is still very large), and I plan on going to the yarn store today for help figuring out how to do the handles.













Several days ago I started on the Teddy suit for a baby shower that got moved up by 2 weeks (Yikes! Fingers and needles are flying!) I have the 2 legs done and am just about ready to join them to work on the body of the suit. Thank goodness babies are small :)

When the Farmer's market got rained out on Saturday, we decided to go to Oregon to do some shopping. We had lunch in Ashland and visited Websters. I ordered the yarn for Mariposa, and bought 7 oz. of Blue Meriboo roving to spin to add to the 4 oz. I already had. Maybe I can make something more than just a scarf or a hat with it (not that there is anything wrong with scarves or hats).

As if my husband and I haven't ben busy enough, we bought Tuna to can, about 60 pounds of it. I'm sure some people buy much more, but with only 2 pressure cookers going, 60# is keeping us busy enough! Boy does our house smell fishy!

Over 3 dozen jars,, and we have one more batch to do! I guess I better get busy ;)

Almost off the needles:

I started this purse on July 28th. It is based on a purse in our LYS that one of the owners had designed and knit. I had looked on Ravelry for a puse pattern, and I didn't find many patterns. I did see one that was striped so i based my design on that also. But really, this is one that I am kinda designing as I go. I am doing an i-cord around the top of the purse to finish off that edge, and around the base of the purse to help it stand up straighter, when you put it down. I finished the i-cord on the top last night, and started on the base. Next I have about 8 feet of i-cord to knit for the handles. I am also trying to figure out how to add a pocket or two on the inside of the purse, and some kind of flap to close the top ( or I might look into some kind of magnet to keep it closed)

The Flirty Tank progress has slowed down. I am on the bodice with a "daisy stitch" on a base of knit stitches for the design. The daisy stitch is fussy to do, and if you don't get it snug enough, it leaves too much of a hole. It is knit 2X, alternated with a purl, all through the same 3 stitches. I think it is starting to look better.

I also started this pair of socks. I love a good sock project for traveling, very light and compact.

The pattern is Salish Sea Socks by Cat Bordhi, the yarn is medium seight 100% superwash Merino in the Bella Coola colorway. This project is from the 2007 Socks That Rock club. Better late than never, right? I haven't been knittng much on socks lately and there is a lot of yarn in my sock yarn stash that is waiting for some attention. I have been very good at resisting the urge to buy more at our LYS - they keep getting new, beautiful yarns. I don't know if I will be able to resist this urge much lonnger!!!!!

I haven't spun very much since my last post, mostly because I worked about 90 hours in 1 week. There wasn't much timee to spin and get some sleep before I had to go back to work. But I did work on this Dusty pink Corriedale cross. I bought the fiber alreday dyed, but picked it and ran it through my drum carder before spinning it.
I have been working almost solely with combed top, so it was quite different to spin from a batt. This yarn will be very bouncy when plied. I can't decide if I want to ply it with one ply of a darker purple or just with itself?
I am off of work now till the end of the month and will be taking son #3 back to college to get him all settled in, then visiting son #1 and miscellaneous other family. I hope to voisit yarn shops along the way. I am blessed with a husband that knows how to keep me happy and is very understanding about my obsessiveness with my current favorite hobby.

Future projects -

1. Teddy Suit from Baby Knits by Lois Daykin. for a friend at work that is due in October. I need to get started on that as soon as I get home.

2. Christmas projects X 2

3. A scarf out of some scrumptious yarn that I bought last year in Texas.

Happy knitting to all......

On the Needles:

The Flirty Tank - I just finished the skirt part of the top, and am starting the bodice. Going well so far. This one shouldn't be too big. In fact when I block the lace, it should be just right (according to the measurements).

The lace is pretty scrunched up right now, and you should see much more pattern definition when it is blocked.

Off the needles-
G's Cabled Scarf:Remember the shades of blue singles that I dyed at BSG? I knitted a scarf out of it for DH. He loves it and is anxious to wear it on a motorcycle ride. I know that sounds funny to allot of people to wear a scarf during the summer, but here on the coast, we are still having foggy, drizzly mornings and highs in the low 60's during the day.

