To Everything There Is a Season....

A time to be born and a time to...dye. At my place, summer is a good time to dye using the method I like best. The sun-tea method with Kool-Aid and food coloring.

I'm sort of a health nut, so this is the only purpose I ever put Kool-Aid to, but it's a good product for that. I started out with the instructions I found on Knitty. 

The instructions are mostly designed for top-of-the-stove or microwave, but being a health nut, I'm also concerned with using renewable energy when I can, so I use the sun-tea method, mentioned in passing in a small side bar in the Knitty article.

I have two sun-tea jars dedicated to dyeing. 

I made a lace shawl a few weeks back, using lace-weight yarn left over from the gown I made for Miss Daphne's naming ceremony, back in July, 2010.

I don't know what I was thinking when I calculated how much lace-weight yarn I would need, but after making the gown and bonnet, I ended up with about 500 gm of Knit Picks Bare Merino Wool Lace Weight yarn (now called "Shadow," like the predyed version), most of it already wound into "cakes."

I really enjoyed making the shawl, as well as wearing it, so I decided I needed to make more shawls, but not all in "Bare." The line of Bare yarns are designed to be dyed as well as knitted or crocheted up as-is, so....

Here's the finished yarn:

Here's how I did it. I had about 4 oz. to dye, including one of the cakes and what was left over from the shawl. The instructions said to use one packet of "dye" (Kool-Aid) to one ounce of yarn, so I used four packets: two cherry and two orange. I added a few drops of black food coloring to grey-down the color a bit. I soaked the yarn in some warm water with a few drops of mild dish soap while I mixed the dye bath in my sun-tea jar. You don't need to add vinegar to the water you mix your dye in, as the drink mix is pretty acid, so I just used warm water. (No sugar, of course!) I added the yarn and more warm water to cover, and put it out in the sun. About an hour later, the dye bath was clear (exhausted), so I knew it was ready. I wanted the kettle-dyed look, so I didn't turn the yarn over during the dyeing process. The pups and I went on a hike instead.

Because I didn't turn the yarn over and open up the hanks of yarn during the process, the dye bath didn't reach all of it. The effect is nice in the finished yarn, though. It came out lighter in some places and darker in others.

If you want a yarn that's consistently the same color all over, you will need to open up the yarn and turn it several times during the dyeing process. Use tongs or rubber gloves for this, or you'll be wearing your dye for a while. (Your skin qualifies as an animal fiber for the purposes of this project.) This is because to dye with Kool-aid, the yarn has to be all or mostly animal fiber, although nylon will dye nicely. (My sweater dryer, made of nylon net and a PVC frame, has dye spots on it from previous projects.) Cotton won't take up this dye. This is why you want to be sure you are wearing old clothes you don't care about or 100% cotton fabrics. A cotton apron in a dark color (just in case) over your clothes is perfect. Since wool comes from an animal, it's perfect for dyeing with Kool-Aid, and my yarn is 100% Merino wool.

I rinsed the yarn in water close to the same temperature as the temperature of the dye bath and handled it gently, so the yarn wouldn't felt/full. I put vinegar in the first rinse and then Kookaburra Wool Wash in the last rinse. One disadvantage of dyeing with Kool-Aid is the lingering scent of (phony) cherry and/or orange, which eventually goes away. Neither is my favorite scent. The Wool Wash and vinegar seemed to take care of that problem, although in the past I've had to smell it all the time I was knitting the project.

Since I still had lots of leftover yarn and more hours of daylight, I decided to try tea dyeing. I found instructions here.

I used pretty much the same method except I didn't worry about getting my hands in the "dye bath." I was careful not to spill on cotton clothes, though, as tea will stain cotton, which means you can use this method to dye cotton.

For this batch, I used eight black tea bags in hot tap water. I poured in a couple of tablespoons of white vinegar, just in case. Very old tea works just as well as fresh tea, so this is a good use for tea that is past its prime. I was looking for a light color, so I didn't leave it in too long, but kept checking every 15 minutes or so. I don't think the tea dye bath "exhausts," but I'll have to experiment and report back in a later blog post.

