Author: denisemor

Circled back around today to Alcott color selections for reworking the chart

Here are the colors- four bought (Biches et Buches Petite lambswool), and three handspun

Tried a few different combos in Stitchfiddle ( which is a lot of fun to play with), of which this is currently my favorite

I think maybe I’ll make a hat as a swatch to see how it looks in real life before starting on the vest.

The other kind of picking I’ve been up to is in the garden. Here is today’s take

Snap peas are gone, and raspberries are tapering off. But figs are coming along nicely and zuchinni, carrots and potatoes are still going strong.

So thankful for our little patch of land the comfort it has been providing me through these last few months.

Last weeks dyed fleece

Is now tidy little muffins

I’m really taken by the Wool Tincture colors. Just ordered a few more to have on hand, you know- in case of a color emergency. 🙂

Because it’s 2020, and who know what is around the bend.

Oh- and a lesson learned on using the wool tinctures in a larger vessel, with more water than the directions specify. The dyes come with citric acid packets that are added to the dyebath to make the color “strike”. But if you are using more water, the provided citric acid won’t adjust the pH enough to exhaust the bath, so do make sure that you add vinegar. It makes a big difference!

Stay well, and have a good week-

I’ve been wanting to do some dyeing for a while, but it was only today that my plan came together.

I decided to dye a combination of yarn (Frank and Griff light fingerling two-ply) and locks (Felix and Esther) for use in the Alcott vest project and other blending fun.

Today’s colors are Abundant Earth Wool Tinctures Garnet and Malbec, and Gaywool Bushblends Cypress

Here’s my setup. I love my big steel pot.

And here are the results!

Was really pleased with how it all turned out- the Wool Tinctures went further than I expected, too. The packaging indicated that each packet should color 7 oz of wool, so I weighed everything carefully ahead of time to ensure that I’d could get maximum saturation. But I found that after my planned yarn and fleece batches there was still a bit of dye in the bath, and so I found some extras to exhaust it on- felt scraps and carded batts

So that was fun. But by the time I was finishing my third batch it was really heating up out there. Was glad I’d gotten an early start.

Time to follow the sheeps’ lead and head for the shade-

The Layton-ish sweater is delivered, and while I wasn’t able to be there for the initial try-on due to Covid concerns, I hear that it is a good fit! So I am really pleased (and relieved). You just never know until they slip it on!

So Layton is officially a done deal. And I’m still in prep mode for Alcott, spinning up more Griff and Frank yarn to use in the project. It’s coming along really well, but in the meantime, I needed to get something on the needles.

Thankfully, I have a fairly robust stash 🙂

There is a particular skein that had been calling to me. one that I picked up in La Conner when I was out on a field trip with my knitting peeps from work, back in Feb.

It’s an amazing melange- colorway is called Kandisnky, and I’ve cast on for a garter stitch cowl. Something simple that lets the colors be the main feature.

75% wool and 25% bamboo, and so it has a sheen that is a bit like silk. I’m finding it a pleasure to knit, just watching the way the colors play off each other.

In other news, hay was delivered on Friday!

It’s all put away in the woodshed now, and it smells awesome. 🙂 Hay makes me happy.

And all my efforts in the veggie garden are starting to (literally) bear fruit.

In addition to the raspberries and blueberries that we’ve always got this time of year, I’m harvesting carrots, potatoes, and snap peas. And zuchinni are on the way!