Adventures in yarn dying : some photos of the process pt.1

In the last post I mentioned being assigned the task of thinking about the colors I love. That was all preparation for the class I had the great good fortune of taking from Blue Moon Fiber Arts‘ Master Dyer Tina.

photo.jpg

The room was all set up and we spent a little time learning about wool and how the manufacturing/milling process changes the way dyes adhere. We worked with BMFA Socks that Rock yarn in medium weight and the same acid dyes that Blue Moon uses.

photo.jpg

Here’s Tina showing us first how to add the colors.

photo.jpg

She adds a second color and shows us how they blend together.

photo.jpg

After adding a few more colors she demonstrates the fine art of “squooshing.

She lets us loose and we start playing with the colors – oh what fun!

photo.jpg

photo.jpg

This is IrishGirlie’s : Isn’t it beautiful?!

photo.jpg

Once it is all saturated and ready to go, it gets a squirt of vinegar and wrapped it up in plastic so it is all nice and snug.

photo.jpg

Here they are ready for the microwave (2 min) to set the colors, then they’ll dry.

photo.jpg

I can’t wait to see the results! Hopefully I’ll be able to share a few photos tomorrow when we pick up our very own hand-painted yarn.

Knitting and Kitten ‘training’ – Featuring Socks that Rock

Holidazed ginny

Our “Kittens” Ginny and Joey are now over a year and a half old but still have moments of complete spazzy goofiness every day. I have a “rule” of no playing with my knitting that Ginny has struggled with from the beginning.

‘Training’ looks something like this:
I pull out my knitting
Ginny jumps on my lap
Ginny grabs at the yarn.
I say ‘no’ and put her down.
Ginny jumps back on my lap – remorseful and innocent, eyes-wide, purring*
Ginny nudges my hand to pet her.
I pet her.
She starts to curl up on my lap and as she turns around…
Ginny grabs at the yarn.
I say ‘no’ and put her down. (Actually it sounds more like – ‘GAAAAH! I SAID NO PLAYING with the YARN!’)
[repeat from *]

There have been many many times where I just had to put away the knitting until she was crashed out dead asleep in another part of the house.

Holidazed and ginny cat

We seem to have had a breakthrough with this sock. Her desire for evening cuddles has won over her kitten instincts to pounce and chew. I am so proud. And yet at the same time…
I am cat furniture.

The sock is Blue Moon Socks that Rock sock club yarn and ‘Holidazed’ pattern from 2008