Feather and Fan Bonnet with attached Scarflet

The "Tulips" yarn wasn't destined to be a watchcap after all. Just shows you what I know about destiny!


http://larissmix.typepad.com/stitch_marker/2006/

The address above leads to the free pattern that was the basis of this project. At the point of finishing I went my own way and attached a scarflet that fastens in the back with a felted button. Cozy, cute, old-fashioned, and Peace loves it. I like that she won't be dropping her scarf and losing it in the snow. Mercy wants one like it, and she will have hers in the new Spunky Club's "Celebration" colorway.

Mods: Used my handspun at heavier gauge for a child-sized bonnet. Used size 8 needles. Added scarflet after finishing the back decreases.

Soft and Squishy

This is destined to be cast on today as a brioche stitch watchman's cap a la EZ.

I have a bit more to spin up but I need something mindless to knit on while we are out this evening. This should fit the bill.

Sock Enchantment and the Tour de Fleece

I cast on for the Undulating Rib socks with my Nightshade sock yarn and I am fascinated. The pattern knits as flowingly as it looks and this sock seems to grow of its own accord. The Nightshade colorway shifts from one rich shade to the next and keeps me entertained. But....I can't get a good picture of it! The colors are hinted at in the first picture---dark and rich. But you can't really see the pattern or color shifts in that picture as you can in the pale, inaccurate, washed out version in the next picture.

I whiled away a few peaceful hours last night spinning for the Tour de Fleece. I am spinning yarn for hats and scarves and mittens for the children. The Bossie holds a pink merino-angora blend for Verity, from Kendig Cottage. When I first tried spinning this a few months ago I could not get a consistent single, and it was much thicker than I wanted it to be. Now it is spinning up beautifully and I am reminded of the old adage, "Practice makes perfect." Or in my case, not perfect, but a Whole Lot Better.

The Barebones holds Spunky Eclectic's Tulip BFL for Peace.

I am thoroughly enjoying my spinning, though I am getting tired of so much pink! When I am done with the childrens' winter garb I will be doing some deep greens and purples and black and anything else EXCEPT PINK!!!!!

I so enjoyed my sister's visit yesterday. I saw her huge sock she is knitting on teeny tiny needles for her DH. She wore her new silk skein like a necklace. She oohed and aahed over my fibery treasures. We compared our respective babies. oh, how I wish she lived closer.

A Birthday Yarn

this is yarn I spun for a birthday present for Theresa, who is my dear sister--- and an avid knitter--- and coming to see me today!


Silk tussah two-ply
Fingering weight
around 90 yards
from my handpainted roving using Jaquard Silk Colors

Natural Dye Reds----Madder

In the matter of being patient, I failed. The color seemed more brown than I had hoped. I would not stop poking about the dyepot, and I was afraid I would felt the whole thing! So out the fiber came, and the wool is a pretty brownish red, as saturated as my other colors, but not as bright. The bamboo took very little color. It is a pale greyish pink.

There is a natural dyeing group on Yahoo, and they are discussing cool ferment dyeing. The results with madder are just gorgeous. I think I will try this next time. But I will pick a time when I will be leaving the house so I can keep my hands off!

Next up is dying with lac extract, and I may try overdying some of the madder-dyed wool with lac as well. But I have to wait for the lac to arrive in the mail. Hopefully it will come today!

Diagonal Cross-Rib Socks

These are first in a set of three pairs of socks (all from the same book) I want to make for Bruce's birthday.

Diagonal Cross-Rib Socks from Favorite Socks.

Knitpicks Gloss in Dusk

size 2 and 3 dpns

These will fit nicely but I prefer a tighter sock fabric. Next time, smaller needles.

I plan to cast on the Nightshade sock yarn in the Undulating Rib pattern on Monday. 'Til then I will focus my attentions on the Tour de Fleece--- the handspun for my sister Theresa's birthday. Oh, and the dyeing on the side.

Natural Dye Reds---Brazilwood plus Annatto

These turned out beautifully. I am having so much fun!

The Romney turned out in shades of rust, nice and bright. Delightful! I was a bit apprehensive that I might turn out with more of a brown.

And the bamboo is the color of a ripe peach skin, but a bit more lustrous.

Next up is madder, but this will take a few days. I plan to dye tomorrow and let the fiber sit in the dyebath until Monday. This is supposed to deepen the color and so patient I will be.

Natural Dye Reds ---Brazilwood

My dyepot is warm and happy. It has some fruitful days ahead. And it started out its work yesterday with a little handful of Brazilwood sawdust, from which came the lovely colors above.

First is the alum mordanted Romney wool. This color is not something I would call red, but more of a deep rose color. Nonetheless as it is rich and beautiful, and on the right side of the spectrum for my purposes. The picture doesn't do the depth of this color justice.

The unmordanted bamboo turned out a lavender pink shade that is a perfect match to the flowers in our front yard.

There was plenty of color left in the dyepot, and so I have added annatto to the Brazilwood bath, more fiber, and tomorrow we shall see what comes of it.

Nightshade Sock Yarn

This is one of my main accomplishments of the trip.....spinning up some sock yarn for Bruce's next pair of socks. Unlike many people who spun this Spunky Club fiber, I opted to ply in the traditional fashion for a tweedy look, appropriate for a manly man. These are beautiful colors and should knit up with some subtle striping. The yarn is my first three ply.....a lot of spinning, but it was worth it. 16wpi. Coopworth wool. Spun on Bosworth mini .7 oz. Plied on the Barebones.

In Which the Sock Rides Along