Dyeing
I finally got dyeing some of the remaining fibres in my stash.
- 100g Polwarth in pinks and blues that I will spin
- 200g of 18.5 mic super fine merino. 92g dark greens and 106g in autumn colours. I will use the autumn colours to felt a large scarf. The green I may spin.
- 150g 23 mic merino/tussah silk/natural flax top in pinky colours. I with probably use some for a felted scarf and maybe spin some.
- Corriedale 22g to soak up some green and 71g russet brown colour that I hope can be used on some Highland cows.
I’ve packed away my dyeing stuff for now. I have some non-wool fibres that need dyeing but this was not a good week for learning how to dye with different dyes.
Felting
I finally got December’s sales figures from the local gallery, that sells my felted items, and they are almost out of stock. They have no fairies, one bauble, a few lampshades and one tomte! I need to get felting!
Knitting
This Warriston jumper…bleep bleep bleep! I’m sorry to moan on about it again, but there’s some lessons I’ve learned here so hope others can learn from my mistakes.
I was reassured by everyone’s comments on last week’s post, that top down seems preferred by many.
I tried the body on and I looked like I was wearing a potato sack and was trying to hold up this 17” long tube trying to guess if it’s long enough. I have done an inch more than the pattern said because I’d rather it be too long than too short. I’m only 5’2” and my arms are probably not going to be long enough to reach the pockets 😂. I then read the next part of the pattern and it said cast on the sleeves…and that’s from the cuffs up….oh my goodness!! This truly has been a lesson to read the pattern construction before you buy the pattern and reading it completely before starting!!! Anyhoo, I’m not ripping out 17” of knitting, as tempting as that was, so I’ve cast on the two sleeves and at the moment I’m knitting them two at a time. I just want it to be finished now so I shall persevere and try to stop moaning.
Spinning
I spun 25g of Teeswater. A long staple (individual fibre length) this seemed pretty quick to spin. It has a little sheen to it but isn’t very soft. 25g of Shetland is next on my wheel.
Weaving
I haven’t quite managed to weave daily but my tea towels are progressing.
Other News
I’ve been clearing more bits from the kitchen in readiness for work to start. That has taken quite a lot of mental energy.
Since the 1st I was doing yoga daily but couldn’t find my mojo for anything on Friday. I’ll get back on it again (Yoga with Adriene on YouTube).
This week I finished Miriam Margolyes biography (This Much Is True) which I really enjoyed (it’s not suitable listening around children or those easily shocked or offended). I’m now listening to Billy Connolly’s (Windswept and Interesting) and whilst walking the dog found myself laughing out loud a few times. These are both books to be listened to rather than read…perhaps that’s true for all biographies.
This is a Year of Projects post. Officially the Group is in its 11th year, but this is my 4th year participating. If you would like to find more about the Year of Projects Group on Ravelry. Year 11 list.
HighlandHeffalump 
Your dyeing is gorgeous. I’ve tried to comment three times via Feedly so sorry if you get multiples from me.
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Great colors on the dyeing. Can’t wait to see your projects. Good luck with the sweater. You’re almost there!! It’ll be finished in no time.
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Beautiful dyeing, that dark green is beautiful.
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I bet you are so excited about getting the new kitchen started, hoping it goes smoothly once begun. Your dying is beautiful. I have only done bottom up sweaters, mostly because I don’t really care for raglan sleeves. I imagine we are comfortable with what’s familiar!
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Your fibers are beautiful!
Re: Your sweater: I’m also not a fan of making a sweater in bottom up pieces and then sewing them all together. I’ve done it once. But the color is so beautiful!
Hope your kitchen renovation goes smoothly!
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Such pretty colors you dyed this week. It will be fun to see them turned into ‘something’. Your jumper sounds like it is giving you fits. What a strange thing to have you stop the body to make the sleeves. Sounds like your items at the gallery did quite well. That is good news for you.
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LOve those colors you dyed and they would make a great bouquet as they look like flowers. So sorry about your sweater giving you fits. The yarn you spun is gorgeous! Good for you on all your sales.
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Goodness. All your crafting always amazes me. Congratulations on your well deserved success in selling your felted items. I do love the color of your jumper so I hope when it’s all done that you enjoy wearing it. Your dyed fibers are just so beautiful. What amazing yarns they are going to make. I loved Yoga with Adriene last winter but have gotten out of the habit. It’s going to be too cold for water aerobics this week so I should “dust off” some yoga or pilate sessions.
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Your dyeing and spinning look just great! Love the colors you achieved in your fibers! Also, congratulations on the great sales of your felted items 🙂
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Beautiful colors – I can envision those in your projects as you’ve described. Good luck with the reno project – I am completely sympathetic and empathetic to this as you well know!
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Your dying is beautiful and I’m sure the sweater will be lovely just trust the pattern (and hope!)
I listened to Dear Fatty last which was wonderful – I shall have to download those as I do like a good autobiography and I really like Billy!
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Oh my goodness your dyeing is amazing. I look forward to seeing them knit or woven or felted up! It is great to have a laugh aloud book to listen too. I will check out that title for myself. I think I need some laugh aloud moments these days of same old, same old.
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So pretty! The colors are gorgeous! Can I ask you a question? I have some yarn that I started to knit a scarf with. I got the yarn at a fall agricultural fair. I liked the pattern on display that the woman who sold it to me had made. I bought the same yarn that she had used. However, as I went along knitting, it came to a spot where the yarn got thinner and thinner until it was so thin, I thought it would break and so I stopped knitting. Is there anything that can be done with it? Should I try to splice it together somehow? I was very disappointed but have no idea how to contact that lady.
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Was it homespun yarn? You could try cutting half way across the thin section, twist both parts in the opposite direction of the twist, then line them side by side and the desire to re twist itself should join the threads together. (Similar to making a twisted fringe but here your two pieces would by in opposite directions so you have a smooth continuous join. Oh goodness this is harder to write than do. If you google how to make a twisted fringe that may help.
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[…] 🆕 Dye as much fibre as I can before new kitchen goes in. ✅ week 29 […]
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[…] the spin group’s zoom call on Tuesday I made a start on spinning some of my home-dyed Polwarth. I split the fibre in half lengthways and then split one half into 3 and spun onto one bobbin. The […]
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[…] 🆕 Dye as much fibre as I can before new kitchen goes in. ✅ week 29 […]
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[…] merino/tussah silk/natural flax fibre (proportions unknown) that I bought in June 2021, dyed in January 2022, started spinning in July 2022 is finally finished!!!! This was spun and plied on my Ashford […]
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