Dye Day

We had another one this last Saturday with the Friday Knitters, plus a couple of Guest Knitters. Eight of us dyed quite a bit of fiber and yarn, some of it is shown below. The weather was cold but it didn't rain, what a bonus for Seattle Dyers in March especially since we were outside on EmBe's patio. We even got a little sun and some of us sat and knit in the patch of sunlight. Our potluck made for a much needed mid-day break, with an outrageous apple crisp for desert from Evanne and wonderful salads from everyone else. Yum.

After lunch Evanne started a big Indigo pot.

Her yarn was periwinkle.
Results of the first dip:

Spin it out.

Squeeze out more.

Evanne and Peggy swoosh it around
to get oxygen into it,
which makes it the true color.

Evanne adds a little of this or that
to make the Indigo more active.

Dipped a second time and squeezed,
jiggled to make it the real color,
slightly darker than the first dip.

Below, Peggy's Merino Top dyed
in the same pot of Indigo.
It's lighter on the inside and should
be a lovely variegated when spun.

Duranee's Lincoln roving from
the Indigo bath.

Reclaimed Lana D'Oro, from a
sweater I frogged.

Resting in the last bit of color
in the cochineal pot.

Rinsed once.

My 33% Merino, 66% Mohair,

handspun 2-ply.

Simmering in Mother MacKenzie's Miracle Dye ~

2 colors we mixed: aubergine and raspberry.

Slightly dry, showing better color.

Dry, it still seems to have that lovely shine.
El K's sprinkle method

with powdered dye.

Peeking under to see what's happening.

Finished and laid out to dry.

Rosy Fingered Dawn

Knitter: Rebecca
Pattern/Fiber: Rosie Fingered Dawn, a shawl kit from Blackberry Ridge; their lace weight wool in six colors.
Details: Knitting began 03-17-2001 and ended 05-06-2001 ~ it was my first massive lace project, inspired by Evelyn Clark who had just knit one for herself and of course I had to do it, too. This shawl was a challenge for me and if I knew then what I now know about lace knitting then I would have gone up a needle size or two for the lace edging. In fact, if I ever run out of things to knit, I may just rip out the current edging and knit on a new one, sideways, so it will stretch better in the blocking.

Blackberry Ridge lace weight wool is a treat to knit with and Hazel Carter writes a classic pattern. The resulting shawl is cozy and warm.

The shawl pin is the design of Beth Richman, who sells her lovely enamel work at street fairs here in the Northwest (Upper Left Coast) and at LaTienda.

Lana D'oro Redo

The Original Sweater:
Mid-1990's Tunic with open work, boat neck,
crochet picot cuff and collar trim.

Taking it apart.

All the pieces.

What the undone yarn looked like.

Yarn after the first soak and dry.

Yarn after the second soak and dry.

Project: Take apart a sweater that I never wear, rehank the yarn, wash it and waa-la! I recovered about 1200 yards of a 50/50 wool alpaca from Cascade Yarns called Lana D'Oro. This is straight enough to knit with as is or maybe I'll dye it and then knit it. We do have a dye day coming up in March...