tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-715962748626749482024-02-18T21:03:49.339-06:00I'm knitting nowenthusiasms of a deliberate dilettantesallyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14416846109396087568noreply@blogger.comBlogger24125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-71596274862674948.post-38293890640210155502016-08-19T22:21:00.000-05:002016-08-19T22:21:53.290-05:00Laziest KateI just discovered a way to make a very easy, temporary "lazy Kate". I had some small amounts of handspun yarn, from a recent class, that I wanted to ply. One exercise I didn't get to during my week at Sievers was to ply from a center pull ball. One ply from the outside, one from inside. I was too lazy to use the "Kate" on my Louet wheel which was in a room some distance (downstairs) from the table holding my ballwinder. There happened to be a straight, # 7 knitting needle nearby. It was being used to replace one of the antennae on my old studio TV. Hey, whatever works. And I'm a big fan of repurposing so I took the needle and slipped my bobbin on it. I attached the yarn to the winder, held the needle upright and in just a few minutes I had a neat ball ready for plying.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRvMLV5lPVnR3RgCk5dj_eCNt3zZBkHniyiiGrwz4z7xMlYRmzfrSAa2b0Ze1nY8iuYDTwZLDwb5cvNh3cwZrBtBU_rHLYz9FLztV6CVUsAfvPchjuY0atcw4mHCS7fVKjhoDRwWhyKQ/s1600/needle+lazy+kate.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRvMLV5lPVnR3RgCk5dj_eCNt3zZBkHniyiiGrwz4z7xMlYRmzfrSAa2b0Ze1nY8iuYDTwZLDwb5cvNh3cwZrBtBU_rHLYz9FLztV6CVUsAfvPchjuY0atcw4mHCS7fVKjhoDRwWhyKQ/s400/needle+lazy+kate.jpg" width="141" /></a></div>
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I wouldn't be surprised if someone had done this before, "nothing new under the sun,"and all, but it was new to me. If it is new to you, give it a try. Yes, I put the antenna back so its handy for next time.<br />
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The other part of the exercise was to ply the yarn so that both plies were the same color. I knit this swatch to see how I did. Not to bad. One more exercise to check off my list.<br />
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I had spun the yarn from rolags pulled from a blending board, my new favorite spinning tool. I realize that some of you may not be familiar with spinning terms so my next post will deal with some of those. In the meantime, enjoy doing whatever you love, and maybe try something out of your comfort zone, a crazy color combo or an unfamiliar technique.<br />
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Happy knitting, spinning, stitching....................sallyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14416846109396087568noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-71596274862674948.post-6188486212860594582016-08-01T22:44:00.001-05:002016-08-01T22:44:41.624-05:00And Dyeing, and Spinning, and EmbroideringI may have to rename this blog because I'm not just knitting now. For example, I just returned from Sievers school of fiber arts on Washington Island at the tip of Door County, WI. I took a class titled "Color for Spinning."<br />
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Here are a few things I've done since my last post.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Three of twenty size one hand-dyed sweaters made for a <br />charity auction to support the Diocese of Renk in South Sudan <br /> sponsored by my cousin, Jackie's Church in Barrington, IL<br /><br /><br /></td></tr>
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More later, it is getting late and tomorrow is "Holy Tuesday." That is, it is "open knit" day at my LYS, and my family and friends know the day is sacred, no other plans can be made for my time.<br />sallyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14416846109396087568noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-71596274862674948.post-56818742259652012892015-10-05T16:09:00.002-05:002015-10-05T16:09:55.819-05:00In praise of a dishclothI don't know if it is the result of working with so much color, but I have recently become enamored with a plain garter stitch dishcloth. In the last few years I have been dyeing sock yarn which is sold at my local yarn shop <a href="http://spinof%20door%20county.com/">Spin of Door County</a>. I've also knit 20 small hand-dyed sweaters that were auctioned off for a fundraiser. Each sweater was different, lots of color! More about these later.<br />
I needed some dishcloths and I had a cone of white cotton. So one night while I was watching TV, I decided to get to work. I cast on 25 stitches and knit. The result was a pure white garter stitched square. For some reason I was delighted with its simple elegance, if you can use that word to describe a dishcloth. Yes, I live a simple life so it doesn't take much to move me.<br />
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For the last week I have knit a cloth each night so that I will have a good supply. My husband and I do the dishes together each morning. I wash, he dries. I get to play in the warm water. At the same time my hands enjoy some hydro-therapy. And when my husband puts his ears in we enjoy a pleasant time visiting. Once in a while, not nearly often enough, I appreciate the simple things in life. It feels good. I encourage you to do the same. The easiest way to do that may be to knit a simple, white, elegant, garter stitch square.<br />
Happy Stitches.sallyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14416846109396087568noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-71596274862674948.post-73138712467365815432015-04-02T16:19:00.001-05:002015-04-02T16:19:27.926-05:00<h2>
HERE WE GOOOOOOOOO.</h2>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Spring is gushing forth with April Fool's Day, the Final Four, Easter, and my son, Mike's, Birthday all in one week. There have already been solo ensemble, prom, forensic meets, tournaments of all sorts, and now there will be award banquets and presentations to celebrate EVERYTHING!! Don't you love it? Have you perfected your bilocation skills for those multi-time, multi-venue, multi child challenges? </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Not to worry. This is when the joy of knitting comes in. Take a deep breath. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"> AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"> Round up your twigs and strings, and all will be revealed. Actually you may be able to knit your way through some of this busyness. I did some Badger knitting during the Elite Eight with my team wristers being the result.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Since we're talkin' Wisconsin life, next is a picture of the yarn I am knitting now. It is one of my hand-dyed Door County Socks designs. It is named "Horses and Holsteins."</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Now remember, BREATHE, KNIT, </span>BREATHE, KNIT, <span style="font-size: x-small;">BREATHE, KNIT, </span><span style="font-size: xx-small;">BREATHE, KNIT</span></div>
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sallyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14416846109396087568noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-71596274862674948.post-88749993585752914972015-03-20T19:41:00.002-05:002015-03-20T23:38:59.169-05:00<h2>
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DOING STUFF</span></h2>
<span style="font-size: large;">Since I last posted, and can it really have been that long ago, I've been busy doing stuff. Apparently, I haven't been posting about any of it. So here are some of the projects I've been up to.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">I've continued to dye sock yarn for my lys, <a href="http://www.spinofdoorcounty.com/">Spin of Door County</a> The yarns are sold with the label, "My Door County Socks" and they are designed to evoke memories and the Spirit of the Door. In case you are not familiar with Door County, it is the finger of the Wisconsin glove. It is a lovely area in which to reside, and is also a very popular Midwest vacation destination.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">Here is one of the more than fifty yarns that I have designed and dyed. I've been having a great time playing with my colors.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">I also have discovered knitting from the top down. I have made 12 different sweaters riffing on Deb and Lynda Gemmell's "Basic Pullover" pattern from their book <u>Top Down for Kids,</u> These sweaters have been auctioned off in a fundraiser at my cousin Jackie's church, St. Michael's in Barrington, IL, for the support of the people in the Diocese of Renk in South Sudan.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">This is hand dyed and hand knit, and features little bobble snowmen. I like to do small projects. That way I get to get on with my next idea.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">Well, I have to finish now because I have to go to my daughter's house to watch the Wisconsin Badger, basketball team win another game.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Good Stitches</span><br />
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sallyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14416846109396087568noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-71596274862674948.post-58225370874889857182013-03-08T16:26:00.000-06:002013-03-08T19:48:19.491-06:00<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;">Happy International Women’s Day<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;">Isn’t it wonderful how so many women around the world are tied together with sticks and string? Teach someone to knit so he or she can benefit from this joyfilled and powerful union.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;">Happy stitches.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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sallyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14416846109396087568noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-71596274862674948.post-61891406363646150102012-12-04T20:16:00.001-06:002012-12-04T20:19:12.774-06:00<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;">Cunctator, yes, cunctator<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;">This is a new word to me, although it describes me to a T. I found the definition to this crossword hint in my Websters. It means a person who delays. The actual word that fit in the puzzle was procrastinator, a word I’ve been familiar with wayyyyyyy too long. And it describes what I’ve been doing since last Friday when I had an experience to share with you. My excuse for the delay was that I was tired. Last week was very busy, but it ended with a lot of fun.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;">My granddaughter, Gretchen, and her friend Helen wanted to tie-dye some socks. I volunteered to help with this project they were doing for school. They had purchased cotton socks at my suggestion. Let me tell you, it is not easy to find just plain unadulterated cotton socks. We ended up with 80% cotton after finding some with as little as 46%.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;">I dropped off my supply of marbles and rubber bands earlier in the week so the girls could have that all done. On Friday we were ready to dye, <u>22</u> pairs of socks! I had premixed dye solution in six colors. We proceeded in an assembly line fashion using the low immersion technique of dyeing. </span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9L4whh-ADcEnDq9CWmwu5V5n0un4mfgnaIGVznSvuQeUySqZwGk6Wd4IfXSUB6g9NmlE4kSlj0WpiiX63yA7UaqZ5GEyzqQVwB8u4cgQkHYKUF8AqI-SDHFTwUJRwiCI_8U3MB9JQfg/s1600/bucket+with+dye+on+socks-still+life.