Handpainted Yarns

I dyed this yarn I bought as blank skeins from Dharmafey. It is a Superwash/Bamboo/Nylon blend.

I did two batches. Both were handpainted with Dharma fiber reactive dyes with vinegar as the agent mixed with the chemical water. I let it sit around 20 hours then steam set them.

Black Orchid

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I wanted something dark and rich. I love the Raven colorways from Blue Moon Fiber Arts. But after their Atomic 6 colorway fading so badly that it isn't even the same colors, I am unwilling to buy more of their yarn. So I figured why not dye a colorway similar but yet my own.

There are four dyes - black as well as deep purple, burgundy & fire red all mixed with varying amounts of black.

I really like the way this colorway came out. I think it will look wonderful in socks.

The name is inspired by the graphic novel by Neil Gaiman & Dave McKean.

Chocolates

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This batch was dyed for my friend Meredith. She said she really just wanted brown & black. So that is what I did. Pretty simple. It is two different concentrations of chocolate brown & black (same black as the Black Orchid).

I think it came out well and hope she will like it.

Because of the Superwash/Bamboo/Nylon blend, there is a shimmer to the yarn. It looks wonderful. I need to buy more of this yarn. It also super soft.

I made my Baudelaire socks out of this base yarn dyed by Dharmafey. I really love them. They feel great and are super comfy. They are wearing pretty well.

Spinning Romney

I got 8+ ounces of Romney fiber at the Scottish Highland Games in Delaware. I picked it up before I had a spinning wheel. I got it because Romney is very sticky. I was told Romney is good for spinning as a beginner.

The roving was very sticky. I am guessing it wasn't heavily washed. I mean, it was dyed so it has to have been washed some, right? But it still felt sorta gummy. Even after soaking the yarn with Eucalan while setting the twist, it is still a bit tacky. But not as bad as it was before soaking it, but I can still feel some tackiness.

The bulk of the yarn was spun on my Babe double treadle production wheel. It really is such a wonderful wheel. I am loving it more and more as I use it.

Here are some pics of the yarn:

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Here is a pick of the yarn I created using the a single I had spun with my a drop spindle I got from ebay.

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It is overtwisted and very irregular. I really suspect that if I use this at all, it will be as trim or edging. It is still twisting some even after I soaked it. But hey, it just tells me how far I have come, right?

The yarn is still very much a bulky yarn for most of it. There are some points when I was able to draft it much thinner (like the smaller ball). And that really does make a difference in the size. But overall I am getting about 6-7 wpi. So it is still a bulky yarn. However, I feel like I am making progress. And the more I spin, the better it is getting.

I am really glad I picked this up. I think it has taught me a good deal. And it was something like $12 for the 8+ oz. So it was ideal for learning.

I did a 2 strand ply again. I got some elastic so I was able to use my DIY lazy kate as tensioned. It worked pretty well. Though I want to get a slightly thinner elastic as I think that might work better. I also think some clips would help. There are pegs on the bottom of the Babe that are supposed to work as a lazy kate. But honestly, I do not see how they spin very well from there. So I am not using them. I am using a cardboard box, 2 knitting needles and point protectors. It works pretty well.

It is similar to this one:

http://craftycanines.typepad.com/stuck_on_socks/2005/03/diy_tensioned_l.html

The difference is that I am using a wooden box instead of a plastic bin.

Though this one has my Babe bobbins instead of the wooden ones:

http://purly-qs.blogspot.com/2007/10/diy-tensioned-lazy-kate.html

There is this one as well:

http://loomythoughts.blogspot.com/2007_04_01_archive.html

I am figuring I want to get some similar clips and then the cardboard to hold it in place. I think that will help with the tensioning.

I think I got about 90 yards of yarn (not counting the super twisted stuff from the spindle with is probably another 5 yards or so). That is pretty good I think.

