:Yarn Love :

I’m Back!!!!

Nicky15 Comments

After all the birthday shenanigans, I got the flu!!!  Boohoohoo!!!!  But that didn’t stop this party animal!!!  LOLOLOL!  Yeah right!!!   Although I was floored by that pesky virus I’m back now!!!  My baskets, overflowing with birthday yarn and fiber and just the coziness of the Fall days and evenings sent me back to my needles and hooks.  My finger is much, much better and I was so excited to start crafting again.

This weekend past, I made a little “mat” to add to my Fall decor to put my candles on.  And since this home-girl is crazy about handmade and crazy about Christmas, I broke out my 100 Crochet Snowflakes book and made two snowflakes as well.  I think I’ll make a couple more for my little Charlie Brown tree.  Because I’m a total New Yawker — with that kinda “go big or go home” style, I didn’t use fingering weight yarn for the snowflakes … nooooooooo, that would have been too easy!  LOLOL!  I celebrated my finger feeling better by crocheting with thread and a teeny tiny hook.  Yeah … I’m a nut, but they are so cute though.  Wanna see?

Snowflakes I

I think I need some extra starch on these puppies; I’ll take care of that tomorrow!    I can’t wait to finish some other designs then hang them on my little tree.  🙂

Leafy Washcloth

The pattern for the the leaf is “Leafy Washcloth” by Megan Goodacre on Ravelry.  I haven’t added notes to my projects folder yet but I made this in worsted weight heathered  yarn (an old line from Knitpicks) and followed the pattern exactly as is.  The next time around, I think I’m going to use beads somewhere in the design.  I could see it in my head already!    After I weave in the ends, I’ll show it again with some “model” shots.  LOLOL!

I hope you’ve all been well and it’s nice to be back in this space.  ❤

Let me know how you’ve been in the comments.  How are you crafting your way through Fall?

Dyepot Stories: Nature Made

Nicky10 Comments

Over the Labor Day weekend, I had a chance to play with some madder and some rosemary.  I never cease to be amazed at the color plant dye can produce and how that color can change when the dye pot environment changes alkalinity or acidity.  Just amazing!  I posted a picture of the results drying on IG but having rinsed and skeined them except for one renegade skein just gives me the happies.  And of course I have to share that with you.

From left to right:

  • rosemary colored skein,
  • madder with baking soda added to give me a beautiful orange,
  • I got the pink from the leftovers from that alkaline madder solution,
  • fire engine red from adding lemon juice to the solution which made it more acidic,
  • and the bright peach colored renegade still tangled skein (oye vey) is dyed from the leftovers from the acidic madder solution.  I’m really going to have to get this untangled this week.

Since I’ve decided that this year I wouldn’t be that knitter without her own hand knit accessories, after dealing with the renegade, I’m going to start with this baby:

I want to make this hat below and I think both the yarn and the pattern will be perfect together.

Designer: Lisa Gutierrez of the Goodknits blog

Pattern: Honey

I’m looking forward to working with some more natural dyes especially now that I know what to do.  Not to worry … a tutorial will be on the blog soon, so you too can have some dyeing fun if you want to play.    😀