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9L4whh-ADcEnDq9CWmwu5V5n0un4mfgnaIGVznSvuQeUySqZwGk6Wd4IfXSUB6g9NmlE4kSlj0WpiiX63yA7UaqZ5GEyzqQVwB8u4cgQkHYKUF8AqI-SDHFTwUJRwiCI_8U3MB9JQfg/s320/bucket+with+dye+on+socks-still+life.jpg" width="236" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;">We placed four pair in each bucket. The girls decided to use two colors in some buckets, including green and gold for “Packer” socks. Other combinations were yellow/orange/red, and red/purple/blue. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;">While we waited for the dyeing process to finish the girls had fun mugging for the camera. </span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiq-GTBrN9w37HNvkDhPym9b6hVTCH9eha3r8gtj3Q3ll__rA7seRLLzpJOsQFlku5tB5ojBt18NO09nEXlwyxiU6HaMDI3kV9Hlxg0-A5AR8ihQVJWsgYG2GvPDP_zKpnITeH9r5dIZQ/s1600/sharing+gloves.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiq-GTBrN9w37HNvkDhPym9b6hVTCH9eha3r8gtj3Q3ll__rA7seRLLzpJOsQFlku5tB5ojBt18NO09nEXlwyxiU6HaMDI3kV9Hlxg0-A5AR8ihQVJWsgYG2GvPDP_zKpnITeH9r5dIZQ/s320/sharing+gloves.jpg" width="219" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;">After the initial rinse we removed the bands and marbles. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;">I’m always excited to see the lovely combinations of colors that result from low immersion. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;">The results showed where the synthetic fibers were located, mostly in the foot area. The anklets and upper sections of the socks took the dye well. </span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOrq51mCpE60K9RA4pfU6VCBj4n8JrwPQ5Ew3LQpIo_QitcOAQ-OK39KyHMkIolmEp7H2oaFu-hdZUoELq9JjysOYvjQUkJv3YWGExMZooQM2vABAf3wEIcxd-_4IaaC7IhnNRIvBMwg/s1600/sample+of+socks.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="223" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOrq51mCpE60K9RA4pfU6VCBj4n8JrwPQ5Ew3LQpIo_QitcOAQ-OK39KyHMkIolmEp7H2oaFu-hdZUoELq9JjysOYvjQUkJv3YWGExMZooQM2vABAf3wEIcxd-_4IaaC7IhnNRIvBMwg/s320/sample+of+socks.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;">There will be some very <u>Happy Feet</u> at school. And besides the beautiful socks, some wonderful, colorful memories were made.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJRHJqEZsm_dWWu5_EYaPP8xSsqZqzmAfE9sC1iwN0OgGzEp_tR7NzpuyQstYpH93TozECLW5DqyBS-mYWCKgRKx3pD0bCT6x8Qbt4PjmIytI2TOWtI2w64i592CuMWm10pmmLmkDG1g/s1600/girls+rule.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJRHJqEZsm_dWWu5_EYaPP8xSsqZqzmAfE9sC1iwN0OgGzEp_tR7NzpuyQstYpH93TozECLW5DqyBS-mYWCKgRKx3pD0bCT6x8Qbt4PjmIytI2TOWtI2w64i592CuMWm10pmmLmkDG1g/s320/girls+rule.jpg" width="221" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Gretchen and Helen ROCK!!!</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;">There, I’ve overcome this episode of cunctation. Have a great time getting ready for the holidays.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;">Happy stitching and dyeing.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
sallyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14416846109396087568noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-71596274862674948.post-18511045517660420332012-11-09T15:06:00.002-06:002012-11-09T15:34:37.383-06:00<br />
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">It is official. I am an “indie dyer.” During the
summer, the owner of my LYS, <a href="http://spinofdoorcounty.com/">Spin</a>, asked me if I would be interested in dyeing
yarn to sell in her shop. She thought that knitters who vacation in Door County
would like to take home a souvenir of their visit. The colorways would be
reminiscent of the scenic splendor and sensual experiences of the area; the reds
and greens of apple and cherry orchards, the silvers, yellows and oranges of Lake
Michigan sunrises, the pinks, blues and lavenders of sunsets over Green Bay,
the foot warming tans of the sand dunes. I liked the idea and worked on
developing samples using sock yarn. Who wouldn’t like to wear a pair of socks
that regularly reminded them of a vacation in Wisconsin’s version of Paradise? <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">You may know me enough by now to know that I love to
play with fibers and color. So my first three yarns are dyed using a variety of
techniques. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">“Cherry Parfait” is pink and white with alternating
sections of several rows of variegated pinks, and a row of pink and white faux
fair isle stitches. The faux effect was accomplished by tying stripes of
recycled plastic grocery bags at intervals to resist the pink dye. It has been
received with comments including “delicious,” and “mouthwatering.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">“Quiet Side Sunrise” (The quiet side refers to the
Lake Michigan side of the Door Peninsula.) consists of hand painted areas of
sunrise color dyes with the majority of the skein dyed silvery grays. After
wrapping the painted areas in plastic wrap and placing that portion in a baggie
atop a section of pvc pipe sitting in my dye pot, the rest of the skein is
immersed in the pot of gray dye and all is heat set. When knit in the round,
this yarn produces a mostly gray fabric with occasional horizons of promising sunrise.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">“Autumn Door” highlights the spectacular fall colors
that lure many visitors to take a drive north for a nippy fall weekend. I dye
the whole skein the color of the wheat and corn fields. With this as a background, I continue to add
color. I use a winding device, similar to a warping board, to produce lengths of
yarn that I can divide into areas of different colors. The finished product is a striped yarn.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">My son drilled holes in one by four
boards so that I could place pegs on which to wind the yarn. Four boards are
clamped together to form a frame. I calculate how long each segment of color I
need, add up the segments, and wind that amount onto the pegs. I tie some areas
for faux fair isle stitches, in this case, the purple of seasonal asters. I
mark lengths where I will dye the colors of bright fall foliage, and other
areas that will represent evergreens. After carefully placing each segment of
yarn to be dyed in its own baggie, I pour in the dye and manipulate each baggie
to insure that the yarn receives the dye. After resting, both myself and
the yarn, for a half hour, I place the yarn in the microwave to heat set the
colors. </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWXwoUtPgrjV9wytf94LuwBEC51yF3CagpKnmfgWMmYmLNglC9ni7FM7O0rZcaOOdX91nJS3dBO1TIj-aC-2FFlBH7KmR0JqGF9JeGQ4bhsjEAiFO0Qmzj3Rs50Jz93DuX0mBjCdDLAQ/s1600/baggies+after+nuking.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWXwoUtPgrjV9wytf94LuwBEC51yF3CagpKnmfgWMmYmLNglC9ni7FM7O0rZcaOOdX91nJS3dBO1TIj-aC-2FFlBH7KmR0JqGF9JeGQ4bhsjEAiFO0Qmzj3Rs50Jz93DuX0mBjCdDLAQ/s320/baggies+after+nuking.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">After the yarn cools to room temperature it is washed, resist areas are untied, and it is hung to dry. </span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWHtF5nD7Ax9pS5TxYWUba-oSnk7J-TX34c054KTaYNoIiOk7_sZFYcSFnN3x6-l0RTnWUZcK8Iyofj9hte5MOYXScO1C09a_Q4_-uXj9LZs4qWsTm1x3kXMvq9oWqm9nvZyEytM9cFQ/s1600/autumn+door+drying.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWHtF5nD7Ax9pS5TxYWUba-oSnk7J-TX34c054KTaYNoIiOk7_sZFYcSFnN3x6-l0RTnWUZcK8Iyofj9hte5MOYXScO1C09a_Q4_-uXj9LZs4qWsTm1x3kXMvq9oWqm9nvZyEytM9cFQ/s320/autumn+door+drying.jpg" width="221" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>I LOVE PVC PIPE!</b></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">I replace it on the winding board.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmkVXqdk5JCF7_JbJusgKFeNX-XsflCmbSPWSA8MF27UGZzWsaAM6W7FJ2r3-lmMMcoBEQI_fXl8-mcv05FMsgMOpO-TzCQaOSmvP8yD6UPiBDIKTOhcAKPDefMwlLReqzUVOGbHTSiw/s1600/warping+board.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmkVXqdk5JCF7_JbJusgKFeNX-XsflCmbSPWSA8MF27UGZzWsaAM6W7FJ2r3-lmMMcoBEQI_fXl8-mcv05FMsgMOpO-TzCQaOSmvP8yD6UPiBDIKTOhcAKPDefMwlLReqzUVOGbHTSiw/s320/warping+board.jpg" width="213" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%; text-align: center;">Finally, it is wound back into a skein, labeled,
and ready for <a href="http://spinofdoorcounty.com/">Spin</a>.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8y6QkbLgwFcOBhLnQpdmRMY9qvEqPfxVXNsSpZoLUhNmtOWl1dF6584cErHSOS1MC7M4OXNMnGvpbWv6-FifbU_iSHSM77TVb9tW0gEOgwPo5RIYxzGHsAqgKe-VVmzhYt9Frb6ciEA/s1600/skeins+ready+to+deliver.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="341" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8y6QkbLgwFcOBhLnQpdmRMY9qvEqPfxVXNsSpZoLUhNmtOWl1dF6584cErHSOS1MC7M4OXNMnGvpbWv6-FifbU_iSHSM77TVb9tW0gEOgwPo5RIYxzGHsAqgKe-VVmzhYt9Frb6ciEA/s400/skeins+ready+to+deliver.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;">I work on one skein at a time, and although the dye
formulas and preparations are consistent, it is the nature of hand dying that
variations are to be expected. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;">And that is the beauty of manual labor.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;"> <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Happy stitching and dyeing.</span></div>
sallyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14416846109396087568noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-71596274862674948.post-41656241346284466692012-10-13T14:21:00.000-05:002012-10-13T14:21:59.000-05:00<br />
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 22.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Candy Corn, love it or hate it? </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">I like candy corn, but I realize this is not a
universal taste. I limit myself to one bag a year. Purchased around Halloween, and
rationed to no more than 10 pieces at a time, it still doesn’t last long
enough. And this year I made a big mistake. I bought a bag on the way to my Tuesday
“open knitting” session. I wanted to buy the right yellow yarn for a Candy
Corn hat I was going to make. I opened the bag to share with my “peeps” and
decided to leave most of the bag behind so I wouldn’t be tempted to finish it off on the drive home. To my delight, there was some left the next Tuesday.
It is all gone now.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQtfnqrGZtD5CuWt-ptdqwvOUV-QRzBoqohSjUgBHWB18yMVFmdDaW9Qg48-TKgyVXdj4C2-M_DHQvprgyZRsq_yF_hkfzZklWM1_K-5-ELMOKpZnuyaWFQW8Y1N_O3ZhKGcbKf6R2wQ/s1600/candy+corn+hat+on+pumpkin.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQtfnqrGZtD5CuWt-ptdqwvOUV-QRzBoqohSjUgBHWB18yMVFmdDaW9Qg48-TKgyVXdj4C2-M_DHQvprgyZRsq_yF_hkfzZklWM1_K-5-ELMOKpZnuyaWFQW8Y1N_O3ZhKGcbKf6R2wQ/s320/candy+corn+hat+on+pumpkin.jpg" width="250" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">I’m pleased with the way the hat turned out. A number of my knitting friends asked for the pattern so I was glad to share it.
There are going to be a lot of grandkids walking around with candy on their
heads. There is a free pattern for you, too. You’ll find it under PAGES in the
right margin. It is sized for a child.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">My daughter-in-law, Gay and I had a great time
together yesterday visiting a couple of fiber shops. At Knitty Gritty we both
found some roving to dye and spin. She selected two tones of gray Romney, while
I came away with 200 grams of white Shetland. We had a very pleasant visit with
Dan, and met Cindy as we were leaving. Check out the Wrucke’s site at <a href="http://knittygrittyshop.com./">knittygrittyshop.com.</a>
We spotted the sign for Sheeping Beauty Fibre Arts as we were driving home and
made a u-turn to visit with owner, Luci Williams. She shared her enthusiasm for
all things fiber, especially, teaching the growing, processing, spinning, and
weaving of flax into linen. Her site is <a href="http://www.sheepingbeautyfibrearts.com/">www.sheepingbeautyfibrearts.com</a>.
