Colour Your Wool

So, I've been a bad, bad blogger.

A busy knitter, but a bad blogger.

Anyhow, I've been up to a few things (not the least of which, planning my trip to France).

Naturally, I've documented them all photographically.

Firstly, my DPN's were driving me quite insane, floating as they were at the bottom of my notions bag. Necessity, being the mother of all invention, require I sit down and create some pretty funky DPN organizers.

The coolest part? Connie, proprietress extraordinaire of Pick Up Sticks, decided to stock them!

(Get there quickly, as there are only five left and I don't know if I'll be able to get more before I leave on Thursday.)

I'm working on a few other handy bits, so stay tuned.

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I was also lucky enough to go to The Knitter's Frolic.

I managed to control myself and came home with only two items:


A gorgeous skein of Hand Maiden's Mini Maiden (SILK!) and a hand-turned Nostepinde. There's just something about the woodgrain that I find wonderful.

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My biggest project though?

Hand-dying.

Good Lord, I'm in love.

The Process (agonizingly long, but so worth it):


I purchased two 50g skeins of Louet Gems Merino in "Cream".


I decided I wanted the colour sections to be longer, so Husband and I reskeined them together making one huge 100g skein.


I tied the yarn together (no too tight!) every .5 m or so (this keeps it from tangling), then soaked it overnight in a soloution of vinegar (3/4 cup) and water (enough to cover the yarn). Notice the stratigically placed book on France.


The next morning, I mixed my dyes.
1 tsp of the powdered dye to 1/2 cup water.


After squeezing out the excess liquid from the yarn, I laid it out on the kitchen table, putting (good quality) plastic wrap underneath.


I applied the dyes, trying not to spill, or muck up the joins too badly.


I was fairly unsuccessful on both counts.


The plastic wrap was then wrapped around the yarn, placed in a small baking dish, wrapped in aliminum foil and 'baked' at 250*F for two hours.


After the yarn cooled completely and was rinsed under cool water to remove any remaining dye, I hung it outside to dry. This took FOREVER. I am not a patient person.


I'm very happy (ecstatic, more like) with the results. I could not stop petting the skein all morning.


I like how it knits up, too, with a minimal amount of pooling.

I am SO going to try this again.