Electric Sunset up on Etsy!!

Hmm, bad grammer first...So I just noticed some improper use of "your" and "you're." My appologies, I'm very embarassed...

In other news, the first skein of the new Landscapes Lace in "Electric Sunset" is already gone on Etsy, I was amazed. I relisted, so it's available. The very first skein (shown in my last post) is being knitted into the Adamas shawl, and I noticed that it was striping more than having a gradual change, so before dyeing the next one, I changed the method a just little and it worked fantastically!! Here is the pic...


I also put up a smaller (400 yard) skein...

That one is a little brighter than the pic shows, but yummy none the less!

Other than the store update, I have been looking for the next item to knit that I will obsessively work on until it's finished. I'm not loving anything that I'm working on at the moment, and that is a super long list. H's window shawl went from creeping along, to a quick speed up to a dead halt. I do not have quite enough to finish the way I want, and I'm debating how to fix that. The Adamas shawl is just slow, and even though I am anxoius for the next color to come in (I've reached the deep blue), it seems too much like work. I have two sweaters I'm working on, several orphan socks and some cashmere that needs to become something for my neighbor, plus lots of "I should knit something for them because they are so sweet" projects. I have 2 of 8 oz of Crazy Monkey spun, and the Twisted is on the Lendrum right now, with several fibers waiting in line. I have the rest of the Landscapes lace colorways to dye, which if they take off, I may spend most of my spare time doing that, hmm I think I need more hours in the day. Yep lots of stuff!

Back in the saddle, or whatever...

Yep after almost three long months of nothing, I promise I am back for good. Well at least every couple weeks until I am so busy trying to write my thesis that I give up again.

What have I been up to...Well I had a baby!!

Isn't she cute? I'm so crafty I make people.

I dyed this

And I spun this.

I added some of my mom's handspun on etsy, an when I get a moment, I have one more to put up...

I'm going to build a light box one of these days so I can get some true to life colors...this is a little more red than the pic shows, but soft squishy and yummy.

Well it is ridiculously early and I think that monkey #2 is finally ready to call it a night, good thing tomorrow is Saturday and I can sleep in a little!

Fun with dyeing

I was a little scared when I dyed my first roving but......not too bad. I did two 4 oz rovings and some sock yarn in "glitter" as well as a sock blank from knit picks

One side turned out perfect, the other not as much but either way I'm hoping that it will look good on the sock itself. I also think that I have found a new use for my knitting machine, after all the yarn to make the sock blank costs 5.99. The sock blank cost 11.99. It would take me about 10 minutes to knit it up on the knitting machine, so I think I will do that from now on. I really like the dye effects that you can get out of the blank though.

Off to do some work now....

Classes and future hand dyed!!

The first round of class dates is now set in stone!!! Here is when they will be plus a few more details. As the time comes I will post more details.

Sock class:
Session 1: May 13 and 20, 7:00-8:30 pm
Session 2: May 16 and 23, 2:00-3:30 pm
Where: Threads Unlimited Knits
Cost: $35 + supplies

Beginner Lace:
May 19 and 26 7:00-8:30 pm
Cost: $35 + supplies

I have the details of what will be covered in the class and I will give out some of those details a week or two before classes start. Class size is limited to 5 people per session and all materials used in class must be purchased at Threads with a few exceptions which I will discuss at sign up. I will also do an individual 20 min followup (no charge. by appointment, limited to 45 days after the class) to help with issues that arrise in the final project. I will be doing additional sock classes and beginner lace classess throughout the summer by demand as well as an advanced lace class (probably one in June and one in the beginning of August).

I also wanted to let everyone know that I have finally found a source for base yarn for my hand dyed yarn that I can count on for consistent (and fabulous) yarns!! Hopefully we will be putting in an order by the end of the week!!! I am hoping that by summer I will have all my colorways fully developed and also that I can find a few more people interested in selling my hand dyes!! I have a few leads on shops that might be interested in carrying them (one in PA and 2 or 3 in CO) and if that works out, I will hopefully be taking on an apprentice (you know who you are girlfriend!!!) to help me deal with the loads and loads of yarn being ordered...would you please quit falling out of your chair, it's not THAT funny. I jokingly tell her its an unpaid internship with the finest dyer on Bon Aire Dr.