Of course now comes the great debate on what to do with it. I fear I am going to have a dozen scarves by the end of this process! *laugh* Because it is so irregular, that seems to be what I keep ended up with. I can't really see much else other than maybe mittens or something. But I don't wear mittens. I only wear leather gloves. And it is sorta odd stuff. So I don't think anyone but me would wear mittens made with this stuff! *laugh*

I spun 2 oz. of Ashland Bay 70% Merino wool & 30% Silk roving into a single. It is in pewter which is greys & some other colors added into it. I got it at The Yarn Tree. I want to go back and get some more. It feels lovely and spins very well. Of course Paul likes the color. There is a surprise. *laugh*

I also dyed some sock yarn on Saturday. It is some superwash/bamboo/nylon yarn I picked up from Dharmafey of Cosmic Fibers. I dyed one batch for my friend Meredith who I promised socks. The other is for me. I will have to take pics and share them. I like the way both came out.

So it was a fiberlicious weekend for me. *chuckle*

Scarf for Paul

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Cast On:

May 24, 2008

Completed:

June 20, 2008

Yarn:

Handspun Kid Shetland from Unique Designs by Kathy

http://www.uniquedesignsbykathy.com/

1 skeins = 160.0 yards (146.3m)

&

Bernat Cashmere Natural Blends in Colorway 16040/Grey

4 skeins = 412.0 yards (376.7m)

Needles:

US 4 / 3.5 mm for the handspun

US 8 / 5.0 mm for Bernat

I wanted a super simple project to knit at a Memorial Day weekend BBQ.

I really wanted something that would feature the yarn I bought at Unique Designs by Kathy. But I knew it wasn’t enough to make a scarf for my husband. And he liked the yarn.

So I decided to make a scarf for him by adding another yarn.

I figured the handspun would really be best featured by something simple. I decided to just go with garter stitch. Super simple for knitting at the bbq.

I cast on 80 stitches on the size 4 needles. However, after a couple rows it was turning out 12" wide. My husband’s ideal scarf width it 8-9". So I ripped it out and cast on 60. That gave me around 9" which was ideal.

When I added the Bernat Cashmere Blend, I knit one, then knit 2 together. This way I decreased to 40 stitch to get it around the same width. It isn’t perfect but I think I can block it and they should look pretty even.

I did a basketweave stitch pattern for the body of the scarf. I handed Paul my first scarf which is a sampler scarf and told him to pick the pattern he liked. I find the basketweave is very simple. I did k4, p4 for 5 rows & then p4, k4 for 5. That way it seems to come out roughly square.

It turned out to be a bit over 70" which is the ideal length for Paul. It is long enough to wrap around twice. It is also long enough so he can fold it in half and loop it though itself which is also how he likes to wear it. He seems very happy with it.

Definitely a pleasure to knit and very simple.

First Time I Plyed Two Spun Singles Together

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This is the first yarn where I have spun two singles and plied them together. The others yarns I had done were so irregular and thick in spots that I plied them with thread as not to add more bulk to them.

It is 4 oz. of Finn that the woman who sold me the Babe wheel gave me. It spun really nicely. I think it had a nice long staple which meant I could draft it out pretty well.

While I am still not super consistent about the thickness, I am improving. There are some thicker & thinner bits in the yarn. But overall, it is much better in consistency. I am still learning a lot but it is getting better the more I am spinning.

I really do love the wheel. I was having some issues with it, but I think that was me getting used to the wheel. Most of them have been resolved by my being attentive to how I sit, where I put my feet on the treadles & my darling hubby tightening up some screws on the wheel. So I think things are good!

I also did my first batch of dyeing with Kool-Aid. It was pretty easy and the color is okay. I think I would have liked more richness to the color. But it did work well. I really liked that I could do it in the microwave because it was all edible products. So I didn't have to stress about it being toxic.

The purple is created with grape Kool-Aid. It is sorta dusty purple. The red is tropical punch. I had wanted black cherry as it is darker. But the store didn't have any. The colors are pretty decent. I also added some red & blue food coloring to some of the sections. Though honestly, you can't see a difference between the sections with the food coloring and the ones without. *shrugs*

I had planned to just lay out the yarn in a large container and do it that way. But when I poured the dye onto the yarn, I found that there was no way with that method that the colors would remain in place. So I took the cups I mixed the different dyes in and just kept the yarn in each of the cups.