She is also the coordinator of the Wisconsin Spin-In. More on that can be found
at <a href="http://www.wispinin.org/">www,wispinin.org</a>.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">I’m home today. It is a lovely <u>rainy</u> fall day.
And like most us in this parched country I heartily welcome the rain. I’m going
to finish now so I can do what we all love to do on a nice rainy fall day, knit
or spin or dye or crochet or read about it.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Enjoy your ration of Candy Corn, and happy stitches.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
sallyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14416846109396087568noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-71596274862674948.post-45010416242957204932012-09-15T11:50:00.000-05:002012-09-15T11:50:29.982-05:00<br />
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Monkey Mind<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Usually monkey mind is something I suffer from in
the middle of the night when I‘ve been mentally stimulated too close to
bedtime. Right now it is a beautiful
late summer Saturday morning, and I’m finding it hard to zero in on a subject
for this post. My first idea was to write about the end of the summer and how
it affects our Tuesday open knit group. I’ve been going long enough now to see
the pattern of the comings and goings of my knitting friends. The population of
Door County ebbs and flows with the seasons. It is a vacation spot for many
escaping big cities like Chicago, for snow birds who spend their winters in
Florida, and teachers enjoying their summer hiatus. There are a few of us who
live nearby. I’ve become one of the regulars, missing a rare “Holy Tuesday,”
like when I attend a week up at Siever’s doing batik. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiX_mAFsklqpdcCMhyMalxnVRQCxcoqj7vKxhGYGbShwUTYJcw7_1F0VpJP42HX5amb3Sqo8SR8aeN_hmhWF_w-y2thmCvc715T_vi6x1Pq5TN1hX8V5CdkiwfKW59fIfnXhqMalQhgmw/s1600/orange+dishtowel+detail.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiX_mAFsklqpdcCMhyMalxnVRQCxcoqj7vKxhGYGbShwUTYJcw7_1F0VpJP42HX5amb3Sqo8SR8aeN_hmhWF_w-y2thmCvc715T_vi6x1Pq5TN1hX8V5CdkiwfKW59fIfnXhqMalQhgmw/s400/orange+dishtowel+detail.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A detail from one of my batik dish towels made at Siever's</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;">Wow, that led right to another subject I was
pondering. I’ve had the feeling lately that something has been missing from my
summer routine. And summer is over. Batik, Seiver’s. That’s it! I didn’t go
this summer. I didn’t attend a workshop at U of Minnesota’s Split Rock Arts
Program either. But I understand that program no longer exists. For the last 10
years I’ve been enjoying these two venues, learning and practicing fiber arts
with wonderful teachers, and meeting many talented and friendly student
artists. It has been great reuniting with batik artists year after year,
hearing what has happened in their lives during the intervening months. My
daughter-in-law has been among them. We’ve shared accommodations, delicious
meals at Washington Island restaurants, class camaraderie, and dye pots. What a
Joy! That’s what I missed this summer.</span></div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifSyP7v5K-oZLKMNqQJ1MZx-nLxu7IkM9DkcDqsD5P2Dlg2T8pc03zMGEeRaOcGkK95LHWt4mO64fRrtZ8GehnYmjiiffd2QaTCRKQGZ_VuETXazldcWUaMS8QfgRH518xN1IiuO4oCw/s1600/survey+mark+batik.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="310" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifSyP7v5K-oZLKMNqQJ1MZx-nLxu7IkM9DkcDqsD5P2Dlg2T8pc03zMGEeRaOcGkK95LHWt4mO64fRrtZ8GehnYmjiiffd2QaTCRKQGZ_VuETXazldcWUaMS8QfgRH518xN1IiuO4oCw/s400/survey+mark+batik.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My batik inspired by a photo of a surveyor's mark .</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;">While I miss my annual batik friends, I get to be
with my knitting friends every week. What an amazing gift it is to belong to
such a group. We share so much. It’s not just the help we give each other with
knitting problems, that binds us. That kind of help you can get online. The
real sharing is what is happening in our lives. And, yes, what one says at
knitting stays at knitting. So I won’t be spilling any beans here. One thing I
find very encouraging is that even the most experienced knitters still have
occasion to “tink.” I like the fact that there are no yarn snobs, or knitters
vs. crocheters. The “open” in open knitting is just that. We are a group that takes
pleasure in the efforts of everyone, hats to socks, scarves to prayers shawls, pot
holders to afghans, subtle to flamboyant. There are those who do gorgeous
projects in their comfort zones and those who relish the delight of success
arising from trial and error. It’s all good. AND WE LAUGH!</span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;">If you belong to a
knitting group, you know what I’m talkin’about. If not, GET THEE TO A GROUP!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"><br /></span>sallyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14416846109396087568noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-71596274862674948.post-4447376964640485272012-08-25T14:08:00.000-05:002012-08-25T14:08:14.284-05:00<br />
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Wool Tickles<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">I’m not referring to the physical sensation of wool
which can range from luxurious and sensual to down-right itchy. I’m talkin’ the
tickle from the inside when you get to play with it. I have spent the last
month playing with my dyes and my fibers. I get such a kick seeing what happens
with colors blending, bleeding their lives into each other, making new colors I
hadn’t thought of. The unexpected, unplanned, or accidental, turn out to be so
rich, complex, and sometimes stunning. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">I tend toward formal arrangement in my art,
planning, and calculating for predictable results. I am working on being less
controlling. Seeing the beauty of the unplanned
has been very encouraging to me. I’m beginning to welcome the possibilities of
results that are actually better than my original ideas. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhGddsXiPAZsJq01Sa9LCMMmocJ2k_4WtTJ0EmSF3Go65_iIGYsw8e6aMZtegxTqElSmWo7fzU4k6ZeAex8UylxGlqwZw2J1h5bmPyLcWniWb0uquMwwO205SVb9-zarfkWHKtS0IiZg/s1600/bobbin,+roving+and+yarn.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="362" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhGddsXiPAZsJq01Sa9LCMMmocJ2k_4WtTJ0EmSF3Go65_iIGYsw8e6aMZtegxTqElSmWo7fzU4k6ZeAex8UylxGlqwZw2J1h5bmPyLcWniWb0uquMwwO205SVb9-zarfkWHKtS0IiZg/s400/bobbin,+roving+and+yarn.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;">As I have been playing, I’ve been recognizing how
each different process produces very different outcomes. Each step changes the
fiber’s color or appearance. The color of the roving concentrates as the fibers
twist with each other. While spinning, it thrills me to see one color morph as
I draw another shade or color out gradually from the dyed roving. Add multiple
plies and we’re adding another whole dimension. And yarn spun from colored fiber,
either dyed roving or card blended, is much different from dyed yarn.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">My planning self likes the wide range of
possibilities of dyeing yarn. I’ve done batik and shibori, so, naturally, I
needed to try resist dyeing with yarn. </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIhjhXb4JWfCjPq8kZAZ3BMhBB51hfKZ3gJfiI6g8XLTqHS8fWM6mX3Fwo99xCOLlvtovnaj9nCy3U-z_eRWTk0Zwv41KKr5gF8e90h8PMXxpryTKwIxY5-zM4z6BlQzqDmkw-5TQerg/s1600/small+scale+tie+off,+blue.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="210" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIhjhXb4JWfCjPq8kZAZ3BMhBB51hfKZ3gJfiI6g8XLTqHS8fWM6mX3Fwo99xCOLlvtovnaj9nCy3U-z_eRWTk0Zwv41KKr5gF8e90h8PMXxpryTKwIxY5-zM4z6BlQzqDmkw-5TQerg/s400/small+scale+tie+off,+blue.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Having done some stranded and fair isle
knitting, I tried dyeing for a faux fair isle effect. Recycling plastic grocery
bags, I cut strips to tie areas I wanted to resist the dye. In some cases, I
dyed the yarn then added the ties and over-dyed. </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyVZd8fuINv2JdRvItKtnY3DH57YHyQ8_gu9X3GAQWJKwM8BwanojD2pu1kbPKsBjDxbl7NsWxrvjg4iDHaOZNgaLm0zuALQXLCJ5keSPiSH5gL0b-MfxVeMKShvQzZxOKZBPqB7BJsQ/s1600/double+blue+yarn+partially+untied.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="331" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyVZd8fuINv2JdRvItKtnY3DH57YHyQ8_gu9X3GAQWJKwM8BwanojD2pu1kbPKsBjDxbl7NsWxrvjg4iDHaOZNgaLm0zuALQXLCJ5keSPiSH5gL0b-MfxVeMKShvQzZxOKZBPqB7BJsQ/s400/double+blue+yarn+partially+untied.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">One can get pretty predictable
results. Swatching reveals the general effect but that varies with gauge and
stitch count. I was playing with sock yarn so I swatched in the round. </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVxjilL_Q8TQjHYdRc6VdOXHBFum5rC6f8GBxNvEfgg0E2_JNasS87HuOwQA820YuSzCtALXA2SnGcWoueVNwAu3hNaQR8q2qr0Znnmi-8EkUqpLFeXO64rUgQN3j1pY8x9WCu8EwkZQ/s1600/sample+faux+swathces.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="253" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVxjilL_Q8TQjHYdRc6VdOXHBFum5rC6f8GBxNvEfgg0E2_JNasS87HuOwQA820YuSzCtALXA2SnGcWoueVNwAu3hNaQR8q2qr0Znnmi-8EkUqpLFeXO64rUgQN3j1pY8x9WCu8EwkZQ/s400/sample+faux+swathces.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Once I saw
what I had done, I couldn’t wait to adjust the tie pattern or try another color
combination. The possibilities are endless, especially if I welcome the
unexpected. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;">I’m going back to my
Dyeary now. I’m going to giggle out loud while I play so my family will know
how much fun I’m having.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;">Giggle often. And Good Stitches</span>sallyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14416846109396087568noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-71596274862674948.post-69607666457811420012012-07-23T15:22:00.000-05:002012-07-23T15:22:03.125-05:00<br />
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Musical Rooms<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglByN5IOOoYXXvCX8klZ4GFfL-DkKcB4-MNYWSsm1u-iWpR0eqDXDmmaXKBBcGHFBbm19IIq_oIvyxXnBtwIt1rPs1r-wMXC0dszRrQsKb-GLq3z0WZHyO_MTwZm9gWDekR6ZAH8nL1Q/s1600/Scan10040.JPG+violin-score+b&w+posterized.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="207" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglByN5IOOoYXXvCX8klZ4GFfL-DkKcB4-MNYWSsm1u-iWpR0eqDXDmmaXKBBcGHFBbm19IIq_oIvyxXnBtwIt1rPs1r-wMXC0dszRrQsKb-GLq3z0WZHyO_MTwZm9gWDekR6ZAH8nL1Q/s400/Scan10040.JPG+violin-score+b&w+posterized.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">“Are you taking over another room?” This is a
refrain I have heard numerous times from my husband during the twenty-some
years we have lived in this old farmhouse. He writes. He sits at the kitchen
table with his computer. That’s all the room he requires. Me? I craft. Need I
say more? There are five rooms downstairs. Of those, the kitchen is the only
room I spend time in regularly. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Upstairs is a different story (pun intended). There
is our bedroom/sitting room where I knit and read. My studio contains, well,
studio stuff. It has been used for dyeing, spinning, felting, quilting, puppet
making, and various other enthusiasms. There is an area that contains my desk,
shelves of reference books, and archival boxes holding genealogical materials.
