Hand-dye success!

Here's what I spent my Sunday doing...

Fingering, 80/20 Merino/Silk
Hand-painted





Fingering, Merino
Kettle-Dyed





Worsted, Merino
Kettle-dyed





Worsted, Merino
Kettle-dyed



I so love using my acid dyes. It takes a lot more prep-work than using Wilton's, but the actual dyeing process is quicker and I am loving the results. It is very interesting that I used the exact same stock mixtures for the two fingering-weight yarns and the difference came from the dyeing method. The hand-painted is very dark and exact while the kettle-dyed has a softer, washed-out look to it. I'm thinking Bengal as a name for the hand-painted colorway, and Sandstone or Autumn Wood as a name for the kettle-dyed colorway. Aquamarine is a logical name for the turquoise-colored skein, so I think that's a keeper. Nothing screams out to me for the Blue/Green/Yellow one, the names I have bumping around my head all seem cumberson or don't do the color combination justice.

Before I get too far ahead of myself, I am going to try to recreate the two kettle variegateds tonight or tomorrow night. I took lots of notes, so lets hope that is enough.

Thanks for looking!

Well, you asked for it....

Here's the link to my Etsy storefront. I have a lot of personal knitting to burn through this week, but I'm hoping to get some work done on my patterns and yarn before the end of the month. I'm doing up some kettle-dyed variegateds on Sunday, so I'll have some pictures up by tomorrow night.

Just a little update...

My kitchen scale arrived on Friday and my yarn came on Saturday. I'm hoping to mix some dyes and get a few skeins of hand-painted done this week. I'm planning on putting things up in the Knitty Keen Etsy Shop by the end of the month.

I will also have a few new patterns available as free downloads by the end of the month as well, but you'll have to wait until they are posted.

In the works

My dye has arrived and as soon as I get some yarn, I'll be doing up some handpainted and space-dyed yarns to sell in my Etsy store. I will also be selling stitch markers and some of my patterns. Here's a preview of one that is coming soon -

Frogs in my pocket
(or on my coffee cup in this case)

Free Pattern - Neck Warmer

Honest - I'm still alive.

Much has been happening and much knitting (and a little bit of frogging too, let's be honest) has been going on. My husband lost his neck warmer on his way home from work the other day so I finally had the kick in the pants excuse I needed to get one finished so I could take some decent pictures and get the actual measurements. I did make several of these for Christmas presents this year, but they were started on the morning of the day they were to be given, so pictures and measurements (pretty crucial to a pattern) were not to be had.

Here it is in all it's neck warmer glory being modeled by my friend M. It is a very quick knit and only uses about 100yds of worsted-weight yarn although your own mileage may vary. Like it, hate it, ambivelant - let me know! Thanks for looking!

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Update: November 5, 2009

Since Geocities is now defunct, my patterns are being hosted at Ravelry. You can download the PDF directly from the Ravelry Neck Warmer pattern page. Not a member of Ravelry? You really should be. It's an incredible resource and FREE so what's not to love? Still not feeling the Ravelry love? Leave a comment and I'll email a copy of the pattern to you.

Thanks!