I used the 2 minutes in the microwave, two minutes rest. I would spoon the color over the parts that were sticking up over the edges of the cups. It worked pretty well.

Overall I am happy with the results. I might decide to overdye the color. But it is just as likely I will leave it as it is.

I definitely think I should invest in some acid dyes. What I liked about this dyeing process is that you are supposed to heat it until the water becomes clear. So that is a lot less rinsing. And after handpainting with the fiber reactive dyes and the rinsing that takes all day, not spending hours rinsing is very appealing. *chuckle* Also, for creating painted rovings, the acid dyes are a better way to go. I will have to check into them.

The yarn is only around 55 yards though. Ah well. Maybe I will create a thin decorative scarf. I am not sure. Either way I am definitely having fun with spinning. Now that I have gotten the hang of it, it is getting really calming to do it.

Definitely Not Morpheus...

The wheel did *not* like the name.

It was not at all happy last night. A nut came off the piece that attaches the treadles to the wheel! And the leather strap that is the brake came out of the velcro that holds it in place! *shakes head*

Paul fixed the treadle issue. The nuts had slipped loose and wasn't treadling correctly. But my darling hubby fixed it.

The brake was an easy repair as well. It is just velcro folded over a leather strap. The velcro was stapled at the sides to hold it closed. So I opened it, made a knot at the end of the leather, reglued it and then staple the sides again. Not a biggie.

It is really making me wonder if I shouldn't return this one and get a brand new one. The woman I bought it from made that offer. But I really am reluctant. It would be more money & I would be without the wheel for as long as it would take to get the new one. I do like this one. But I keep juggling the choices in my head.

Paul and I are going down to his folks this weekend. The woman I bought it from is on the way. So it makes me think I should decide before the weekend. I am not sure honestly. It does seem like the wheel may have taken some abuse while she was teaching with it. But heaven knows it could just be me getting used to it. I am just not sure. Thus the debate.

Inspired to Decorate & The Wheel May Have a Name

On the Ravelry Babe Wheel forum, I came across some amazing photos from a fellow Babe owner.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/lilithparker/sets/72157603889587188/

I love the way the wheel looks. It is really beautiful.

She used Deco Art Americana paints & added some chainmail she had. Amazing...

It got me thinking that it might be cool to decorate mine!

My first thought was actually black with red & gold flames. *laugh* But I kept churning the idea in my head. Wondering what to do.

Something popped into my head. Morpheus. I will have to see if the wheel likes the name. But I don't know why, it works for me.

I might be time to reread the Sandman books again. It has been a while. But I like the idea of black with silver and perhaps some other colors. Spinner of dreams. *grin*

I am not sure yet. But I figure I can see if the name fits.

I Have Plied & My First Project with My Own Handspun

I Plied! Woohoo!

I did my first batch of plying yarn. I am super excited!

I spent time on Saturday plying the singles for the three fibers I had made into singles.

The first is the Ashland Bay Multi-Color Merino 64 Top Roving in raspberry color with other colors added.

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Purchased at the Yarn Tree in Brooklyn.

http://www.theyarntree.com

Spun about an ounce on my drop spindle, spin the remainder with my Babe Double Treadle Production wheel. I plied it with black thread as it was very thick in spots & very thin in others so I didn’t want to add more bulk by plying two stands together.

I have to say, not at all bad for my first plying attempt. After soaking to set the twist, 2 of the 3 skeins laid flat. The smallest skein was twisting some. However I was able to untwist it a bit when I knit with it. So I think it worked out really well for my first plying attempt.

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Left:

Kona Merino Mohair Roving in browns with some green.

Purchased at the Yarn Tree in Brooklyn.

http://theyarntree.com

Right:

Pencil Roving gifted to be from a terrific woman on Ravelry (who I suspect also got it at the Yarn Tree)

Single spun on my drop spindle. Plied with my Babe Double Treadle Production wheel. The pencil roving was plyed with black thread, the Kona was with green. The pencil roving wasn't as much thick and thin, but I still liked to not make it so thick. So I like using the thread.

I have to say, not at all bad for my first plying attempt. Done the same day with the Ashland Bay Multi-Color Merino 64.