In a previous incarnation, this room was a family/TV room. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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o:title="MC900389460[1]"/>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">My son’s bedroom has been inhabited over the years
by several of his siblings. Most recently, it held my quilting stash, which has
been packed into bins and relegated to the basement. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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o:title="MC900389254[1]"/>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">What is now a bathroom, had been a big walk-in
closet and then my darkroom. Thanks to digital cameras I no longer need to
closet myself in the dark with smelly chemicals, but I still sometimes mourn
“real” photography. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-no-proof: yes;"><!--[if gte vml 1]><v:shape id="Picture_x0020_10" o:spid="_x0000_i1026"
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">The final two rooms are small with no heat. Remember,
we are talking 1890’s “old” farmhouse. One has shelves and bins of supplies and
equipment for batik, shibori, felting, and var... oth... enth...s. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-no-proof: yes;"><!--[if gte vml 1]><v:shape id="Picture_x0020_11" o:spid="_x0000_i1025"
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">The other was set up as an ebay room. Shelves hold
stuff we thought we could sell. My son and I catalogued, and photographed all
the items, but never actually committed ourselves to spending the time selling.
This is the room that is about to be repurposed. It will become my “Dyeary.” I will also do my carding in this room. But
first, I need to empty it. Yup, more bins and boxes for the basement. We
cannot, must not get rid of anything! <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">We are still experiencing uncommon heat. Algoma is
on Lake Michigan. It’s a place where people come to cool off. Right now Algoma
is 91 degrees. The Dyeary will be a dream until an 80 degree day, possibly 85.
For now, I’m going to finish my second sock.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Be cool and Good Stitches<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />sallyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14416846109396087568noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-71596274862674948.post-44444374163560674972012-07-07T11:31:00.001-05:002012-07-07T11:31:43.065-05:00<br />
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Hot New Group<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Like a lot of the country we’ve been experiencing
extreme heat. I’ve managed to survive by claiming a spot on the old wooden
swing out in the side yard. It’s shaded by a maple tree with a trunk that
measures about 170 inches around. It was planted over a hundred years ago when
our farmhouse was built. The bark on the tree and the wood on the swing have
acquired a lovely shade of gray-green over the years. This is the first time
in the twenty-some years we have lived here that the swing has experienced such
extensive use. Usually the east wind off of Lake Michigan, a couple of miles
away, has been too cool for prolonged periods of swinging. But this week,
“cooler by the lake,” a phrase popular with local forecasters has a welcome
ring. Yesterday, winds from the west cancelled out any lake effect cooling. We
suffered along with the rest of you. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWE00zsMeiqxgrRdKjkbZ5axBDVMTqHBASEC-CnKkN5_jnR04IVY_ss20LQK3sf8Xesefm4cmCJWrAymIPXMYtgIvNfEY4k2QuYTAB6a1wF3wpWUVfqdmbepaifX8pZF6-XVuq004s-g/s1600/swing+knitting+basket+with+work.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="316" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWE00zsMeiqxgrRdKjkbZ5axBDVMTqHBASEC-CnKkN5_jnR04IVY_ss20LQK3sf8Xesefm4cmCJWrAymIPXMYtgIvNfEY4k2QuYTAB6a1wF3wpWUVfqdmbepaifX8pZF6-XVuq004s-g/s400/swing+knitting+basket+with+work.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;">My time on the swing has been spent working on a
pair of socks for myself. Yes, I’m trying again. I decided to make anklets this
time. The heel of the first sock has been successfully turned, and the simple
round and round stockinette of the foot easily managed by my over heated brain.
A new dishcloth is taking shape from the strand off a cone of variegated cotton.
No grand design, complicated stitch or mitered square, it’s just plain old back
and forth garter.</span></div>
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</div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;">During the many hours of happy swing stitching, I
have not been alone. I have acquired a new group of knitting companions. Just
like at open knitting at <a href="http://spinofdoorcounty.com/">Spin,</a> my LYS, the number of attendees varies. Here,
the group numbers from one to twenty-nine. That’s the number of strutting,
clucking, pecking chickens my son lets loose in the yard each morning. The
“girls” seem to appreciate the shade of the old lichened maple, and the taste
of the lilies of the valley that grow under the bridal wreath that borders the
swing. </span></div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-AScOuRkzIFNh8rPkgx1eowMadNEPCtRf-P1kzNgzuyomjVQECpvfGh9CDdKlfnO4HG1hYijvSweX6ffvOUWQ6SUWZX9O8bl0zTRPhmbRA4vCYgnRYA8KE-8kb3iMVxkVgBiyhtdgjw/s1600/welsummer+in+the+lilies+of+the+valley.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="337" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-AScOuRkzIFNh8rPkgx1eowMadNEPCtRf-P1kzNgzuyomjVQECpvfGh9CDdKlfnO4HG1hYijvSweX6ffvOUWQ6SUWZX9O8bl0zTRPhmbRA4vCYgnRYA8KE-8kb3iMVxkVgBiyhtdgjw/s400/welsummer+in+the+lilies+of+the+valley.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">A Welsummer among the shredded lilies of the valley.</span></td></tr>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;">We enjoy a cluckish companionship. A Buff Orpington occasionally hops up
and sits next to me for a short visit. A silver- laced Wyandotte circles the
swing, pecking at my knitting basket after completing each circuit. </span></div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEii7m9aiXkJSnXpw7VukS5gHjK94t03CLiYv89l2kpWU2px6QTAaU8i0nNkO2MSeYAbVTPgxHdI-3Vax1Ccq3JYUt96KtsCFaGJ7CXIRl96AIOYMT6agRHOKouHWZqaKKrUEpWiDZrIfQ/s1600/swing+and+wyandot.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="335" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEii7m9aiXkJSnXpw7VukS5gHjK94t03CLiYv89l2kpWU2px6QTAaU8i0nNkO2MSeYAbVTPgxHdI-3Vax1Ccq3JYUt96KtsCFaGJ7CXIRl96AIOYMT6agRHOKouHWZqaKKrUEpWiDZrIfQ/s400/swing+and+wyandot.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">A basket pecking Wyandotte.</span></td></tr>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;">When they
flock around, peering up at me, I’m not sure if they are clucking compliments
on my yarn selections or offering helpful technical tips. Looking at their tiny
heads containing tiny chicken brains, I realize that I may be reading too much
into our conversation.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuPQ1mQVbS5_kw6W79xsH2vbcljEe97z-Yz5pGtwI41D8tTvt6BB1qAS-6OhWRASsDVUxbutD2YJhP5pGg2t9hdghvxeduY-hvDGKURYEmJw_lQACAGvHzzAZDaoPb8h2r8EJOn0osaQ/s1600/socks,+feather+1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="238" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuPQ1mQVbS5_kw6W79xsH2vbcljEe97z-Yz5pGtwI41D8tTvt6BB1qAS-6OhWRASsDVUxbutD2YJhP5pGg2t9hdghvxeduY-hvDGKURYEmJw_lQACAGvHzzAZDaoPb8h2r8EJOn0osaQ/s400/socks,+feather+1.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;">After a while, one hen will wander off to some other
shady spot with others casually following, or the whole flock will suddenly
flap-run noisily across the yard’s expanse. They’re all under the far apple
tree now, but I know that sooner or later my new group, my knitting biddies, will be back.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Be cool, and good stitches.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br />sallyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14416846109396087568noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-71596274862674948.post-16332698623801683162012-06-23T10:00:00.000-05:002012-06-26T21:05:52.569-05:00<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">A Yarn Yarn</span></div>
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</div>
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<span style="font-size: 14pt;">This yarn started with a lunch date with
my cousin, Jackie. We meet in Cedarburg, Wisconsin, which is about half way
between where we live, she in Barrington, IL, and I just north of Alaska,
WI. This is a semi-regular, semi-annual affair. I arrived early in order
to check out the </span><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><a href="http://www.cedarburgwoolenmill.com/">Cedarburg Woolen Mill</a>. I entered the
shop where I inquired about purchasing some wool. The clerk made a phone call
to a lady who met me in the back hall and led me down into the basement. There
were the milling machines and piles of fleece to be carded, and piles already
processed, and wool related tools. A cloud of wool lover’s heaven in a
basement! The lady showed me what she had available and I selected some merino
roving. Putting the large ball in a container near the ancient scale, she wound
a smaller ball from it and weighed it until it was the amount I requested. She
repeated the same process with a beautiful natural dark brown roving.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14pt;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 14pt;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;">Since that lovely afternoon with my cousin, I have been working away at
my merino roving, 2 ounces here, 4 ounces there. Two examples can be seen in my
April 28<sup>th</sup> post, “Friday is Dyeday.” The yarn I’m writing about
today was spun from a little over 4 ounces that were dyed with </span><span style="color: red; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;"><a href="http://greenershades.stillrivermill.com/">Greener Shades Dyes</a>. </span><span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;">I presoaked the roving in a 3:1 solution of
water/vinegar for 30 minutes, then <u>gently</u> squeezed out the excess
liquid. I placed the roving in what I call a snaky arrangement in the bottom of my dyepot
which contained enough water to make the wool “squishy” (a technical term
meaning not covered, but enough to prevent burning while the steaming process
takes place).</span></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcsx0aWJHTp6DKQ4OHMRrreOu0xxWHR6Hl13abZx16tobAKb35nqSf38S7v8FbdqP_Uatmha1k5f68YZHweZ1jr3GVN6sLi5MLtLknXZBciNz5Xjhd-km4ceetMb2pQEjwh9osy0g9tA/s1600/redorgyel+dye+record.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="322" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcsx0aWJHTp6DKQ4OHMRrreOu0xxWHR6Hl13abZx16tobAKb35nqSf38S7v8FbdqP_Uatmha1k5f68YZHweZ1jr3GVN6sLi5MLtLknXZBciNz5Xjhd-km4ceetMb2pQEjwh9osy0g9tA/s400/redorgyel+dye+record.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-size: 19px; text-align: justify;">My dye record indicates that I used equal amounts of GS’s, Ruby Red, Sunshine Yellow and Sunset Orange. I poured the dye solution randomly over the yarn, and with a gloved hand gently pressed down on the roving to make sure it had contact with the dye. I covered the pot and steamed the wool for 30 minutes at 170 degrees. When the water was clear, I knew that the fiber had absorbed all the dye. I let it cool, and rin</span><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 19px; text-align: justify;">sed it without agitation, for I try to make felt only when I want to.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14pt;">When my roving was dry, I divided it into eight long
strips of pencil roving, being careful to mark with a knot of yarn the
beginning of each strip. I spun four pencils each on two bobbins. As each
pencil was ending I attached the next section at the yarn knot end. I thought
that would help produce a more coordinated stripe when I plied the yarn from
both bobbins. It would have, if each pencil had been the exact same thickness, and if my spinning had been very precise. Since I’m not a machine, it didn’t
happen. I really didn’t expect it to, and I’m glad it didn’t. I love the effect
I achieved.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyIQEAEmknQB0AjAub9cjmhIWxdbYFd4aIC9eCYbdrUG8nIJubsbVNOYaK1cLBfMQAcSjPFLO9fGeSHPP5id-CA89XmMinNAq0j-m_dFyFul9W2QM8H-uFyJrB4oTiX9dGq9Mx9rcD_w/s1600/red+yel+org+skein+no.+18.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="background-color: white; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="252" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyIQEAEmknQB0AjAub9cjmhIWxdbYFd4aIC9eCYbdrUG8nIJubsbVNOYaK1cLBfMQAcSjPFLO9fGeSHPP5id-CA89XmMinNAq0j-m_dFyFul9W2QM8H-uFyJrB4oTiX9dGq9Mx9rcD_w/s400/red+yel+org+skein+no.+18.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-size: 14pt;">I designed a simple lace and bobble scarf for the yarn
and I’m very satisfied with the result. The 4 ounces was enough to make the
scarf which measures 5 ½ inches wide and 55 inches long. I was glad that I
decided, from the beginning, to use a lifeline at each repeat of the pattern. I
ended up having to use it twice. It was well worth the minor inconvenience.