You can get different colors from herbal and green tea, so it's fun to experiment with. Heres what I ended up with:

The original yarn (I still have more to dye), is on the left, and the tea-dyed yarn, on the right. Now I have yarn for two lace shawls and they aren't "Bare" anymore. For me, the hardest part came at the beginning and the end. because I had already wound up my yarn and didn't want the kind of regular pattern you can get from just putting your cake of yarn into the dye in a dish, I had to get out my knitty-noddy (which my wonderful DH made for me out of PVC pipe) and rewind it into hanks. Since it was lace yarn, this took for-ev-er! Then when I went to wind my yarn into a cake again after it was dry, the yarn kept flying off the ball winder. I finally got out a new TP sleeve to fit over the shaft of the ball winder, bent the bottom edge in so it wouldn't slip, and had no further problems, other than it still took for-ev-er even when it worked correctly. 

I was happy with the result and look forward to dyeing the last of the leftover lace-weight yarn on another nice day.

On almost any sunny day in the summertime, you can hear me paraphrase the famous Klingon battle cry: "Today is a good day to dye."

Note: This blog post was produced on the iPad and the MacBook, using the iPhone for some photos and some photo processing. No other computer was used in any stage of composition or posting, and no Windows were opened, waited for, cleaned or broken. No animals were harmed during the production of this blog post.

Watch for my regular blog, returning July 27th.

Packing It In

I've been trying to finish projects I'll need for the trip we're taking next week, like the Navy iPad Tote Bag. 

I've put a small hole in the side, right below the top stripe, to plug in my earbuds, so I can walk around with my iPad while I'm listening to music or an audiobook. I added lining to this one. It has pockets for the power cord and plug, and the earbuds can go in there when not in use. The logo is needle-felted.

For the lining, I used a fat quarter from my stash. I cut it big enough to allow for a seam all the way around, then cut the leftover piece so the edges were even, to make the pocket. I sewed the pocket, right-sides together, all the way around leaving a small opening to turn the pocket right-side out. Then I sewed it to the larger piece, about where I wanted it,l eaving the top open. I added another seam vertically down the middle,not divide the pocket in two. Next I sewed the lining, right-sides together, leaving the top edge and a few inches of one seam open, then pressed the seams and the open edge folded over. I started sewing the lining in by hand right where the hole was, to make sure the hole wasn't obstructed, then continued around the top, using an appliqué stitch and leaving a little bit of the top edge exposed.

My pattern is here.

I used Knit Picks Wool of the Andes Bulky in Navy and Bare, along with some of the Wool of the Andes Worsted in Blue Ink I had left over from the iPhone cozy, but held double.

The weather has been nice here: sunny, 80° and perfect for dyeing using the sun-tea method. I did some dyeing, and you will be able to read about it in my July 13 post. However, the lace-weight yarn I dyed with Kool-Aid and food coloring called to me, and I succumbed to temptation. (Who wouldn't have?) I CO another lace shawl, this time Enzian, another free Ravelry download.

You'll be happy to know I finished a few rows before pouring myself a glass of wine. The shawl is moving along nicely. I've named it The Coral Reef, because of the color. (On my monitor, the top photo seems a more realistic color. The photo below is a little too pink.)

I'm also still working on Shaina's Busy Bee Throw from Knit Picks' The Well Made Home pattern collection. I'm using the City Tweed DK in a variety of colors. It's very portable. I can keep the hook and a ball of yarn in my purse, and I have a couple of hours of fun if I need it.

I got a little more done on my Spring Flowers quilt. Here's an old photo of it just to refresh your memory.

And a few more inches on the Multi Scrap Scarf.

Now that it's warm enough, the pups have been swimming.

It's finally warm here in the mountains of Utah—just in time for us to go on vacation.

What's on my needles: The Coral Reef Shawl and the Fair Isle Flower Socks.

What's in my hoop: Hand-quilting my Spring Flowers quilt.

What's on my wheel: Still Full Circle spinning fiber in "Pigeon." No progress there.

What's on my loom: Still the Multi Scrap scarf, 36".

What's on my iPad/iPhone: Just finished listening to The Sugar Queen by Sarah Addison Allen from the library using the Overdrive app. It was an interesting mixture of strange and everyday. Definitely worth a read. Now I'm listening to Etiquette & Espionage by Gail Carriger, also from the library on the Overdrive app. Finished reading Death by Cashmere in iBooks and haven't picked a new eBook yet. Also Ann Budd's Sock Knitting Master Class on Kindle.

What's in my wine glass: Frontera Concha Y Toro Cabernet Sauvignon Merlot, the big bottle. Nice!

What's my tip of the week: Need a bobbin winder for weaving? A power drill holding a regular wooden pencil works great. My plastic bobbins fit snugly on the pencil, so when I turn on the drill, I can wind the bobbin easily. The wooden bobbins also fit, but not as easily. A dowel can be used in place of a pencil; see what fits your bobbins.