I am definitely loving the wheel! It makes such a difference. And I really am enjoying it.

So what to do. I had the 4 oz of Ashland Bay fiber so I needed to knit something with it of course.

Pattern:

Instant Gratification Scarf by Cyn

http://www.cyn.ca/knit/patterns/instant-gratification-scarf/

Yarn:

My First Handspun!!

From Ashland Bay Multi-Color Merino 64 Roving

4 oz.

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Needles:

US 13 Knitpicks Options

I kove the pattern. It was super quick and easy. It also shows off the thick and thin texture of the handspun yarn very nicely. The twisted drop stitch gives it a bit more structure which is good given this is my first handspun!

This is pretty short. It is a neckwarmer, not really a scarf. I could have cast on less stitches to get more length, but I really like things wider. I will have to pin it in place. I definitely like it. My first handspun project!

It was a productive weekend which is good given it was too hot to step foot outside. *grin*

St. George's Day Dragon Scarf Done & WIP

I am feeling accomplished. I got two things off my waiting to be completed pile so there isn't anything waiting now!

St. George's Day Dragon Scarf

Cast On:

April 24, 2008

Off the Needles:

May 21, 2008

Finished:

June 4, 2008

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There are more pics in my flickr set:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/akkasha/sets/72157604706892854/

Pattern:

Puff the Merino Dragon Scarf by Morehouse Merino

http://www.morehousefarm.com/KnittingKits/Scarves/Dragon/

Yarn:

Morehouse Farm Merino Merino 3-Strand

2.5 skeins = 350.0 yards (320.0m)

Needles:

US 8 / 5.0 mm Bamboo dpns

Cast on for St. George's feast. grin

I ordered another kit as it was on sale. I had figured I would cast it on at some point. Then my hubby read me something my mother-in-law wrote him. She was wondering what dragons do on St. George's feast day. *laugh* I love the woman.

So it seemed only right to cast on the scarf.

I recall why I like the pattern. It is actually pretty simple once you understand the basic repeats.

I really think the pattern was designed for a small child because it turns out way too short if you follow the pattern as is.

I still miss my first one, Dracul. *sniffle* I lost him on the PATH train last fall. The problem was he was too short. So he kept falling off me.

This time I picked up an extra skein of the yarn. I have done more repeats & making it wider at the top. It really wasn't to challenging to tweak the pattern to get it wider. I went out to 15 stitches for the garter edge. I also did the 12-14 stitch spikes 3 times each. And then I did the 15 stitch spike 5 times to get it long enough that I can wrap it around my neck.

With the modifications, it is 77" total. A good length for me. I don't think this one will get lost.

I had to tweak the decreases to the head a bit, but it wasn't too bad. Since I increase to 15 stitches for the garter area, it gave me 2 extra to decrease. So I did the spike decrease at 10 stitches instead of 8 as the pattern suggests. Then I did a 5 stitch bind off spike instead of the 4 in the pattern. This means I removed another row. I did the final spike as a 4 stitch decrease spike as the pattern said.

I also am doing it on size 8 needles this time. I did my first one on size 10s because I was knitting so tight that that is what I required to get gauge. However, I want this one to be tighter, thus more dense.

Though I have to be careful… This yarn breaks...a lot. In the first 2 repeats, the yarn has broken three times. I loosen up on my stitches but there was still some breaking. The good news is that wool sticks to itself. So I just rejoin the yarn. But it does mean working back to get enough to join the yarn together.

I confess I don't see how this yarn is three ply. I find it is very loose and there isn't much twist to it at all. Guess it is just my tight knitting coming back to bite me. *laugh*

I really love the pattern. I found it was pretty easy as you get used to the repeat. I really enjoy knitting it. And I am glad to have a longer scarf so hopefully this one won't get lost like my first one!

I got the eyes from Suncatcher Eyes - http://www.suncatchereyes.net/ . I bought several different pairs to see which I liked best. I decided the copper looked the best.

I am happy with the way he turned out for certain. And hopefully with the additional length, this one won't disappear!

