Stitching My Story

View From a Happy Day...

 

An early morning run with my BFF, followed by an iced mocha and a backwards-knitting discussion. The woman is downright AMBIDEXTROUS when you put a set of knitting needles in her hand.

A bit of embroidery-- continuing on with the blind contour hand drawings and trying to decide on a quote to put on the pocket.

A new bobbin full of hand dyed wool, along with the realization that I need to occasionally step away from the cool side of the color wheel.

View from the Spinning Wheel...

It's always so suprising when what you start out with....

... begins transforming itself into something else with the spin of the wheel.

Even more change when two single strands are plyed together.

Soft, squishy, colorful, hand-dyed, handspun, knitting-happy merino wool!

The Spinning Wheel Has Been Calling....

Turquoise and purple wool... A nice combo. After spending weeks working on a big paper for school, a morning spent with my spinning wheel and some colorful wool was in order... out of my head and back to working with my hands. The change of pace is heavenly.

In a Spinning and Dyeing Mood....

 

I just ordered new dyes from Sheepish Creations on Etsy, pulled pounds of snowy white merino roving from a box, and oiled up my spinning wheel. I love fall!!!

New Etsy Banner and some Hand Spun Wool...

 
 

Leftover Easter Egg Dye.....

After the two younger Units got done dying Easter Eggs last week (yes, I made them color eggs AND do an egg hunt *grin*), I just couldn't throw away the dye.

So... off I ran to the studio for some wool to color.

Here's what I did:

1. Submerged the wool in the leftover dye.
2. Microwaved it in the liquid for two minutes on high in covered dishes.
3. Let the wool and dye rest for a few minutes... then microwaved it a minute more on high.
4. Left the wool overnight in the covered dye bath.
5. In the morning I rinsed the wool and hung it to dry.

Today I chose three colors to use together, and fluffed them up a bit.....

Then spun them up...

Then plied them into happy wool yarn.

It's super soft merino.
Maybe I will take it to the hospital when Oliver is being born.
Maybe I can find a nice rocking chair to sit in and knit while I wait.
*happy sigh*

A New Bit of Spinning....

I dyed a bunch of this orange wool last year and decided to finish spinning up the rest of it. Funny.... It seemed bright and beautiful to me at the time. Now, with the gray skies of winter, it seems too harsh of a color. Too bright. Maybe orange is a seasonal thing?
*sigh*

(2 ply merino)

Feeling Knitty?

Hand spun, hand dyed.... On Etsy.

I want....

...to go HERE.
I really, really, really want to.

Art Fiber Fest Trades....

Trades underway!