New Fiber Hobby - Handpainting/Dyeing

So, I decided that I wanted to dye up some of the plain roving that came with my wheel. I researched how to handpaint roving using Wilton's Cake Icing Dyes and jumped in...

I soaked the 4 oz. twists of roving in hot water and vinegar...












I mixed up dyes with water, vinegar, and the Wilton's in five colors (Violet, Teal, Brown, Copper, Golden Yellow)...

I set up my station with newspaper, glad plastic wrap, and laid out the roving (after gently wringing it out)...

I used a turkey baster to apply the dye to the roving in segments...

I rolled up the plastic wrap around the roving and placed in glass bowls, and then microwaved them rotating 2 min on 2 min off for 6 total "on" minutes each...

After they cooled a bit, I took then out of the plastic wrap and let them set over night...

In the morning, I rinsed them in cool water to make sure that the dye wouldn't bleed out and hung them to dry...

And Voila! The one is called 'A Midsummer's Night Experiment'. I intended it to be purple and green, but the Teal turned more blue than green...

This one is called "Mason's Earthy-tones' because Mason picked the colors for it. The brown turned out a bit more red than expected...











All in all, I am very thrilled with them. After they have set, I will experiment spinning a small section to see how easily they draft. I fear that they may have felted a bit. If they draft nice, I may try to sell them on etsy.

Spinning Adict

Hi, my name is Liz and I am a spin-a-holic.

I am LOVING my new wheel. Here is the latest finished yarn.

Now I just have to try to reign in my fiber spending...

Charity Knitting

I was told about a charity called Knit A Square that you can knit or crochet 8 inch squares to make blankets for children orphaned by AIDS in South Africa. I couldn't resist making a few.

Ariadne's First String

OK, the myth says it was red, but the first yarn I spun on Ariadne was Beach Glass from Uniquely Yours on Etsy.

Meet Ariadne

I got a new spinning wheel! She is a Kromski Fantasia and I have named her Ariadne. I'll explain why:

When I was younger one of my favorite parts of Disney's Fantasia was the Pastoral Symphony which depicted the wedding of centaurs. At the festivities, several of the Greek gods made appearances. My favorite, when I was young, was Dionysus, the god of wine. I thought that he was so funny stumbling around happily spilling his wine.

So, it seemed that my Fantasia should have a name from Greek mythology. Ariadne was a mortal born woman. The myths about her vary and contradict each other (as most of the myths do). Some say that she was granted immortality when she married Dionysus, but others say that Artemis killed her with her bow because she hurt Dionysus. The most famous myth about her, though, is the help that she gave to Theseus in navigating the Labyrinth and killing the minotaur. She gave him just two items - a sword and a ball of string. The ball of red yarn that she gave him was a special ball that she had spun that would help him find his way through the confusing and changing Labyrinth. The spun string made her name proper for a spinning wheel. So, here is Ariadne, my Kromski Fantasia.

Spring lace sweater

I had this idea in my head and couldn't find a pattern out there that fit everything that I was looking for, so I decided to try my hand at designing it. It came out just like I wanted it to! So here it is for all of you to enjoy :-)

Materials:

• ~4.5 skeins of Knit Picks Cotlin DK yarn (~600 yds)
• Size 7 24" circular needle
• Tape measure
• Tapestry needle
• Stitch markers
• 1 pin back (optional)

Finished size: fits 34" inch bust

Gauge: 5.5 stitches per inch and 7 rows per inch

Necessary skills / Required stitches/abbreviations:

• K: Knit
• P: Purl
• Kfb: Knit front and back of stitch (increase 1 stitch)
• Pfb: Purl front and back of stitch (increase 1 stitch)
• YO: Yarn Over (increase 1 stitch)
• K2tog: Knit two stitches together (decrease 1 stitch)
• SSK: Slip two stitchs as if to knit. Pass back to the left needle and knit together through the back. (decrease 1 stitch)
• P2togtbl: Purl two stitches together through the back of the loops. (decrease 1 stitch)
• Knit in round on a circular needle
• Cable cast on

Pattern:

CO 128 and join in round (careful not to twist)

R1: P all stitches placing markers every 16 stitches (use different markers than round marker so that you can tell when a round begins)

R2: K1, K2tog, YO, K2, Kfb, SSK, K1, K2tog, YO, K2, K2tog, Kfb around (8 times)

R3: K2, K2tog, YO, K1, Kfb, SSK, K2, K2tog, YO, K1, K2tog, Kfb around (8 times)

R4: as 2

R5: as 3

R6: as 2

R7: K all stitches removing markers as you go. Place new markers after 23 stitches, 18 stitches, 46, stitches, and 18 stitches (23 remain for end of round). Again use different markers than the round marker.

R8: K to last stitch before marker. Kfb. Slip marker. Kfb. around. (Do not increase at round marker)

R9: K all stitches Repeat rows 8 and 9 until 60 stitches are between the markers where there were 18 originally (sleeves). This should be about 7 inches from the top of the work. End with a R9.

On next row, K to first marker. Bind of sleeve stitches as follows: CO 2 stitches using cable cast on; bind off 6 stitches. Repeat to next marker. (You will have to bind off the last sleeve stich over the first stitch after the marker. K across the front stitches. Repeat bind off for other sleeve. K across the back stitches to finish round.

On the next row, K to one stitch before arm hole gap, CO two using cable cast on. K3 (you should be at arm hole now). PM. K1. CO two using cable case on. K to one stitch before other arm hole gap and repeat. K across back stitches to finish round. There should be 92 stiches for the front and the back (184 total).

K 7 rounds straight.

Begin body shaping decreases as follows: K to 2 stitches before marker. SSK. slip marker. K2tog. K across front stitches. SSK. slip marker. K2tog. K across back stitches to finish round.

K two rows straight.

Repeat these three rows 6 times total (80 stitches remain for front and back - 160 total).

Knit even until the shirt measures 10.5 inches from the arm hole. Increase before and after marker on each row for 10 rows (100 stitches for front and back - 200 total).

Knit until shirt measures 13 inches from armpit (measure straight - not along seam where the hip increase is) or 20 inches from collar (or desired length)

Bind off as sleeves.

Weave in ends and block (if desired).


Flower:

CO 64

R1: Knit

R2: K1, K2tog, YO, K2, Kfb, SSK, K1, K2tog, YO, K2, K2tog, Kfbimes)

R3: Pfb, P2tog, P1, YO, P2tog, P2, P2togtbl, Pfb, P1, YO, P2tog, P2imes)

R4: as 2

R5: as 3

R6: as 2

R7: P2tog for all stitches

R8: K2tog for all stitches

Bind off with purl stitches

Curl into spiral and either sew onto shirt or pin

From fiber to scarf

I wanted to share a recent project and show it's progression...

I began with fiber (bamboo merino blend)

Spun it into a single

Plied it with metalic thread to make this yarn

(Close Up)

And crocheted this scarf

(Close Up)

Spring Spinning

Presenting my first handspun with enough yardage to make a full project! Approx 190 yards of sport weight. 2-plied from 3 oz of roving. I am super happy with it :-)