Scarf for Paul

Cast On:

May 24, 2008

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Yarn:

Handspun Kid Shetland from Unique Designs by Kathy

http://www.uniquedesignsbykathy.com/

1 skeins = 160.0 yards (146.3m)

&

Bernat Cashmere Natural Blends in Colorway 16040

4 skeins = 412.0 yards (376.7m)

Needles:

US 4 / 3.5 mm for the handspun

US 8 / 5.0 mm for Bernat

I wanted a super simple project to knit at a Memorial Day weekend BBQ.

I really wanted something that would feature the yarn I bought at Unique Designs by Kathy. But I knew it wasn't enough to make a scarf for my husband. And he liked the yarn.

So I decided to make a scarf for him by adding another yarn.

I figured the handspun would really be best featured by something simple. I decided to just go with garter stitch. Super simple for knitting at the bbq.

I cast on 80 stitches on the size 4 needles. However, after a couple rows it was turning out 12” wide. My husband's ideal scarf width it 8-9”. So I ripped it out and cast on 60. That gave me around 9” which was ideal.

When I added the Bernat Cashmere Blend, I knit one, then knit 2 together. This way I decreased to 40 stitch to get it around the same width. It isn't perfect but I think I can block it and they should look pretty even.

I am doing a basketweave stitch pattern for the body of the scarf. I handed Paul my first scarf which is a sampler scarf and told him to pick the pattern he liked. I find the basketweave is very simple. I am doing k4, p4 for 5 rows & then p4, k4 for 5. That way it seems to come out roughly square.

This is half done currently and about 37". So it should be a good length.

Trinity's Tomten Done

Cast On:

April 4, 2008

Off the Needles:

May 11, 2008

Completed:

June 4, 2008

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Pattern:

Modular Tomten Jacket by Elizabeth Zimmermann

From Knitting Without Tears

Made for:

Trinity for Xmas

Yarn:

Lion Brand Lion Suede Solid in Teal

5.8 skeins = 707.6 yards (647.0m)

Purchased at 99 Cent Jacks

Needles:

US 10 / 6.0 mm Knitpicks Options

I am happy I completed this. It was off my needles almost a month ago, but I didn't have the buttons for it. I was looking for something that was pretty & yet didn't cost an arm and a leg.

I figured that someone on Etsy might have something they were selling. I figured more in terms of something they were destashing.

In my button search I found this:

http://www.etsy.com/view_transaction.php?transaction_id=8817501

I was completely stunned that the vendor was selling 12 handmade buttons for $7.50! I purchased them right away. They were shipped out very quickly. The seller, cathyharm, even included some extra items like a pen covered with polymer clay millefiori and a couple paper clips with polymer clay flowers. It was sweet.

I think they look good on the jacket. Though they are probably a bit more dainty than the jacket. But given the jacket is teal which can look a bit blue, I wanted something very girly.

I am glad it is completed. I think it is probably way too big for the recipient, Trinity, but she is growing fast so I would rather it be too big than too small.

I really thought I was going to start on a baby surprise sweater for Trinity's not yet born sibling. But I thought it was in Knitting Around. It isn't. *sigh* So I may see if my hubby can get it from another branch of the library.

I Got a Wheel! I Got a Wheel!

I have been very interested in trying out a Babe wheel. They are PVC and a good deal less expensive than most wheels. The closest wood wheel in price I found was a Fricke that Cathyz from Ravelry mentioned to me. The S-160 was still around $75 more than the Babe. Mind you, the Fricke seems like a great wheel. But I really didn't want to spend too much given I am new at this. I don't honestly know if I will fall in love with spinning or not. So I figured as long as the Babe wheel worked well, that is what mattered most.

On Sunday, I went to meet with the woman who is listed on the Babe site as a dealer. She is this sweet woman named Sherry. Unfortunately, she had to close the business for personal reasons. But she was willing to have me come into her home to try out the Babe Double Treadle Production wheel she had. She was so accommodating and kind about it.

She showed me her wheels. She has 11! She did explain some were her daughter's who doesn't have the space currently. But still. Wow. There were some amazing pieces including pendulum and walking wheels. Amazing.