The pattern I used was based on the Double Cable Scarf from the One Skein book by Leigh Radford.

Pattern modification: Instead of only doing 9 cable crossing rows on each end, I continued the cables to the other end of the scarf and did the 2" of ribbing on the end.
Needles - U.S. 9, Addi Turbo circulars.

Yarn - Corriedale thick/thin singles, one skein, hand dyed by me.

Time to complete - about 1 week.

Off the needles -

I have also made a scarf for myself out of some of my first handspun. The scarf still needs to be blocked.

This is a dropped stitch pattern. I think I cast on 45 stitches, knit 2 rows, alternating with a drop stitch row. Knitted to desired length.

Needle size - U.S. 9.

Off the Wheel:

Teal 3 ply Colonial wool, DK weight. Total of 341 1/2 yards.

I sure like doing the 3-ply. It is a much smoother yarn and hides any little imperfections.

Cashmere/wool blend from chasing Rainbows -2 oz. What a pleasure to spin. Sorry I couldn't get the lighting just right for the picture.

84 count Merino Roving that I bought at BSG and hand dyed.

Spun 2 ply, 9-22 WPI.

Yardage - 187.5 yards, 4 oz.

In the box and on the bobbin is 50/50 Wool and silk that I hand dyed at my class at BSG to match the silk hankies dyed by Chasing Rainbows. I have spun a small amount of the silk and plied a sample to see what it would look like. The silk hankies are not very easy to spin, especially since this is my first experience. I am trying to find a special pattern for this. Maybe something like a cowl with a lace design?

Dyeing to knit

I have been a fool for dyeing lately. Here are just a few of the latest skeins out of the dyepot....
Sand and Sea

Wavy Gravy

And of course...Chocolate Covered Cherries

And to show you what a difference it makes to re-skein the yarn when it is dry....

Before..............

And after re-skeining...............

Last weekend, a fellow spinner/knitter friend and I had a booth at the Farmer's/Saturday Market and I actually sold a few skeins of handspun and some hand-dyed yarn. I feel like I have soo busy with the spinning and dyeing, and was surprised that I couldn't quite fill up a table with my "stuff". I won't be able to do the Sat. Market again until August and should have more yarn to sell by then.

In August, my husband and I will be empty nesters. My Youngest son is leaving for college. We will be going back with him to Virginia, and will be doing some sight-seeing while we are back there (Are there any good yarn shops in Lynchburg??). When we get back, we will be home for one night, then hitting the road to go on our annual trip to Wyoming. I am excited as I will be seeing Son # One's house for the first time.

Color Eye Candy

I had a wonderful time at Black Sheep Gathering in Eugene last weekend. I had alot of fun playing with color in the Lanaset color wheel class with Nancy Finn. And here is what I came up with.

This is Merino/silk roving dyed with toned primaries.

Next is Corriedale singles yarn. When I dyed this I was started with my favorite shades of blue and green and wanted to add some orange to make it pop. then added a fourth color to tone down that pop a little!
This is Tussah silk roving. At the top of the picture you can see my inspiration fabric....

My husband doesn't really care for the "wild" color combinations, so I made a blue with different values (blue is his favorite color). I plan on making a scarf for him out of this...
The inspiration for the next fiber was an abstract picture titled something like White Dove in the Desert Morning. The pinks and tans in the picture were alot lighter in value, but I really like how this color came out.
The sample I made was with Merino/Silk roving. I was trying to make a roving that would at least coordinate with some silk hankies that I want to spin that were dyed by Chasing Rainbows in the Tuscan colorway. I hope to spin singles from the hankies and from this roving and ply them together to make something delicate and pretty.

It was fun to see the different colors that people in the class came up with . I think we were all pleasantly surprised with our results. I think the best part of the class was that Nancy was so laid back and allowed us to be creative. I am already looking forward to Black Sheep Gathering next year and hope to take more classes.