Note: This blog post was produced on the iPad and the MacBook, using the iPhone for some photos and some photo processing. No other computer was used in any stage of composition or posting, and no Windows were opened, waited for, cleaned or broken. No animals were harmed during the production of this blog post.

High Fiber--Preparing for Summer

The big FO for this week was the felted bag for my MacBook:



Here it is in use (above), and then just to show off the lining:



I wanted to finish it so I could use it to carry my MacBook on our trip coming up in a couple of weeks. I used a variety of colors of Knit Picks Wool of the Andes Bulky. WotA felts great! (It feels great, too!)

I also dyed some spinning fiber for Tour de Fleece, which will start while we're on our trip:



I call it Wasatch Mountain Dusk, because that's what it looks like. I used various amounts and combinations of blue, neon blue, neon lavender and black food coloring with salt and vinegar. I used the sun tea method for dyeing. I used KP's Superwash Merino and Nylon, and I hope to make some socks when the yarn is done. My challenge will be to try to spin thin enough singles that the three-ply yarn will still be thin enough for socks. Good thing I have skinny feet!

We have been hiking, in spite of the wind and cool temperatures. The pups had their grooming appointment, as scheduled, but it's hard to tell from this shot. Even Rocky's tongue was flapping in the breeze! 

Vintage Stitchers met again this week, this time at Julie's. Brenda read a book to Alexis, Julie's DGD.



Alexis really admired Janet's Floral Bouquet quilt. (It has Minky on the back!)



Alexis already knows what she likes when it comes to quilts! This is the last of the bolt of Minky that Janet bought. Here's the quilt all finished and ready to give away:



It's like mine, only smaller. Julie expects to have one of my quilts finished this week. I can hardly wait!

Brenda had some quilts in various stages of construction. The Cat in the Hat quilt is done except for the binding. Here's the front:



And here is the back:



She started a Caterpillar quilt:



Brenda has several grandchildren, and they all need quilts!

A friend had a garage sale on Saturday, and I picked up nearly a pound of spinning fiber (half and half wool and mohair, with a smidge of lurex for sparkle) and a tiny supported drop spindle:



I stopped by her neighbor who keeps sheep. Too bad I missed them all wooly. Most have been shorn already. One of the white ewes has twins, but one is hiding on the other side of her.



Our tulips are mostly looking shopworn, but the daffodils are just now coming on. That's because the daffodils were planted in the shade and in a section of our front yard that keeps a pile of snow until very late in what passes for spring here. (Please excuse Jay-Jay's mess in the background.)



The wasps are back, and we got a couple of faux wasps' nests (say "wasps' nests" three times fast), which are supposed to keep the wasps from building nests in your yard.



The only trouble is, they say "The Waspinator" on the top, so the wasps will know they're fake. They should have printed "This is a real wasps' nest" on it instead. I'm not sure these will work.

Speaking of flying insects, I'm swatching for this cardigan for Daphne:



It's "The Bees Knees" from The New Stranded Colorwork by Mary Scott Huff. You can see it in another colorway here. I fell in love with this pattern when I got the book. I'm taking a class from the author at Sock Summit, and I hope to have it started when I ask her to autograph my copy of her book. The yarn I'm using will be Knit Picks' Stroll fingering yarn in various colors. Wait until you see!

What's on my needles: DBIL's "Prayer" cardi, front finished, and I'm working on my applique project again for a special quilt.
What's on my wheel: The Louet Olive Green Corriedale, bobbin #3.
What's on my iPad: I finished Eat, Pray, Love by Elizabeth Gilbert. I especially liked the part that takes place in Bali, where I have spent some time. Starting Dog Sense by John Bradshaw.
What's on my iPod: Various podcasts, still including The Sweater Quest by Adrienne Martini, read by the author.
What's my app of the week: Just upgraded Epicurious. Soon they will make it possible for us to keep our own recipes in the app, not just the recipes that come with the app. I've been collecting the quick and easy recipes posted in the Knitting Community Spin Along, "Rather Spin Than Cook," and I'm looking forward to adding them to the app.
What's in my wine glass: Ironstone Cabernet Franc 2009. Very nice!

Note: This blog post was produced on the iPad and MacBook working together, but no Windows were opened, waited for or cleaned.

High Fiber--Fiber High!

Anyone recognize this fiber?

