Kool Aid Dyeing, Oh Yeah

I have a new wheel, a Lendrum folding wheel from Paradise Fibers, I love it, of course it’s the only wheel I know or how really used so I’m biased.

I started with roving to play with, then I had purchased about 12 or so oz of white merino at a fiber fair. I decided I would spin all of this and ply it. My logic was after that I would have a good idea of what I was doing. Which I think worked fairly well.

Some snaggles at first.

My first three skein of plied handspun. Woot….

Well I’m not sure what I had planned for this, but I just fondled them for a while, they were so soft and squishy, and made me smile. Some where along the line I decided they needed color. (I know some of these photos I have blogged before but I am so enamored by Kool Aid dyeing that they are having a encore presentation)

Numerous online bloggers recommended Kool Aid for my first foray into dyeing.

Even so, I was a bit uncertain as I started, after all this was my first, plyed handspun yarn. Off to Walmart to purchase Kool Aid. The colors spoke to me, I left thinking I would use yellow, but orange ended up in my cart. So pretty and happy, and it is almost summer.

Knitty has instructions.

Fill the pot, add the Kool Aid (see Knitty for amount), soak your skeins to get them totally wet (about 15 min) then put them in the pot and heat until nearly boiling.

Let sit covered for about 1/2 hour. Then let it cool, rinse your skeins in cool water. Then your ready to wash them in a mild soap and hang to dry.

OOOOO the color is so pretty! There is also a microwave and solar method. The first time I heard of the solar method was from Knit, Spin and Life blog.

All dry and so soft and pretty, now I think it wants to be a sweater. I like the Faux Fair Isle Raglan Sweater from Spin to Knit by Shannon Oakey. Maybe a brown yarn on the bottom, my girlfriend suggested pink, hummmmm…..have to think about that.

So typical of me, usually in the middle of summer, upper 90’s and I will be working on something for the dead of winter.

Meanwhile…..Look what jumped in my cart at walmart today!

May your knitting needles fly as fast as dragonflies….

Technorati Tags: Spin,Knit and Life,Spin to Knit by Shannon Oakey,Kool Aid dyeing,handspun,knit,Faux Fair Isle Raglan

Fibonacci and Knitting

Some time ago I learned that Fibonacci can be applied to knitting. If you are not familiar with Fibonacci, he was a mathematician from the middle ages. He figured out the relationship of proportions, now known as the golden ratio (or number), Fibonacci sequence or 1.618 or Phi. This sequence is seen in practically everything. I’ll link to several articles if you wish to learn more. From reproducing animals, to sea shells and galaxies, the human form and sunflowers. (Mona Lisa, Parthenon, and the pyramids of Egypt, just to name a few). This ratio is present in many, many more surprising things. The first time I used this was in my felted bag. I loved the random look of it. This pattern is The Big Bag Pattern (free on Ravelry) by Maia Discoe (link ) Below are a couple of links if you wish to learn more.. Fibonacci Numbers and Nature The Wiki and Fibonacci Mona Lisa -- Da Vinci's Use of Sacred Geometry (you tube link) In mathematics, the Fibonacci numbers or Fibonacci...

Review of a Kick Spindles Or Mother Marion to spin

When I made the decision to buy a Kick spindle I could find very little info on it, anywhere. Below is what I gathered, bought and my experience with mine. I could only find two being marketed, since I purchased mine I have found a third. Below is my views on the Kick spindle I purchased (Little Meggie from Heavenly Handspinning), and some info on all of the other Kick Spindles that I could locate. Links and costs are included. Review: Things I like about my Kick Spindle. 1. Long spin time, I like the addition of the ball bearing. 2. Leaves both hands free to draft 3. It's my "wheel" 4. I like using my foot, I am moving around and don't get stiff from one position. It's a very "active" type, rhythmic motion. 5. You can actually stand and use it also. 6. Great price point. 7. I have never spun on a wheel and when I sat down at one the first time, I could actually spin (some) I think this action of foot/hand coordination helped. 8. ...

Hills and Valleys Cowl/Hood (free pattern)

I was searching for the perfect cowl that I had in my mind to knit. Trawling on Ravelry, I wanted one, just the right size around, only once around my neck and not too tight, loose enough to pull up around my face and tall enough to get it around my ears during a windy dog walk, but able to squish it down into my collar of my coat and not be too thick and bulky. About a third of the way into the pattern I decided to make it long enough to pull up as a hood also. I finally just un-vented this one, as Elizabeth Zimmerman would say. Add caption This is a simple stitch textured cowl/hood (you decide the length). Suitable for beginning knitters. Purl ridges make the cowl easy to scrunchy down or pull up. You can wear the ribbed end on top if you are wearing it as a cowl to make it snuggie around your neck or, wear the purl ridges on top if you are pulling it up as a hood. If you have any questions or find an error please let me know so I can correct it! I’ve added some tuto...

Knitting Dragonflies

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