The Red Post
First up, the least red:
This is the pile of handspun yarn I bought at LaLana Wools in Taos. It's a fluffy woolen dubbelmossa, a doubled hat, so it is two layers thick all over, and four over the ears where it folds up. Warm! and best of all, it fits :). It was interesting knitting with handspun yarns spun by other people. These are singles, and knit up nicely, but skewed slightly when I washed the hat to block it:
Singles have twist inherent, of course. That twist will torque in some knitted constructions, which can be used to advantage. Here, there is not enough skew to worry me; in a sweater I'd be more annoyed. I have enough yarn left for some mitts, perhaps fingerless, and again, the skew will no irritate me there either.
Next up is this cowl, now red:
having been thrown into a dyepot. I have not worn it. I took a good look at it in its previous incarnation, and decided it was just not the right colors, so I threw it in a crock pot with some red dye (people who know me will not be surprised). Now, it goes nicely with everything I own! (Again, people who know me will not be surprised). I liked the close up of the colors:
Several yarns in the cowl were multi-colored, so they took the red dye in their own way. Yes, the irony of buying multi-colored rovings and over-dyeing them is not lost. I updated my Ravelry project page with these new photos: the pattern information is there too.
Speaking of red:
This is commercial yarn, from a flock in NY, which came to me white:
I actually thought about knitting it up in white, but, alas, could not. It is part of my allotment as a member of a wool-and-fiber CSA from Jenna's Coldantler farm in upstate NY. The wool is crisp and crunchy, good also for a hat, and will be taken with me as knitting on my next trip. I was not sure if the amount would be enough so I added a few skeins of handspun to go with it: the top one I over-dyed (and yes, it was multi-colored rovings I purchased to spin, then yes, I over-dyed the dyed yarn.....):
In the photo you can see some of my very favorite knitting needles, the funky all-one-piece nylon ones from the 50's, by Susan Bates. I loooooooove them, and other people seem to not, so I collect them whenever I find them (thrift stores, friend's stashes, estate sales, yard sales, whenever).
Also? I have neglected to brag about this:
A *gift* from Deb, as a thank you for weaving her silk shawl last summer. I put gift in quotes because I made her give it to me. It's embroidery, using her handspun yarns, and was her gallery piece for several conferences this year. At some point, I just told her she needed to give it to me, and she did. I should be embarrassed, but I'm not. I'm incorrigible :D!
Why all the red? Well, it's seasonal, cheerful, festive, pretty, I like it a lot, and one of my favorite little elves is wearing it this year:
Merry Christmas! or Happy Solstice! or happy other holiday, whatever you may celebrate.
This is the pile of handspun yarn I bought at LaLana Wools in Taos. It's a fluffy woolen dubbelmossa, a doubled hat, so it is two layers thick all over, and four over the ears where it folds up. Warm! and best of all, it fits :). It was interesting knitting with handspun yarns spun by other people. These are singles, and knit up nicely, but skewed slightly when I washed the hat to block it:
Singles have twist inherent, of course. That twist will torque in some knitted constructions, which can be used to advantage. Here, there is not enough skew to worry me; in a sweater I'd be more annoyed. I have enough yarn left for some mitts, perhaps fingerless, and again, the skew will no irritate me there either.
Next up is this cowl, now red:
having been thrown into a dyepot. I have not worn it. I took a good look at it in its previous incarnation, and decided it was just not the right colors, so I threw it in a crock pot with some red dye (people who know me will not be surprised). Now, it goes nicely with everything I own! (Again, people who know me will not be surprised). I liked the close up of the colors:
Several yarns in the cowl were multi-colored, so they took the red dye in their own way. Yes, the irony of buying multi-colored rovings and over-dyeing them is not lost. I updated my Ravelry project page with these new photos: the pattern information is there too.
Speaking of red:
This is commercial yarn, from a flock in NY, which came to me white:
I actually thought about knitting it up in white, but, alas, could not. It is part of my allotment as a member of a wool-and-fiber CSA from Jenna's Coldantler farm in upstate NY. The wool is crisp and crunchy, good also for a hat, and will be taken with me as knitting on my next trip. I was not sure if the amount would be enough so I added a few skeins of handspun to go with it: the top one I over-dyed (and yes, it was multi-colored rovings I purchased to spin, then yes, I over-dyed the dyed yarn.....):
In the photo you can see some of my very favorite knitting needles, the funky all-one-piece nylon ones from the 50's, by Susan Bates. I loooooooove them, and other people seem to not, so I collect them whenever I find them (thrift stores, friend's stashes, estate sales, yard sales, whenever).
Also? I have neglected to brag about this:
A *gift* from Deb, as a thank you for weaving her silk shawl last summer. I put gift in quotes because I made her give it to me. It's embroidery, using her handspun yarns, and was her gallery piece for several conferences this year. At some point, I just told her she needed to give it to me, and she did. I should be embarrassed, but I'm not. I'm incorrigible :D!
Why all the red? Well, it's seasonal, cheerful, festive, pretty, I like it a lot, and one of my favorite little elves is wearing it this year:
Merry Christmas! or Happy Solstice! or happy other holiday, whatever you may celebrate.
posted by Sara at 8:54 AM
7 Comments:
So you are the reason I can't find those wonderful Susan Bates "all one piece plastic needles"!!
I seriously love them too, only other substitute are the old Aero's but they lack the Silkon finish.
Good hunting, Love your blog.
ok gammie, cute over the top! Must say I do miss them being sweet, smelling good and not being able to talk. Well sometimes!
Merry Christmas and first Christmas is so much fun! Look at those kissey lips. acccccck.
Leaving on Sunday for my Christmas gammie fix. 3 days 4 little (two not so little) girls-heaven!
Love that overdyed cowl! I agree, it's much prettier this way. I'm always overdyeing stuff, too, either fabric or yarn. You never know what you're going to end up with, but it's always fun.
I had my gammie-fix at Thanksgiving. Four boys, between the ages of 7 months and 8 years. They're visiting their other grandparents tomorrow.
Merry Christmas!
More red - no, I'm not surprized.
Hugs and love...
I love that hat! I want to try one. Merry holidays!
Of course it is red... all if it, even the precious grandbaby! Merry Christmas and Happy New Year, and happy red knitting in the year to come.
Of course it is red... all if it, even the precious grandbaby! Merry Christmas and Happy New Year, and happy red knitting in the year to come.
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