More on Yarn Dyeing

So here are the results of the Kool-aid dying project. I ended up with more white than I wanted and two purple fingers. It faded pretty quick, but I can't believe that I used to drink this stuff. I mean, if it is strong enough to dye yarn with..It has a tie-dye look to is that is kind of fun. I definately have some ideas on how to do it better the next time around. All in all, because I used Knitpicks Bare sock yarn the whole project was pretty cheap.
Here is the site that I got my directions from in case you are interested in dyeing with Kool-aid.

Going Slow

Things have been going pretty slow on the crafting front. I have managed to finish up a few projects. I don't have photos of them all I have a couple of shots of what I have been up to.

Lena got a simple pair of socks and matching knit cap for her birthday. I will post my toe up pattern on the blog soon. She is pretty happy with the set but says that she needs matching gloves...How fast does this kid think I knit.

I have been wanting to play around with dyeing yarn for a while ant I finally took the plunge and tried dyeing with this stuff...

I am not sure that is is good for drinking, but it sure soaks into the yarn and fingers well. I had set my spoon down and stirred in the purple with my finger. I am not sure what I was thinking with that one. The yarn should be dry tomorrow for a photo.

Monkey Party

The shortest month of the year certainly flew by in a hurry. The highlight of every, for our family, February is Bean's birthday.

This year she wanted to have a sock monkey party that, what is that I can hear you asking?

Well, as it turns out it is sitting around with a bunch of other girls stuffing and sewing sock monkeys while watching I Love Lucy on the TV. All I had to do was sew up all the socks on the sewing machine before the the party.

The star of the party was the sock monkey cake that we ordered. We don't usually buy a birthday cake, so the birthday girl was very impressed by the cake.

Yes, she is 16

Tonight we will celebrate as a family with Asparugus soup, crusty rosemary bread, salad, and root-beer float. My first-born turned 16 early this afternoon. Here she was just a few short years ago.
She has grown has more teeth than she did then, but she is still the same great kid.
only now she can sing....

Twenty-eight

"Mom!" my lovely teenage daughter hollers from her room.
Pausing from casting on the front to my Sidelines sweater I rely, "Twenty-eight!"
The lovely teenage daughter pauses and then hollers, "Dad!"

I have done my job. Both my daughters now know better than to interrupt a knitter (me) when she is counting. Now, we just need to work on the hollering from room to room in the house, but truly this does seem secondary to me.

Waxing and waining

This last week left little time for crafting, but I did manage to do a little. I finished my sample piece of weaving on my new loom. It is a bit wonky, but since it it made from scraps of yarn that I had lying around I don't really care that much that is looks a little funny. It is not long enough to make a scarf out of so I think that I will cut it up at some point and sew it into something. I think that if I pair it with a nice cotton canvas I could sew it up into a very nice messenger bag. For now I think that it will just hang around the house for me to admire.

After I finished weaving it I really wanted to warp the loom again with some hemp yarn that I was given as a gift several years ago. I never wanted to knit with it because it is a bit rough, but I think that it will be perfect for weaving. I didn't get around to warping the loom because I decided that the loom really needed to be sealed in someway. The loom assembly directions that I found on-line indicated that the loom should have been sealed prior to assembly.

Here it is in the state that I purchased it in. The wood is Ash I think and totally unfinished.
And here is it after waxing and reasembly. I used some beeswax wood polish that I had around the house and not only did it make the wood look lovely but it smells yummy as well.


With all that weaving a did find time to squeeze in a little knitting. I finished the scarf I started on New Years Day this week and added a few inches to my Sidelines sweater that I am making. I haven't taken any photos of the sweater yet.

This has been looming for some time now

I have wanted a big floor loom ever since I first walked in to Hill Country Weavers in Austin, Texas to buy my first knitting needle and yarn for knitting. Yes, I knew that looms came in sizes smaller than that of a small car, but I wanted a big one. After it I couldn't weave a blanket the size of a king size bed what was the point in weaving at all. No matter that I don't even own a king size bed. Since, having room for a loom that size would have meant giving up one of my children, I always refused to entertain the thought (for more than two or three minutes at a time). I mean, I love my children, but have you seen some of those looms.
Now let me assure you, both of my dear daughters remain in residence at my home, but I have a loom. I broke down and compromised and bought a smaller loom. I only took me eight years to get to this point, but when I did I moved fast. I found this loom on Craigslist and bought it on Saturday night. Warped it on Sunday and have been playing ever since.

Here is my Ashford 24" Rigid Heddle loom. I have already learned so much, like how I much I want a second heddle, some more shuttles and maybe a stand for my new friend.

Lena not wanting to be left out broke out the Harrisville Easy Weaver and has been busy making a pink and brown scarf.At least when she is not playing Rock Band with the family.