Another week gone by...

So I suppose I should finally put up some pix of my dye project. I have actually started knitting with it, but I'm not sold on the pattern yet. I love the pattern itself, but my yarn is definitely not appropriate. I have a feeling these are going to wind up as plain socks, or maybe ribbed socks. The yarn is super squishy :)

So this first picture is of the first time I tried dying. I used 2 packets of orange Kool-aid, 2 of lemonade, and 4 of grape. I wanted the bulk of this yarn to be purple. Through this experience, I have learned that all the online guides lie. I cleaned the yarn and made sure it was sufficiently damp before painting the colors on and zapping it in the microwave. I have spots where the dye simply did not absorb, even after a second round of immersion over-dying. It's very odd to me.

This second photo I used the stove top method and just stuck the whole skein in a bath of strawberry Kool-aid. I was hoping for more of a fuschia color, but I wound up with red.

It's not terrible, I actually really like it. It's just so very far from what I had envisioned. I need some lessons on calculating stripes amongst other things.


So Large Marge's is my new happy place. I am just so very much in love with the atmosphere and attitiudes of everyone there. I have never been around such wonderful people. Everyone who works there (that I've met so far) has been down to earth and approachable. It's nice to be in a yarn shop where there doesn't seem to be any one with a "I'm better than you" complex. They have all been excited about yarn. There isn't even a bias towards knitting or crochet, spinning, weaving or dying. It's just a general love of fiber and making things. I love it. It is just a completely inspiring atmosphere. I know I dive in head first with anything crafty- I always have and probably always will- but this shop is going to be a fabulous resource just in the people I have met so far.

Other than the wonderful yarn shop, I don't have anything new to report. I'm trying to knit some lace and planning a really fun pair of socks for my hunny. I just need to chart out the pattern and get started. But for tonight it's time to finish my last little bit of wine and fall asleep with The Elf Queen of Shannara!