She had me try treadling on the Babe Double Treadle Production wheel as that is what I came to see. I tried it in both directions to seeing how I liked the feel of the wheel. She seemed impressed that I continued to treadle as she introduced me to her husband. The wheel moved very easily and I found I was able to switch directions. It felt good. She suggested I should practice treadling when watching tv and such to get a good feel for it.

She then offered me some fiber to try out on the wheel. It was brown/grey & pretty sticky with lots of crimp. I forgot to ask what it was, but my guess would be Romney as it was similar to the Romney I have. And why give a newbie the good stuff? *laugh*

So we are talking and she says something about if I like to take it home. *blink* I really thought I would be ordering it through her. Not leaving with the one she had. So I asked her what she wanted for it. It was around $75 less than it would have been new! And I would have it that very day.

Of course I said yes!

Isn't it lovely?

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Okay. So for most traditionalists, it isn't lovely. But it is lovely to me!

I actually sorta like it being a geek. It seems very creative to use PVC and wheelchair wheels for this. It is super light. Also since it isn't wood, I don't have to stress about humidity changes and such. Mind you the apartment is pretty dry, but you never know what will come in the future with the places I live.

More details about this wheel:

http://www.babesfibergarden.com/production.html

Sherry was so sweet about what I was producing. She kept saying it was "designer yarn" with all the slubs, plus the irregular thickness. *chuckle* I am definitely overspinning the fiber which is a super common beginner's problem. It is definitely not pretty stuff. But hey, I am learning.

She also gave be some fiber to take home with me. It is marked Finn. But of course did I use that? Nope. I used some roving that I picked up at the Yarn Tree. (More about that later.)

So here is a picture of my first spinning wheel singles!

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It isn't ideal. But hey, I still like it. I don't know what I will do with it yet. But I am hoping to figure that out. *crosses fingers*

CathyZ from Ravelry mentioned that I could ply with some thread. That way it would give the strength of plying without adding more thickness as another ply would. There is a Knitty.com article about doing that. Though that does say it is a more advanced technique and I should be good at plying before trying it. Though that may not stop me from trying. *laugh*

Just gotta say again. "I have a wheel!" I kept saying that all the way home in the car with my husband. He was so good natured about it. He said it was fun the way I was bouncing! I was just sooo excited. *grin*

I also wanted to mention my trip to the Yarn Tree on Thursday. *sighs happily* Another great recommendation from CathyZ. She is taking classes there (which I would love to do some day). She suggested I could go there to get different fibers and see what I enjoy spinning with and what works best for me.

Of course, I went saying I would just pick up an ounce or two of 3-4 different things. Just enough to test. Well... I did end up with 4 different types of roving & a beautifully colored silk hankie. *sigh* There was a colored roving that was only $2 an ounce so I decided to pick up 4 oz with the hopes that I could use that to create enough yarn to create something I can knit.

I also got a Kundert butternut spindle. I really didn't like the spindle I got from the kit from Ebay. I was struggling with it a lot and felt it really wasn't good about maintaining a spin. So I decided to splurge and get a new spindle. I am sooooo glad I did. It really makes a huge difference. The one I got spins longer without as much effort.

I spent a good deal of time on Friday trying some of the fibers I got. I decided to try the Kona merino/mohair blend I got. It was beautiful to work with. *sigh* I am definitely getting some more of that. Of course, I didn't draft it out enough so I ended up with the thick/thin issue again. But it is better.

I think then I tried the pencil roving that CathyZ gave me. It is still too thick but it is definitely better. It really helped that it was drafted out already.

Then I tried...*sighs happily* the silk hankie. Oh man. I wish I could spin this stuff all the time. The fibers are super long so I could pull it way out and make it thinner than anything else I had spun. So I finally got some much thinner yarn. Though again, it is definitely bumpy. But there is definitely improvement. I wish I could spin that stuff forever. But at $17 for the 1 oz hankie I bought, I am thinking I need to rethink that. *laugh* I kinda knew I would love that. I adore pretty much anything silk.

So here is a pic of my singles so far:

I am so happy.

Just gotta say it again... "I Got A Wheel!" *grin*