(See a lifeline in my May 12 post, “Mellow Yellow.”) I kept an eye on the amount of yarn I had left, and when I thought that I would not have enough for another repeat and the end rows, I ended the repeat I was working on, knitted the end rows and had a small ball of .2 ounces left.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuqHfjoq_lc1018D6rBppIeEhERJB52u-CY7d1QbGL97sqxTLRPrHxAqj6YR4NLJW85GDSgnFARIMQHSHRw2_7fXkUs_cYiUplsTE0Yjt-7o44WXnE1hy7ifBWrEDWqYrTMk66ZKgImw/s1600/redorgyel+scarf+ball+closer.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="295" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuqHfjoq_lc1018D6rBppIeEhERJB52u-CY7d1QbGL97sqxTLRPrHxAqj6YR4NLJW85GDSgnFARIMQHSHRw2_7fXkUs_cYiUplsTE0Yjt-7o44WXnE1hy7ifBWrEDWqYrTMk66ZKgImw/s400/redorgyel+scarf+ball+closer.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14pt;">My ball of merino roving is shrinking fast. I think I
need to email Jackie and see when she’s free to “do lunch.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14pt;">Happy stitching and dyeing and spinning.</span></div>sallyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14416846109396087568noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-71596274862674948.post-64898842571621255732012-06-09T15:33:00.001-05:002012-06-09T15:33:33.174-05:00<br />
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;"> Its International
Yarn Bombing Day<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;">And I almost missed it! Today I received a box in
the mail from <a href="http://www.sieversschool.com/">Sievers School of Fiber Arts. </a>It contained three new Louet
spinning wheel bobbins that I ordered the day before yesterday. <u>What great
service </u>(Thanks, Ann). Last year on IYBD I was at Sievers enjoying a week
of Batik when someone reminded me of yarn bombing which I had been introduced
to the year before. While my waxed fabric was in the dye pot, I took time out
to go to School House Beach and make my small contribution to the day. </span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjk7bYT5pgfrBfQ3ENSglsSdGyLIg6mCcouXagOwm3S2n4WPZuyWkozAII2j3FU4pkTo9V0YcZdM4IqsJ5xOEUUp4st49K_-ESjvtz8DV7KTJ4pO7YYsMgRHI7iMGyODOuJxq_SNe-x_A/s1600/yarn+bombing+sally.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjk7bYT5pgfrBfQ3ENSglsSdGyLIg6mCcouXagOwm3S2n4WPZuyWkozAII2j3FU4pkTo9V0YcZdM4IqsJ5xOEUUp4st49K_-ESjvtz8DV7KTJ4pO7YYsMgRHI7iMGyODOuJxq_SNe-x_A/s320/yarn+bombing+sally.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;">The
wonderful Washington Islanders are very protective of their beautiful beach as
you can see from the sign pictured below. <o:p></o:p></span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi32ppygXfJjv6h_M_T1Qq5umKdCapM_KaUfO8gKonwFLcZ3UN3Jim6T3Y7PKa_-Ow7pKc-waRQIvzsDBFvXYnaSDoFdfKbimg4YqO3ml4XlGqORVFkxZGfaezKuCO7SWmrZ4WRuejrFA/s1600/yarn+bombing+schoolhouse+beach+sign.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi32ppygXfJjv6h_M_T1Qq5umKdCapM_KaUfO8gKonwFLcZ3UN3Jim6T3Y7PKa_-Ow7pKc-waRQIvzsDBFvXYnaSDoFdfKbimg4YqO3ml4XlGqORVFkxZGfaezKuCO7SWmrZ4WRuejrFA/s400/yarn+bombing+schoolhouse+beach+sign.JPG" width="300" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;">With that in mind, I used cotton crochet thread to
form a net around one of the smooth rounded rocks that the beach is famous for. </span><br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQYmkqREVzqFSTZ_HH9GtkzQxQpGymloVg0S-fM2ayJ0qBXeBnfcRK5jY5E9WoTXYPLlmNOisZfinqbMDaJ-O3fvQd_oK3iH7ZSg_Wb57VFbW4aXnHC0vOup4IaCGruFOhRKLQqKjHxg/s1600/yarn+bombing+face.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQYmkqREVzqFSTZ_HH9GtkzQxQpGymloVg0S-fM2ayJ0qBXeBnfcRK5jY5E9WoTXYPLlmNOisZfinqbMDaJ-O3fvQd_oK3iH7ZSg_Wb57VFbW4aXnHC0vOup4IaCGruFOhRKLQqKjHxg/s320/yarn+bombing+face.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">No rock beings were harmed in the process.<br /></td></tr>
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<br /><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;">The net form was my tribute to the fishing culture that still remains,
reflecting the rich heritage of this island of Native Hurons, French
missionaries and voyageurs, and Scandinavian settlers.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;">If you aren’t familiar with yarn bombing I would
suggest you get a hold of <u>Yarn Bombing: The Art of Crochet and Knit Graffiti</u>,
by Mandy Moore and Leane Prain. And if you plan to take part in this
interesting art form, please be kind to the environment.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;">Happy Stitches.<o:p></o:p></span></div>sallyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14416846109396087568noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-71596274862674948.post-51234284052097469772012-05-31T15:58:00.001-05:002012-05-31T15:58:32.249-05:00<br />
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;">My First Creation<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;">Cutting a wee door and wee windows out of an empty
cigarette package is the first craft activity I remember. The little house was
built for either the Viceroy or the Chesterfield family. I was sitting on the
living room floor at the feet of my mother, who was supervising my use of the scissors.
She said I was three years old.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;">That was the beginning of a long list of craft projects
that I have worked on in my nearly sixty-eight years. My cousin Barbara, who
lived next door, and I used to hand sew doll clothes. We were pre-Barbyites. Our
18 inch dolls, Susie and Clarissa, were fun to sew for, and had quite the extensive
wardrobes. A neighbor, who owned a Boston bulldog, taught me to crochet. That
project was a small purse about the size of an index card, and it was made of shiny, navy blue cord-like material. I don’t recall crocheting again
until, as a young mother, I made two granny square afghans. They were done in popular colors of
the 1960’s, cream, gold, avocado, and orange. Gifts to my mother and mother-in-law,
they have returned to me. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;">Another
neighbor introduced me and some other girls who lived on our block to sewing. And I
was fortunate to live half a block away from the local high school where summer
classes were offered in sewing. When I picked out the fabric for a peasant
blouse and matching dirndl skirt, my mother gave me some good advice. She
suggested that the white background I had selected would soon be boring and that
the same fabric with the yellow background would please me longer. She was
right. I’ve reused her suggestion many times over the years.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIZAq4oGfeVvU5SHd56HsDIwXOs97RJYoujjOyj8QVLCxW8xGZkUWkC1DqedCvXmL5v7nSKIAjIIlbkwKrkvFP0sWCsiRwObtVjHJhq_q4kAAfo-3doWmLJSTALrU6BQa2YQlL_pb48Q/s1600/larkin+sewing+lesson+clip.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIZAq4oGfeVvU5SHd56HsDIwXOs97RJYoujjOyj8QVLCxW8xGZkUWkC1DqedCvXmL5v7nSKIAjIIlbkwKrkvFP0sWCsiRwObtVjHJhq_q4kAAfo-3doWmLJSTALrU6BQa2YQlL_pb48Q/s400/larkin+sewing+lesson+clip.jpg" width="316" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I see that swanky Lake Drive has been mistakenly substituted<br />
for Larkin St. for some of us. This album clip is from the local<br />
Shorewood , WI paper, perhaps summer of 1950.</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;">While raising five above average children (We live
in the vicinity of Lake Wobegon.) I fit in a little knitting, a little weaving,
some batik, puppet making, and quite a bit of sewing. Do you remember Aunt Lydia's Rug yarn? That is what I used to weave the pillows pictured below. Spinning was not yet in my repertoire. And the choice of yarn was not as plentiful as today.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3PPXU_GfJXwuzbYGzU9Qdrmv8h9Wz0YdiNh1GdLmjF0pKhU7jWN61gSQ0rRWkn2VCvGwlfbI32AzQbiGCwxtN0yTriOzujZz9QTiLeYngdE4DDRkFOLTgEkcA2_kenirLKQwdH75Dog/s1600/two+green+woven+pillows.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="186" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3PPXU_GfJXwuzbYGzU9Qdrmv8h9Wz0YdiNh1GdLmjF0pKhU7jWN61gSQ0rRWkn2VCvGwlfbI32AzQbiGCwxtN0yTriOzujZz9QTiLeYngdE4DDRkFOLTgEkcA2_kenirLKQwdH75Dog/s320/two+green+woven+pillows.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;">As the nest grew empty I took courses in
ceramic, graphic arts, and painting. When my children started filling their own nests, I started quilting baby blankets and then “big bed” quilts. I took classes at the
University of Minnesota’s Split Rock Arts Program, embroidery from Ilse Aviks,
and shibori from Ana Lisa Hedstrom. I spent a number of glorious weeks on
Washington Island at the tip of Wisconsin’s Door County attending classes at
<a href="http://www.sieversschool.com/">Sievers School of Fiber Arts.</a> They included dyeing with Mary Curran, where my
mind was opened to the wonderful possibility and mystery of color; tapestry
weaving with Sarah Swett, where I learned the intricacies of painting with yarn;
and felting and dyeing with Chad Hagen, where I first fell in love with dyeing
wool. Stephanie Robertson took the terror out of the silk screen process with her
casual, free approach. But the class I took repeatedly was Mary Jo Scandin’s</span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;"> </span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;">Batik. OOOOOOH, Batik!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;">A couple of years ago I looked around at all my
supplies, materials, and notebooks, and decided, instead of being an art supply
collector, it was really time to call myself a fiber artist. I have tried many
media, but have become master of none. I have decided that is okay. That's why
the subtitle of this blog is “enthusiasms of a deliberate dilettante.” Mr.
