Monday, May 29, 2006

FO Flower Basket Shawl and WIP Landscape Scarf



The flower basket shawl is knit out of Brown Sheep Naturespun Sport. I had so much trouble with row 25 that I finally just knit the ending border and was done. I had enough for probably one more pattern repeat but I just wanted to be finished with it. I think it was the few months break I took from it that I lost the rhythm of knitting it. The size is between the small and large shawl. I think it was 11 or 12 pattern repeats.

The Landscape scarf is out of some ArtYarns. I love the color, it is a pink, cream, brown combination. I may have to get enough to make a large shawl out of that colorway. It is not something I would usually pick but I saw it in a yarn shop and just had to have it.

Cummington 2006 Post 2


This is some tencel yarn that I bought from Just Our Yarn. It came in two weights and they were given in setts for weaving as far as I know. But, they had two different Tencel yarns, one that came in a 525 yard skein and one that was a 1000 or a little over. The prize was right, $19 a skein so I bought one of the 525 yard ones. It also says 5/2 which is something to do with the weight of the yarn. I plan to make a shawl, it feels wonderful. I also bought the two patterns show and dyed some of the yarn I bought online through Yarns2Dye4, half a skein yesterday and the other half is dyeing today to make one of the shawls.

Sunday, May 28, 2006

Cummington 2006



Another Cummington has come and gone. I got to see a bunch of friends and say goodbye and good luck to Shelia who is moving away. The sheep were cute as always and these two sheep were my favorites. I spent the money that I brought with me to spend (spent the leftovers on plants and flowers at a nursery today). I tend to shop at the same vendors and bought more fiber from the Sheep Shed just another color than what I bought at CT S&W. I did buy some fiber from The Wool Peddler, it was a hard choice but I decided on a blue/green shown above.

Saturday, May 13, 2006

DyeORama Meme

Your favorite colors? It was always purple mostly but lately, I have been into lime green, turquoise, and coral.

Preferred yarn weight (Fingering, Sport, DK, maybe even Worsted)? Depends on what I am making. Sweaters in Worsted. Shawls in Fingering, Sport or DK. Mostly depends also on the yarn that I find that just calls out to me.

Do you prefer solid or multicolored yarn? It depends. I love to look at the multicolored yarn.

If your buddy is able to do so, would you like a variegated, self-striping, or
self-patterning yarn? Anything that my buddy wants to create is fine with me.

Would you be interested in a wool blend sock yarn (nylon, tencel, silk, acrylic,
alpaca, etc.)? Anything is fine.

Imagine the perfect colorway. What would you name it? The first thought was Cotton Candy but that seems to be more pink in my mind. Probably another thought would be Fiesta.

What was the biggest appeal to you for joining this dye-along? The chance to do some more dyeing and the push of a deadline to get me back into trying it again.

Have you dyed yarn/fiber before? Yes, both yarn and fiber and rovings.

If so, what’s your favorite dye and method? I use a turkey roaster and Cushing Dyes.

Do you spin? Yes, occasionally.

Have you knit socks before? One pair in an online learn to knit socks class. They are worsted weight and came out a little big so I felted them a little and use them as slippers.

Do you use sock yarn for just socks or in other patterns too? I love to use sock yarn for shawls and scarfs. I do have plans to make some socks now though.
W
hat are some of your favorite yarns? Cascade 220, Koigu, Lorna’s Laces.

What yarn do you totally covet? Lorna’s Laces.

Favorite patterns? I like Knitting Pure and Simple patterns for sweaters, Fiber Trends has a lot of nice shawls/scarves. A designer I like is Kathy Zimmerman.

Any pattern you would love to make if money and time were no object? Alice Starmore’s Queen Anne’s Lace. I have the book waiting, just need to get the yarn.

Favorite kind of needles (brand, materials, straights or circs, etc)? I was all about circulars and got rid of most of my straights, now I am back into the straights (mostly for scarfs). My favorites are the Inox Greys. I love them. I also like the wood Clovers.

If you were a specific kind of yarn, which brand and kind of yarn would you be? Hmm, some nice Lorna’s Laces in Shepherd Sport.

Do you have a favorite candy or mail-able snack? Dark Chocolate, yum.

What’s your favorite animal? Giraffes

Do you have pets? What are their species/names/ages? 2 cats, Jenson who is about 10, Olivia who is about 6 and a dog, Tessa who is about six and she is a Shetland sheepdog. I have a Betta fish at work named Rowan (a gift from the Boss to all the staff on our floor).

If you were a color what color would you be? Purple

Describe your favorite shirt (yours or someone else’s).. I hate to admit it but I am wearing it and it is an old sweatshirt that I bought at a gym about 10 years ago or more and it says “hard tops sports gear” on it and is falling apart, holes all around the cuffs and neck and seams. It really should be trashed and I keep putting it off till the next season.

What is your most inspiring image, flower, or object in nature? I love to look at Tulips and Hummingbirds.

Do you have a wishlist? No, but maybe I should.

Friday, May 05, 2006

Tulips



Here is a picture of some tulips from the back yard. I love tulips. I go by a house every morning on my way to work that has a circle in front with about a five foot diameter filled with all different colors of tulips. Very pretty.

A quick note to my Dye-O-Rama Swap buddy. I have been thinking since I got your email about what colors I like. I looked through my summer clothes, read through my book of what is in my stash. The stash book wasn't much help because I tend to hoard anything.
But, my favorite colors this year tend to be a lime green color, purple (any shade), coral and turqoise. I don't really like yellow (to wear) at all but most other colors are fair game.