I will also doing several limited amounts of special stuff depending on availability of my other source. These will usually be limited to less than 10 skeins in one selected colorway, but will be worth it. I promise that I will not turn into one of those snotty Indie dyers who charges $25 for 200 yds of sock yarn. I will never charge over $20 for a skein (unless it's cashmere, then I HAVE to charge a little more). And every skein of lace weight will make a decent size stole, and every skein of sock yarn will make at least one pair of socks!!!

New colors!!

I spent several hours deciding on the perfect color ways, and the local dye guru (stop laughing and get back in your chair) has come up with some fabulous colors for spring lace! I wanted to do something with subtle color changes so that when knitting the lace, the pattern shows through and the colorway doesn't take over. After all, why spend all that time on k2tog, ssk, and yo and not even be able to see it?

Left to right: Horton, Zen, Tallulah, and Pushing Up Daisies

















I had to monkey with the picture to get the colors true to life, but voila, there you have it!

So this is the time of the year when people often ask me, "what is that intoxicating scent you are wearing?" To which I reply, "Why it's Cutter Deep Woods." I have 6 mosquito bites from standing outside for 2 minutes with out bug spray. Those of you who know me personally know that I don't get along with bug bites very well. Only time will tell exactly what species of mosquito bit me by how much pain and swelling shows up in the next few days. If it's those little black stipedy ones then I'm screwed. I think the common name is Asian Tiger Mosquito or something cute like that.

I have also decided that I no longer want to be a biologist and that I should follow my true calling. I have shunned the idea (or rather DH has) for over a year now because it is not "practical." Hopefully this summer is a turning point for either direction that is either my research takes a turn for the "this is valuable research that will actually work" (the better) or my fiber arts career takes off like weeds in my front yard. I'm really hoping for the latter. Okay enough complaining for the day.

Handmade Redefined

Apparently deconstructed is a look that has gone past ripped jeans and into everything else. I like boho, but I'm not too sure about hobo. A few months ago I saw an episode of Knitty Gritty (AlterKNITive) where safety pins were a sudden fashion statement and the rest of the patterns looked like they had been knit by my 3 year old daughter. My appologies to the designers, but c'mon, seriously.... There really is a difference between punk, deconstructed, homemade; and just plain ugly. I did find this picture the other day....

in one of my fave catologs and of course it is obviously handmade. I think that is what I like about it though. So I started thinking about how most people dislike the look of something handmade. I think that it's because most handmade items look a little sloppy. This shirt looks handmade, but at the same time, the stitches are uniform and what little bit of lace you can see is also very even. What makes a shirt like this look nice? Could it be the drop dead gorgeous brazillian model wearing it? Prabably, but I still like it. I would like to start a new pattern series emphasizing how hand made can still look classy. I have already finished my first project! Check it out.

Thick and Thin

I've been wondering what to do with this yarn for a while

It's my first hand spun silk and my first hand dyed yarn. How much more homemade can you get. When it comes to spinning silk I'm not so good yet so it came out as a thick n' thin yarn.

And this is what I came up with

The pattern is really easy, just a standard raglan T. The neckline isn't knit the whole way up to give it a boat neck.

I also finished my socks made out of the blue and yellow sock yarn. Not anything exciting, but kind of cute

I also have been working on a lace pattern with this yarn

Pretty...

I finished the tank and it would be really cute if I had used only the silk and not the alpaca, which is why designing is a process. I will post pictures soon as I can with the pattern which I have written for a size medium, but am still getting worked out for other sizes. I'm feeling a little fat, so I might have to starve for a few days to pose in it. I also realized that I cannot wear the alpaca against my skin so I will have to line it if I want to wear it.


I have been noticing a lot of unbridled materialism and selfishness in the world around me lately and I am feeling the need to do something good for someone else. I really would like to knit for charity and since cancer has been something that has really had an impact on me in the last few years I think I want to help out with that. I was thinking about knitting up falsies for women who have had mastectomies and was wondering if anyone had any info on an established charity for this, patterns or starting up another group. If anyone has any other ideas or knows of any other cancer related knitting charities please let me know.

Other than that, I've been working on a simple pair of socks out of the "French Country" sock yarn that I dyed the other day. They are just kind of so-so, but I think it helps to knit with my hand dyed so I learn which color combos really work with each other and which ones just look good on the skein or in my head :). Lastly, I will take some picks and post the pattern of that tank top on here, and after that it's getting torn apart and I'm going to buy some more of that silk to finish it. I thought that it would be cool to use up some of my yarn but the best of intentions..... well you know.