Webster defines a dilettante as--a person who pursues an art or science merely
for amusement; a dabbler. That may sound like a negative to some, but I say
that I relish the opportunities that have presented themselves as I have dabbled,
not to mention the wonderful, talented, understanding, and sharing individuals
I have met along my path. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;">And I hope to meet you there soon.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;">Good Stitches.<o:p></o:p></span></div>sallyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14416846109396087568noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-71596274862674948.post-17001337334459553102012-05-20T21:34:00.001-05:002012-05-20T21:47:46.824-05:00<br />
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;">Family, Friends, and Fiber<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;">Last week began with a Mother’s Day soft ball game
with all of my five children and their families present, and ended with lunch
with some of my Tuesday knitting friends after we attended the 18</span><sup style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 115%;">th</sup><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;">
Annual Door County Shepherd’s Market. In between there were two water aerobic
sessions, open knitting, and coffee with my friend, Ginnie, <a href="http://kewauneecountyhistory.blogspot.com/">http://kewauneecountyhistory.blogspot.com/</a>. </span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;"> Her
knowledge of and enthusiasm for sharing local history are astounding.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;">At the Shepherd’s Market I saw fantastically spun
art yarns, and beautiful felt pieces and baskets. The vendors encouraged handling
the wonderful array of natural and dyed fibers. And the funny faced, shorn alpacas
brought by Kele Alpacas hummed their discomfort of being away from their field
fellows. I purchased the roving pictured below from Nora Ahlen of Homestead
Sheep and </span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;">Fiber Products, Baileys Harbor, WI. It is an aqua and gray cloud of
Romney, Wensleydale and silk noil.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;">Kathi Cascio of Apple Hollow Fiber Arts, Sturgeon
Bay, WI offers fair trade Ghanese baskets among her fiber and related products.
It was hard to chose from the plethora of wonderfully patterned baskets. I
chose a small one to hold a ball of yarn while knitting.</span></div>
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<img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyvGeke4f0UzjYEYUVEz_uLKLENe3KpvnFMXdBZkrxdHH4Kykp3yDnU28GydmO84i9gqSDVxrQiviBJ9_Y7oy8-V_FUB0VkMW31jlPZDAokb0drjAvtHN_zgb2XWJ9BkbZ4Kqmh7dOwg/s400/shep+market+basket+on+white.jpg" width="388" /></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;">Right now it contains
the beginnings of an Elizabeth Zimmerman bonnet from <u>The Opinionated Knitter.</u>
My version is in stockinette and will be embellished with embroidered flowers.
I’m using the bonus yarn pictured a couple of posts ago.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;">One additional stop made after the Shepherd’s Market
was to Jenny Ribbens’ Red Sock Yarns new location in Fish Creek, WI. Her move
was well timed for the beginning of the Door County summer tourist season. No
knitter’s vacation could be complete without a visit to a local yarn shop.
Congratulations, Jenny.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;">Good Stitches.</span></div>sallyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14416846109396087568noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-71596274862674948.post-44737662902012227482012-05-12T22:07:00.000-05:002012-05-15T21:36:52.268-05:00<br />
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;">Mellow Yellow Scarf <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;">I finished a scarf yesterday. It was something
simple I designed when I needed a project that didn’t require much
concentration, but wasn’t boring either. I chose a mellow yellow as a rest from
all the intense multicolored dyeing and knitting I have been doing. </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZ_jMrjrlKbA6eyj2S9rC8VrMuEdY4n_Z8KhdMFaxlv8dgbcCuCii4NbKkeFvjeSMA8y9k8c3qycuhDM-ioc3jtUqiR-9joomT2hVCSqJuEoI27KaZ9GoUYDIO8hbJH4sca_T07hbV3Q/s1600/mellowyelow2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZ_jMrjrlKbA6eyj2S9rC8VrMuEdY4n_Z8KhdMFaxlv8dgbcCuCii4NbKkeFvjeSMA8y9k8c3qycuhDM-ioc3jtUqiR-9joomT2hVCSqJuEoI27KaZ9GoUYDIO8hbJH4sca_T07hbV3Q/s320/mellowyelow2.jpg" width="304" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;">After I
finished it, I spread it out on my bed to examine it. I placed tiny post-it
notes where I noticed things I would change when writing up the instructions. </span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;">When I started the scarf, but before I started the
pattern with the bobbles and yarn overs, I didn’t think to include the yo’s
next to the garter stitch edge. So I noted that on a post-it. I also decided to
remove the first bobble. I made another note for that change.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXwNC2-ZZekixFIvT8LwHGprQCZQ4LQaY1cyAfB6HMjo3SDcgCWtPtMqwKITvebAyhBcDFqU4Tp8PvuN5HZSI-GWJZwM5Ps4hvOyLwrF9X3YVlp5w4iRxj2g4wq7buFBzCcwz3s4Jnsg/s1600/mellowyellow+revision+notes+3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="238" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXwNC2-ZZekixFIvT8LwHGprQCZQ4LQaY1cyAfB6HMjo3SDcgCWtPtMqwKITvebAyhBcDFqU4Tp8PvuN5HZSI-GWJZwM5Ps4hvOyLwrF9X3YVlp5w4iRxj2g4wq7buFBzCcwz3s4Jnsg/s400/mellowyellow+revision+notes+3.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;">At the other end of the scarf I wanted to omit the
two yo’s that are part of the bobble, yo repeat. They looked out of place.
Another note. I also needed to add another row to the garter stitch border at
the end of the scarf. The green yarn was there as a "lifeline" in case I made <u>another</u> mistake and had to rip
back to the beginning of a pattern repeat where there was a plain row of
stitches. I, finally, worked that out after a couple of frustrating periods of
one step forward and two steps back.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8SQBm25ElixL6D28PW1VhU_wnKRx5sPAJiUcm7Q9o6zt3qphQasQNNYW10KNJgtp0vtFMeeEUbq587Ztq-pY1fhJ7-SzGQcqQoZgv3wOFxLlTiXD2WI8Wl-37dGzPauidvoBNqvT4QQ/s1600/melyelpostitb.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="226" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8SQBm25ElixL6D28PW1VhU_wnKRx5sPAJiUcm7Q9o6zt3qphQasQNNYW10KNJgtp0vtFMeeEUbq587Ztq-pY1fhJ7-SzGQcqQoZgv3wOFxLlTiXD2WI8Wl-37dGzPauidvoBNqvT4QQ/s400/melyelpostitb.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;">After pulling the green yarn out, I
blocked the scarf, and rewrote the instructions. If you would like to make this scarf click on<u> mellow yellow scarf </u> under <b>Pages</b> found on the right hand margin of this blog. The pattern is free.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;">One of the aspects of knitting that I find myself
enjoying most is the fun and satisfaction of working out my own patterns. I can
follow a pattern, but find that if I have the basic stitch counts and
techniques down pat, I can play with the rest. I like doing variations on a
theme. When I was quilting, I would start with a central panel and build
outward until I obtained the size I wanted. I loved playing with my scraps.
Now, I have a whole new set of toys- yarns, needles, spinning wheel, dyes. If
you are like I am, you know the joy of it all. If you are timid about
designing, GIVE IT A GO! The challenge, including fixing mistakes, and the
eventual accomplishment will tickle you from the inside.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;">Good Stitches.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;">.</span></div>sallyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14416846109396087568noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-71596274862674948.post-59196393395450610752012-05-05T15:15:00.002-05:002012-05-05T15:15:19.274-05:00<br />
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;">I’ve created a monster.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;">Well, actually, I’ve created two, fraternal, not
identical twins. I just finished my first pair of socks. Let’s just say that during
gestation something went slightly awry. While I was working on the ribbing of
the first sock, I showed it to my Tuesday knitting friends. I said, “It seems
so loose. Is that right?” They replied, “It will be all right.” By the next
week I had turned the heel with no problem, and was working my way down the
length of the foot with some skepticism. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;">I said, “This is really big.” <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;">The Tuesdays asked, “Did I do a swatch, check my
gauge?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;">“Yes.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;">“What size needles are you using?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;">“Threes.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;">“That’s kind of big.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;">“I matched my gauge and needles to the directions.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;">I took out my handy dandy Boye Knitting Gauge and
measured again. I was one stitch off my original count. I was knitting looser.
Pshaw!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;">One of the Tuesdays said, “One stitch per inch is
going to make a difference.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;">I knitted on, deciding that these would no longer be
<u>my</u> first hand knit socks. They would be <u>my son’s</u> first hand knit
socks. When I got home, I measured his feet, twelve inches. I finished the sock
and showed it to my friends. They were speechless, but smiling. Slightly
daunted, I started the other sock. Could I duplicate my mistake? The answer?
Well, not really. First, I started the toe decrease too soon. I tinked several
stripes and tried again. I still didn’t end with the same color at the toe, but
the cosmic <u>they</u> knows that one foot is always smaller than the other.
This way my son can figure out which is which, and be able to say the red toe
is for the smaller foot. He has graciously accepted the banded pair, calling
them his, “lounging socks.” And I have not yet succumbed to single sock
syndrome.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhccdDydyp_pY-PqWiHhLITsi8l0W3ikEWwVB0Wd4ndB86t8bGr3lgpVv5vIlj2PYi3hdQLoq4WGynTCmcUZZIIKpIfi5dkKbSaxfd7bDQT6J-CuS7w5aPj1U8AZnXLEEpQoCjWR0YhKg/s1600/monster+socks.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhccdDydyp_pY-PqWiHhLITsi8l0W3ikEWwVB0Wd4ndB86t8bGr3lgpVv5vIlj2PYi3hdQLoq4WGynTCmcUZZIIKpIfi5dkKbSaxfd7bDQT6J-CuS7w5aPj1U8AZnXLEEpQoCjWR0YhKg/s320/monster+socks.jpg" width="247" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sock One and Sock Two.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWXD27_zGXSlnM7W1tEQl0peEYabryp9mRAaAXglBPbnPvE__cpfS3u87noi3ImABVin_WgQtSSEJgHuQT84UZEVC3y2JN4afd4BXhfUhCuK-BJR_NBSxR_TrNWqX6jpiiJIhBeNin_w/s1600/monster+toes2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWXD27_zGXSlnM7W1tEQl0peEYabryp9mRAaAXglBPbnPvE__cpfS3u87noi3ImABVin_WgQtSSEJgHuQT84UZEVC3y2JN4afd4BXhfUhCuK-BJR_NBSxR_TrNWqX6jpiiJIhBeNin_w/s320/monster+toes2.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Toe One and Toe Two</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 19px; line-height: 21px;">Get in-gauged and Good stitches.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>sallyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14416846109396087568noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-71596274862674948.post-70881707306393342712012-04-28T16:02:00.000-05:002012-04-28T16:02:10.149-05:00<br />
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;">Friday is Dyeday.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;">Tuesdays are called Holy Tuesday at my house. That
is because my family knows that that day is sacred. Nothing else gets scheduled
for Tuesdays because that is the day I go to the “open Knit” at my LYS, SPIN.
