Month: July 2005

  • dyeing? also addictive

    So I finally got everything to set myself up for dyeing, and went for it!

    Here’s my set-up. On the left in the white bin are my jars of stock solution, and on the right is my corriedale which had been soaking overnight – 2 4 oz sections.

    The dye in plastic squeeze bottles (which were surprisingly difficult to find, for some reason). For this experiment I left them all as 1% solutions.

    I followed the directions at the Dye Pot, but I added vinegar to each layer rather than pouring it over the top. I used red, yellow and blue Cushings dyes, and I only did 4 oz because I didn’t want to screw up! Stay tuned for the exciting conclusion…all I can say is, the rest of my fibre better show up soon, because I am ADDICTED.

    In the meanwhile, I’ve been working on finishing up Spencer! So close!

    I’ve finished the bottom ribbing now, and am working on the button bands.

    Here’s hoping all are safe and sound.

  • a sewing interlude

    Last night I met up with Jill and Johanna at Fabricland, where they each came away with two fabrics to make skirts! After some dinner and wine, we got down to some sewing and this is what they came away with at the end of the night:

    (Jill on the left, Johanna on the right.) I don’t know if you can see, but Johanna’s has various woodland animals on it – raccoons, bears, moose (or is it elk? maybe deer…) and the like – it’s awesome. Jill’s geometric print looks great on her, too! I’m happy they came out so great!

    This morning I received an impossibly small box containing the fibre I ordered off eBay (seller: wind4934):

    Or should I say, most of the fibre. He’d forgotten to put in one pound of corriedale (bringing the total up to 2). Plus, I had to pay taxes, which sucked (it was $15!). Anyway, we got it all sorted out and he’s shipping me the rest of the fibre and hopefully will check the “gift” box this time!

    Even though I bought a bunch of supplies (funnel, squeeze bottles, tape, wooden spoons) for dyeing, I’m still not completely outfitted – I need an apron, gloves, and a big measuring cup, which I’ll pick up today. Then hopefully I can mix up my stock solutions outside tonight and do some dyeing tomorrow! Maybe even tonight, if I’m up to it and it’s not raining…

    Oh, one more thing – I went to the library yesterday (to pick up my hold copy of “Mindscan”, the new book by Robert J. Sawyer, one of my fav authors) and picked up a whole bunch of knitting/spinning/dyeing books. That dyer’s companion is intense – I hadn’t thought about dye stock solutions and such until now, really.

  • oh no!

    So I’m sitting in lecture yesterday, and I go to pull my footie-in-progress out of my bag. This is what I found:

    Dammitall! That was one of my favourite needles, too. :( Luckily I had a backup project in my bag (the bamboo tank). But damn.

    I’ve finally gotten a good start on the ribbing for sideways spencer:

    It’s coming along really nicely! I’ll be done the second sleeve’s ribbing shortly, then I’ll sew up the seams before picking up for the bottom ribbing. I’ve done 4×2 ribbing on the sleeves, not 2×2 as written in the pattern – so, should I do 2×2 or 4×2 ribbing for the bottom of the sweater? The button bands will have to be in 2×2…