This is brown and black poodle hair, left over from Rocky and Sunny's last grooming appointment. I had Marcia, our groomer, collect it and give it to me. It's only a month's worth of growth, though, so I'm going to mix it with another fiber or fibers to make a ski hat for their 'Daddy." I had lots of white merino roving and some alpaca, but I wanted to save the alpaca I have for another blending project. DH wanted to pick up some alpaca "beans" at Linda and Mike's, so it provided an opportunity to see what they had in fiber I could mix with the poodle hair. (Alpaca beans = really good manure)

Gabriella, one of their alpaca crias (Cria = alpaca baby), lost her mother when she was a month old. Linda has been feeding her with a bottle. When we went out to see the animals, Gabriella nuzzled Linda, indicating she wanted to nurse, even though she had just had a bottle. Her hair is gorgeous and soft, so Linda and Mike plan to enter her first "blanket" (Blanket = alpaca fleece) in competition. They have five crias, and in spite of many setbacks, the herd is growing. (BTW, alpacas hummmmmm, and they don't spit unless they're really p___d! Like at shearing time, or if a boy wants to mate and they don't. During shearing, the alpacas often wear a sock on their noses in case of spitting. They are very friendly, though, and don't spit otherwise.)

We went to the barn, where I picked out this roving from Kimberly. It's really bay black--a very deep black--but I had to lighten up the photo so you could see the texture. It's very soft!

Linda and Mike have lots of roving and yarn available at their Etsy store, Free Spirit Fiber Arts.

In my stash at home, I have lots of white merino I bought from my spinning teacher. I decided to use it, but I didn't want to mix stark white with the "pacapoo" fiber, so I dyed it with Koolaid and black food coloring. I was aiming for a brownish color, but the black broke into it's component colors, so this is how it came out:

I don't know if it was the dyeing method or the fiber type that caused the black to break, but I think it will work out fine. (I will blend a sample first.) I dyed it in my sun tea jar. Here's how it looked when I first put the dye and roving out in the sun:

...and here's what it looked like after all the dye was exhausted:

I plan on using the drum carder to blend the fibers. After I do a sample to see how it looks together, I will weigh the poodle hair and combine it with about four ounces of alpaca and four ounces of the dyed merino.

Remember the Koolaid-dyed SW merino and nylon for a bigger BSJ (Baby Surprise Jacket) for Daphne? Here is is, lounging in front of the fire, almost dry. I will do another WPI to see what the weight of the finished yarn is, and if I get the right weight, I will be doing my swatch for the BSJ. Then time to CO!

Speaking of casting on, I cast on the Penny/Willow alpaca yarn for the Irish Hiking Hat for DBIL.

Penny was the mother alpaca who died recently leaving Gabriella an orphan, and the yarn (spun by me) was in DSIL's stash, which DBIL brought to me after she passed away. Her UFO, an Aran cardi for him, which I promised to finish, isn't going to be done in time for Christmas because there isn't enough yarn, so this will make a nice gift in the meantime and will keep his head warm on the ski slopes and while using the snow blower on his driveway. The pattern for the hat is available for free here.

In quilting news, the two quilt tops I have been working on are finished. This one is "Promise of Spring." These fabrics came from my stash and are mostly '30s reproduction fabrics in blues, yellows and reds.

...and this is "Churro Blanket on a Wall." (The fabrics are mostly batiks, and all from Connecting Threads.)

My friend Julie quilts professionally, so I will give them to her at Vintage Stitchers this week.

Saturday, Joanie, Linda and I went to the Acorn Antique Show in Ogden, UT. We stopped at the Union Grill for lunch after leaving the show.

No trip to Ogden would be complete without stopping at The Needlepoint Joint, a great store that sells knitting and other fiber-fun supplies. I showed the nice ladies who work there DH's sleeveless Fair Isle Cardi, all finished, and returned five hanks of yarn for a credit. I asked them about DSIL's UFO, and they determined that there wasn't enough yarn to finish it. The closest thing they could offer to do the sleeves was three balls of Jamieson & Smith's jumper-weight wool held together, which would have cost $120 just for the sleeves. Yikes! I decided to check some places in Salt Lake City to see if they have some Aran weight yarn that will coordinate, maybe black. I didn't get to spend my credit, because Linda had to get back to feed Gabriella and do chores, but we will be back in February for the next antique show. They have spindles and spinning fiber, as well as a great selection of sock yarns, so it will be nice to look forward to spending the credit when we go back!

No blog of mine is really complete without a gratuitous baby photo, so here is Daphne in her Halloween costume:

And finally, since we have been talking about alpacas today and not so much about sheep, check this out.

Happy knitting, spinning, dyeing and quilting!