And Fridays are Dyedays. I try to do some dyeing every Friday. Yesterday I
decided that I would dye some merino roving that I purchased at the <a href="http://www.cedarburgwoolenmill.com/">CedarburgWoolen Mill </a>as a gift for my daughter-in-law, Gay. She and I have been dyeing
buddies for some time. We have dyed at her mother’s house in Florida, and then
in Wisconsin, and at <a href="http://www.sieversschool.com/">Siever’s School of Fiber Arts</a>, where we have taken Batik
classes. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;">I dyed two lengths of roving using Greener Shades
dyes recommended by Deb Menz in her <a href="http://www.interweave.com/">Interweave</a> DVD, <a href="http://www.interweavestore.com/Spinning/DVDs-Videos/Dyeing-in-the-Kitchen-DVD.html"><u>Dyeing in the Kitchen</u>.</a>
Menz’s book, <u>Color in Spinning</u>, is also an invaluable source and guide I
rely on. The first length of clean roving was pre-soaked in a warm solution of
3 parts water and 1 part vinegar. After gently squeezing out the wool, I placed
it in the bottom of an enameled dye pot with enough water to make it as Menz
refers to, using the technical term, as “squishy.”
I then poured the prepared amounts of dye over the wool, and with a gloved hand
pushed down gently on the yarn to insure that the colors would blend, and that
there would be no white spots. I then heated the pot to 170 degrees for 30
minutes. <o:p></o:p></span><br />
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizmbEh0bEJ35XOfg8ElYjyBTCcdSPPDlKEjwZFG83iCD3Z9f_F4iSg4_20Rpm7cA7G_xkuslpZ3VUE1uOxLVIQPUd1qSpG8gUfL5iYg-2xAYKkx67UV4u2kKd91c54CsMx0B23ansTEA/s1600/DYECARD23.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="214" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizmbEh0bEJ35XOfg8ElYjyBTCcdSPPDlKEjwZFG83iCD3Z9f_F4iSg4_20Rpm7cA7G_xkuslpZ3VUE1uOxLVIQPUd1qSpG8gUfL5iYg-2xAYKkx67UV4u2kKd91c54CsMx0B23ansTEA/s320/DYECARD23.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">An example of the dye card I try to keep for each job.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhD7EgzHNJwXFr2tYTm0C9QkZfSOvhew5bSXW0FzzhHeox0umsrJHF2NRPsDixCytBUfgydeC6KNz8j6WXFNdQKIqei5TUfVOabDqNeGQqsRUxTcWx6Qn6DlqiK4adbLl6CGVb0S5LOpQ/s1600/gaysgiftbluekettlebutterfly.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="294" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhD7EgzHNJwXFr2tYTm0C9QkZfSOvhew5bSXW0FzzhHeox0umsrJHF2NRPsDixCytBUfgydeC6KNz8j6WXFNdQKIqei5TUfVOabDqNeGQqsRUxTcWx6Qn6DlqiK4adbLl6CGVb0S5LOpQ/s320/gaysgiftbluekettlebutterfly.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">First length of roving dyed for Gay recorded on above card.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
</div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;">The painted the second length with the same colors,
but in lighter shades. This wool I rolled up in plastic wrap, placed on a
steamer rack in my pot, and steamed for 30 minutes. Both lengths were then
rinsed gently and hung to dry.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifStU2YlZHTGoTHpf9Pnf_hUxM5GJhF0IVpd2EO12YfVeMcSva-4yVLI1ld2be_arPf9xnu5cjtC5VKcTaJc7b0l4xd1ZK8tNGu6h1Roe7iG5383z_9wixMH2RpbHeMSElFXcwwedNjQ/s1600/gaygiftpaintedbal.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="301" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifStU2YlZHTGoTHpf9Pnf_hUxM5GJhF0IVpd2EO12YfVeMcSva-4yVLI1ld2be_arPf9xnu5cjtC5VKcTaJc7b0l4xd1ZK8tNGu6h1Roe7iG5383z_9wixMH2RpbHeMSElFXcwwedNjQ/s320/gaygiftpaintedbal.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Yarn painted for Gay.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhybbDJTAeKpCucDOzH5lvXUECW9KeE28juqMSiaK1_60TWMOg3w3SZOk5-CMzZLivqYMZ1spPfdOB8Z30RtsnMSkb-ZAamEaYCnPMOMaTbkQncckUK18iYcBlu6_UXdEJqVYm6zlRIzA/s1600/DYECARD24.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="216" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhybbDJTAeKpCucDOzH5lvXUECW9KeE28juqMSiaK1_60TWMOg3w3SZOk5-CMzZLivqYMZ1spPfdOB8Z30RtsnMSkb-ZAamEaYCnPMOMaTbkQncckUK18iYcBlu6_UXdEJqVYm6zlRIzA/s320/DYECARD24.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Dye card for yarn painted for Gay.<br /></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;">This morning they were dry, packaged, and mailed in
time to arrive on Gay’s Birthday.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;">If I have left over dye, I either mix them together or add some other color to it. I added some ruby red to some left over amethyst and dyed some Lion Brand Fishermen's wool for my bonus yarn of the day.</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGtXjVsPLmw3kmEA1KLy0T0KyH1IVk0HQ9H7OHKL6lXbHEnp_UC8CEZ5mipGIL1FaOy9IxaVXEE4eyS6Zt1kBGoI5XrKLV7g5oAFriCxXP8rYiHm5mvbbapzMFQ_A0qkB9b8oXeM3IWA/s1600/ruby-amethystcloseup.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="296" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGtXjVsPLmw3kmEA1KLy0T0KyH1IVk0HQ9H7OHKL6lXbHEnp_UC8CEZ5mipGIL1FaOy9IxaVXEE4eyS6Zt1kBGoI5XrKLV7g5oAFriCxXP8rYiHm5mvbbapzMFQ_A0qkB9b8oXeM3IWA/s320/ruby-amethystcloseup.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Amethyst - Ruby, gem of a yarn.</td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Needless to say, Tuesdays and Fridays are my favorites.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Happy days, happy stitches, and to Gay, Happy Birthday.</span></div>
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<br /></div>sallyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14416846109396087568noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-71596274862674948.post-38957082844840436922012-04-21T15:17:00.000-05:002012-04-22T14:48:41.394-05:00<br />
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;">Good intentions vs. Reality, and a good idea<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;">I try to keep a binder journal of my projects, but
it isn’t always up to date. Ideally, the plan is to have a record of each
project I do so that I can repeat it, share it, or, perhaps, develop it for
sale. I use plastic sleeves to store a copy of the pattern that I can write
notes on while I’m working. Sometimes the pattern is from a published work with
its source recorded, in case I want to find it again, or cite and credit the
designer. If it is my own design or riff on a published design, I store my
notes and charts in there, too. The sleeve also contains a photo of the
finished product, and a sample of the yarn used, with its label or record card,
if it is hand-dyed or handspun. Here is an example. I made two hats adapted
from a pattern in <u>Baby Beanies</u> by <a href="http://www.amandakeeysphotography.com/">Amanda Keeys</a> Her photos of those
darling children make knitting her patterns irresistible. Thank you Amanda! </span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9dgXBGaixsdK_Nl-30pvcvCIIUeW9SruKtJ2YAuXt1SROK2BnJYr9pK2Z5DBR31o3E5VwRPj1WtvtdKJ19vENRUK8kOwLE3tuY2QdO_v8umR2WTMeqv15Pb-l7FuJtHxs7wgOtRf2eQ/s1600/eurobebebobblehat.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9dgXBGaixsdK_Nl-30pvcvCIIUeW9SruKtJ2YAuXt1SROK2BnJYr9pK2Z5DBR31o3E5VwRPj1WtvtdKJ19vENRUK8kOwLE3tuY2QdO_v8umR2WTMeqv15Pb-l7FuJtHxs7wgOtRf2eQ/s320/eurobebebobblehat.jpg" width="226" /></a></div>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIV6qTRRWRpJnBu1EQ1-eZDlTAaAaE8xsvcVvt6sy9tai33rYyVcCUK-JGq2rScA-88Sb0raEJBI9ehb6Zy6h1THXU7AbTGqMkb6vgq4QsmJkPx10s1rMQRbfiztss-DAu2UNXe_xoEA/s1600/scannedfauxfairislehat.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIV6qTRRWRpJnBu1EQ1-eZDlTAaAaE8xsvcVvt6sy9tai33rYyVcCUK-JGq2rScA-88Sb0raEJBI9ehb6Zy6h1THXU7AbTGqMkb6vgq4QsmJkPx10s1rMQRbfiztss-DAu2UNXe_xoEA/s320/scannedfauxfairislehat.jpg" width="219" /></a><br />
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;">Scanned images for my Knitting Journal file.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;">I
used the pattern “euro bebe,” as my base, using solid and multicolored Plymouth
Yarn’s “Encore” from my LYS, </span><a href="http://www.spinofdoorcounty.com/">SPIN</a><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;"> located in Sturgeon Bay, Wisconsin. I
added a section of my first attempt at bobbles. The second hat was made from
yarn that I dyed after spinning. It included my first faux Fair Isle yarn. This
sleeve, actually, contained most of the items I listed above. Like I said, ideally, this is the plan, but I
am way behind on the actual doing phase. (Lunch Break)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;">While eating my peanut butter and banana sandwich, I
had a different idea for keeping my journal. I tried using my flatbed copier to
make pictures of my work and yarn info to place in my binder. It is an
acceptable option. Then I had another idea. Maybe some of you have already thought
of this and are doing it already. In that case, YOU ARE BRILLIANT! Instead of
using a binder, I have decided to use my scanner (I love my scanner.) and
computer to keep my info, thus freeing up precious shelf space for another dyeing,
spinning, or knitting tome. And I’ll save on paper and toner, too. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;">Now I know what I’ll be doing the rest of
this afternoon. My scanner is all warmed
