Hand dyeing yarn

Lil' AR, aka the Little Diva (LD), and I dyed some yarn last weekend. It turned out so nice! She has cast on for a little purse, and I have some plans for the two blue skeins I dyed.

What fun. I am so happy to be passing the love of fiber along to the next generation.

We went to school last night for ice cream and to meet the third grade teacher LD will have this year. Of course, we have known her forever, since she was my teacher, and the teacher for LD's two big brothers when they were smaller. She is a knitter! Yay, knitters!

She asked if I could come in and demonstrate the drop spindle for her class later in the year when they read a story about wool from sheep to sweater, or something. I said definitely!

She will also be continuing with the knitting in her classroom, since it was a big hit in past years. I'll be doing the afterschool classes again, too. As long as there is $ for supplies, I'm there!


Well, here is my two plied yarn. It really looks like yarn. Thanks so much to Carrie, for getting me hooked. I've had the stuff for a year, but I just couldn't get it. Now, I think I've got it!



I love the plying part, it's fun. Now, I have to get back to work. There really is truth in the saying a "clean house is a sign of a broken computer"! Hehe


Oh, yeah, I have to say Melanie, another knitting friend was with us when Carrie was showing me how to two-ply and she was just as confused as I was at first, but she isn't a spinner (YET) LOL

Thank you all for the nice comments!!

p.s. My camera date is all messed up, so if you click and see the pics bigger, ignore the date. 2002, Jeeshe!

Free Coffee

I got this from The Scattered Gemini. Mmmmmmm.

Dye Wool, Dye! ;)

I still haven't been knitting. I've been dyeing. :)
This is the white merino roving I got from Amy, and I split it into two half pound bundles, then went crazy with the acid dyes. I love the little jellyroll it made in the pan! So cute.

Then I had lots more mixed up dye left so I did a couple of skeins of white merino yarn. When I put them in the sink, after dyeing, they were both only dark bluish-purple, but when I opened the skeins up, all of the colors were there. So pretty, like tie-dye.

I also got my blue roving spun up, and today Carrie showed me how to ply it. Funny story: We're sitting in her dining room and I said "Ok, show me how to ply these, I'm ready", and she went to grab a spindle, I was like "What do you need a spindle for?" Seriously! "You're joking, right?" She said. Hehehe, really! I've heard everyone talking about plying, and I just didn't get it. Duh! It's not so magical when someone explains the simplicity of it. I didn't know you spin the two singles together. Urgh! *slaps forehead* At least I spun it the right way and didn't unspin! Then she says "You're spinning it the wrong way!" I even believed her for a second.

I'll show off some pics of the two-ply yarn sometime. I made yarn!!

Ok, lastly Hubby and I had our 15th year anniversary Wednesday. I told him I just wanted to go out on a date. Just the two of us, no kids, but he got me presents! I Tinkerbell shirt, a Dirty Dancing CD, and lots of chocolate! Does that man know me, or what? Then his mom gave us a gift certificate to a nice restaurant here, and is taking the kids! So I get the date, too.

Thanks so much for all of the nice comments on the face painting and everything! I'm so glad to have made such nice friends!

What we've been up to

To see what we did Friday, go to Carrie's. Fun stuff! LOL

Saturday we went to a charity event, where I painted faces for donations. This little mime had her face done three times, but I only took pics of this. And, by the way, Carrie and her Hubby did a carwash to raise $ for the charity. They did super great, and I believe that's what pushed our team into the number one money raising spot! Very Cool!

Then we went to my brother's, and the kids played in the pool until it was dark. What fun! I got to visit with my sister and her husband from down state. Her husband's brother was there with his wife, too. We started talking about knitting. She knits sweaters for all of the kids in their school. She also knits hats with the school team name on them. So cool! She and her husband drove their motorcycles down to visit with the family.

When my brother was talking about the Tiger's, my Hubby asked if they were scrolling scores on the bottom of the screen. He needed to hear how the Red Sox were doing, and it turns out My Sis's sister-in-law grew up

near Boston, and is as much of a fan(fanatical, super-fan) as my

Hubby is. So, then they started talking about the Red Sox. So funny.

But the big news here today is "I got the fiber and spindle I bought from Amy!". Yay! Amy sent me the most gorgeous colors. Soft mooshiness of wooly goodness. I am nervous about dyeing the merino, but I am going to do it! She also sent the most adorable little sheep button that is orange! Such a cool, smart lady! I cannot wait to make yarn! Carrie is going to have to show me how to do the plying thingy when I get it spun up. Whoo-Hoo!

You know what I'll be up to. Dyeing and Spinning. I'll get to the knitting part later, when I have some handspun to use.

Knit on, knitters, and I was going to say Dye on, dyers, but that sounds weird. So Craft On, Crafters!
:)

I haven't been knitting

because I've been spinning, and lovin' it! I started LD's shawl when I got back from the fiber fest, but last week I went over to Carrie's and she sent me home with a new spindle (which I'll return tomorrow), and a bag of fiber she bought at the fest. So I haven't touched the shawl since then! But, I think I'm getting it! I have some yarn (like) stuff made! LD has been spinning, too.
I filled the two spindles I had, so I threw one together with a couple of cds, and a hook, and a dowel dpn I made a while ago. It works, but I (of course) went and spent some $ on a new spindle for myself, and some roving from BoogieKnits. Love her shop! I can't wait to get them, so I can spin some more! (And hopefully get better at it)
Well, I have a scarf knit of ribbon to finish for a charity event on Saturday, so when Carrie and I get together tomorrow, that's what I'll be working on. I also have to add fringe to the 3 other ones that I knitted. I don't see myself knitting with that weird ribbon again. It's pretty, but not much fun to work with.

I'll have to try to remember to take pics before I give them away.

It is past my bedtime, but this was the only time I could get this computer. Liar! I have been doing some Webkinz. It is addicting! LD says I need to get my own, since I play hers all of the time. Hehe. Now you know what I have really been up to. Spinning and playing kids games. I know I'm not the only one, though.

Busy weekend ahead! There is the charity thing, I'll be face painting to raise $, and my sister and brother-in-law are coming up from downstate. I haven't seen them in a while, so that will be great. Hope everyone has a great weekend!! :D

Finally!

I have finally sorted through the fiber fest pics that I took, and that Carrie took. She has some on her blog, too. I took a lot of pics of the fashion show, but they aren't that great.

Here I am trying on a gorgeous hand knit coat. I loved it, but they sure did clean up the fashion show knits after that. Hehehe

I met Jae, and S. from To Knit Perchance To Dream. I didn't put your name, because I'm sure I'd have gotten it wrong! She got a pic of us, but I didn't! I did get some of Jae, though. Actually, that's not really true, there is one of me, Carrie, and S., but I look ridiculous!! Carrie's smiling all cute, but I'm talking and making some weird face, so you don't get to see that one. Sorry!

I only bought a tiny bit of stuff. Last week, I went over to Carrie's and she was spinning with her new fibers, and she sent me home with a spindle to borrow, and a bag of pretty, pretty black and white roving. Mmmmm. I'm not very good, yet, but I think I'm getting it!

I also started a shawl with the pink and purple yarn for the Little Diva. She has been spinning, too!

That wool rug, primitive rug hooking, wow! That's what I want to learn next! Gorgeous!!!!

Gotta run! Knit on, y'all!

p.s. Thanks for the nice comments. I swear when things slow down around here, I'll email all y'all. :)