up, and my bin of projects, patterns, and yarn samples awaits. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;">Happy Stitches or Scans! <o:p></o:p></span></div>sallyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14416846109396087568noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-71596274862674948.post-54018304083662758182012-04-13T12:42:00.002-05:002012-04-13T12:42:29.238-05:00<span style="font-size: large;">Craft Heritage</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">With the news of the release of the 1940 Federal Census material, my interest in genealogy has been rekindled. Genealogy is one of many of my on again, off again enthusiasms. It fits together with a new found interest in history, a subject I will write about some other time. Now that I'm knitting, I have become interested in the history of knitting, and I have been enjoying, <u>Knitting America: a glorious heritage from warm socks to high art</u>, by Susan M. Strawn and <u>Knitting Around the World: A multistranded history of a time-honored tradition</u>, by Lela Nargi. Plying the three threads of history, genealogy and knitting leads me to thinking about the craft as it applies to the women in my family. Did my great grandmother, Rose, knit socks for her husband, Irish born, Union soldier, Tom? Was her sock pattern similar to the one reproduced in Strawn's history? </span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">I know very little about the craft history of my women ancestors. I do, fortunately, have one treasure handed down to me by my uncle. The velvet and silk log cabin quilt was made by my great great grandmother, Sarah. I love the scalloped edge with the bits of ribbon.</span><br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8v0mtZXuXz4lP3uV5ajEiGbe14lCYJWuHRv0XhnLMJlp1Kh2Aw8x7Xnz2SLFmxwlfWWM4NXTrCiFP-fyJbW9nmgqDVOFK9m5Z6hTryWozcNdcCVQuYQhC8z90H1z-akUs2mAKS3Ebug/s1600/silk-velvet+log+cabin+quilt+by+Sarah+Ledden.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="351" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8v0mtZXuXz4lP3uV5ajEiGbe14lCYJWuHRv0XhnLMJlp1Kh2Aw8x7Xnz2SLFmxwlfWWM4NXTrCiFP-fyJbW9nmgqDVOFK9m5Z6hTryWozcNdcCVQuYQhC8z90H1z-akUs2mAKS3Ebug/s400/silk-velvet+log+cabin+quilt+by+Sarah+Ledden.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>Sarah Ledden's log cabin quilt<br /><br /></b></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: large;">I was close enough to my grandmothers to know that neither of them knit or engaged in other crafts. I did have a cousin, Dorothy, who knit. I remember sitting on her stoop, and watching her knit argyle socks for her husband. I was fascinated by the multiple swinging bobbins of color coordinated yarn. I was envious of her daughter, Barbara, whose doll sported a forest green hand knitted sweater set. I don't know where Dorothy developed her interest in knitting. I know her mother did not knit. </span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">My mother's passion was reading, but she began and completed a couple of projects that she made for me. One was stitched from a crewel kit, a mother rocking her baby. The other was an afghan from a <u>Spinnerin</u> pattern. I'm sure I still have it. If I took time now to look for it this post would not be published until, maybe, September. I did find her pattern book, so I can show you a picture. </span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxnVv33UzM-7MtH0f45BiPZrIV5lKWB5H9Z2ccFyWn17pl0aVM2xwyeETo21l09qLkA8SbjNWhG_3Sbfb778FSnJPsDQl7mfI7QEDDYXSUFgl4-QPCXxZnga-syMjpclAPdhTUfAYFQw/s1600/spinnerin+afghan+beguiling+tradition.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxnVv33UzM-7MtH0f45BiPZrIV5lKWB5H9Z2ccFyWn17pl0aVM2xwyeETo21l09qLkA8SbjNWhG_3Sbfb778FSnJPsDQl7mfI7QEDDYXSUFgl4-QPCXxZnga-syMjpclAPdhTUfAYFQw/s400/spinnerin+afghan+beguiling+tradition.jpg" width="282" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"> <u>Spinnerin, Fashions for Living,</u> Volume 168, 1966.</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">The one my mother made was turquoise with roses cross-stitched in shades of pink. I wondered about the narrow shape of it until, years later, I saw the pattern. My mother had decided to leave out two of the narrow panels and the chain stitched joins. I have to give my mother a lot of credit for all the work she did do. She would have had to learn how to do the afghan stitch from the "How To" section of the pattern book. And I wonder if she adapted those instruction for he left-handedness. She may have used her right hand because she wrote with her right, a result of the insistence of the nuns who taught her. It is too late to ask her now. That's a genealogist's regret. Ask now, or never know. She might not have understood the chain stitch joins, never having had any prior experience with crochet. I know these two gifts were acts of love, one mother to another, and mother to daughter. Now, many of my projects are stitched with love for my children (5) and my grandchildren (10). And I use them as an excuse to knit every chance I get.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">GOOD STITCHES!</span>sallyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14416846109396087568noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-71596274862674948.post-75978055643293555222012-04-07T15:51:00.000-05:002015-03-21T00:12:14.530-05:00<span style="font-size: large;">A four letter word </span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">I just learned a new word. When I saw how my crossword puzzle blanks turned into a four letter word I did not know, I started to look for mistakes. The word </span><u style="font-size: x-large;">clew</u><span style="font-size: large;"> had automatically appeared vertically as I made horizontal entries. The clue for 54 down was, "ball of yarn." Since I had never heard the word before, I was convinced that my across words were wrong. Nope. So, I reached for the dictionary that sits on an antique highchair in our farmhouse kitchen. There was the word in our ancient 1966 college edition of </span><u style="font-size: x-large;">Webster's New World Dictionary of the American Language</u><span style="font-size: large;">, "</span><b style="font-size: x-large;">clew</b><span style="font-size: large;">....noun...1. a ball of thread or yarn in Greek legend, a ball of thread was used by Theseus as a guide out of the labyrinth." Had I ever read about Theseus? My reading retention is abominable, but my curiosity is alive and well, so I went online to check him out.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">I found Theseus at: <a href="http://www.mythweb.com/encyc/entries/theseus.html">http://www.mythweb.com/encyc/entries/theseus.html</a>. Here are two paragraphs from the story you can read at this site.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white;"><br /></span>
<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-size: large;">It was not long after he arrived in Crete that the hero encountered Princess Ariadne, daughter of King Minos. She fell in love with him at first sight. It was Ariadne who gave Theseus a clew which she had obtained from Daedalus. In some versions of the myth it was an ordinary clew, a simple ball of thread. It was to prove invaluable in his quest to survive the terrors of the Labyrinth.</span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-size: large;">When Theseus first entered the maze he tied off one end of the ball of thread which Ariadne had given him, and he played out the thread as he advanced deeper and deeper into the labyrinthine passages. Many artists have depicted Theseus killing the Minotaur with his sword or club, but it is hard to see how he could have concealed such bulky weapons in his clothing. More probable are the versions of the tale which have him coming upon the Minotaur as it slept and then, in properly heroic fashion, beating it to death with his bare fists. Then he followed the thread back to the entrance. Otherwise he would have died of starvation before making his escape.</span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-size: large;">This all led to:</span></span><span style="font-size: large;"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ariadne's_thread_(logic)">http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ariadne's_thread_(logic)</a>. Then I remembered the horrendous knot I made yesterday while working with a skein of yarn I had dyed. The words Gordian knot popped into my head, so I had to look that up. What I found did not apply to my particular knot, but it was fascinating and thought provoking. Take a look and see where it leads you. </span><span style="font-size: large;"><a href="http://www.maa.org/devlin/devlin_9_01.html">http://www.maa.org/devlin/devlin_9_01.html</a>. </span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">I'm not even going to mention Arachne, or the Greek Moirai (the Fates).</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaTvJlwk3rlOFqaVdNHGfrAjZDXATzGfnWMgceldS_BYWExEh3IrhEUL0KodW7regJaPe1uohEdCGu4fnNaql26hi9v-4qgK0EtXMTqx_o0IwmR4Fkwvef7DT6gjxjCQSp2GS-MXUQTw/s1600/theseus+clew.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaTvJlwk3rlOFqaVdNHGfrAjZDXATzGfnWMgceldS_BYWExEh3IrhEUL0KodW7regJaPe1uohEdCGu4fnNaql26hi9v-4qgK0EtXMTqx_o0IwmR4Fkwvef7DT6gjxjCQSp2GS-MXUQTw/s640/theseus+clew.jpg" height="226" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">Where will your next clew lead you?</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: large;">GOOD STITCHES.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>sallyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14416846109396087568noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-71596274862674948.post-90124408233553688342012-04-05T09:19:00.000-05:002012-04-05T09:19:16.117-05:00welcome to iknWelcome to my first post in "i'm knitting now." I've been sitting in my "knitting spot" thinking about making my first pair of socks. I know I have to measure my feet. Okay, 10 1/2 inches is the length of my foot, but is the width down near the ball and toes or up near the instep? I start looking for the answer to that question in books I have acquired in the last year since my interest has turned to knitting. When I pull Kristin Nicholas from my shelf, I'm reminded why I started knitting again after thirty some years. Looking at her work in <u>Kristin Knits</u> and <u>Color by Kristin</u> not only gives me my color fix for the day, but also tickles me from the inside out. Next year during the doldrums, I'm going to try to remember to use her books to brighten dreary winter days. The first things I knit last year were a hat and baby sweater inspired by Kristin. They are not as colorful as she would have made them, but they were a new beginning for me.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEsYhBpU4v4qY8PT5sPpO2xjMb7D177GfS46h53fu9LDhFfhdh-tKI-Z5HlRg8UVw5LCTmEjbj-UHtKtIEFmO5XsFHqEY7HCWjZTqqfshGKAz-0WZ0Xl53HIh-dnqPQ79Zmr1A1-cIAA/s1600/bluegoldbabyset.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEsYhBpU4v4qY8PT5sPpO2xjMb7D177GfS46h53fu9LDhFfhdh-tKI-Z5HlRg8UVw5LCTmEjbj-UHtKtIEFmO5XsFHqEY7HCWjZTqqfshGKAz-0WZ0Xl53HIh-dnqPQ79Zmr1A1-cIAA/s320/bluegoldbabyset.jpg" width="317" /></a></div>
I was going to use some Patons Kroy Socks yarn from JoAnn's, and instruction from <u>The Knitter's Handy Book of Patterns</u> by Ann Budd for my first sock adventure, and I think I'll stick to that plan while I decide which of Kristin's luscious socks to knit. In KK she has two colorway options, "atlantic and pacific socks." Since I live near the third coast, a couple of miles from Lake Michigan, maybe I'll come up with my own color combination.<br />
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Oh, I think I'm going with the ball and toe measurement. If I'm wrong, let me know. If I'm right, I'd still like to hear from you. In the meantime, good stitches.<br />
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<br />sallyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14416846109396087568noreply@blogger.com0