Monday 16 September 2013

Yarn Bin, the next stage


Once upon a time there was nearly a cardigan. Sadly, by the time I got around to the 2nd sleeve, I hadn't a clue how I'd done the first one. Also, I couldn't really see me ever wearing it.

Back to basics it went

and it is headed for blankethood...



Friday 13 September 2013

Golden Rod

The golden rod is nearly ready. It is another happy accident - I'm not that keen on it as a border plant, but it was in the garden when I got here and I've been too lazy busy to dig it out.
It does make quite a nice dyeplant - yellow, of course - but it doesn't hold it's dye well when dried. I picked bunches one year and hung them to dry. While the shed smelt fabulous, the flower heads turned to seeds and the dye didn't happen.

Neither have I had much luck with commercial herbstuffs. What I got appeared to be almost all leaf and despite my best efforts, only produced a pale yellowy green. Quite pretty, but not really what I was after.





I have wool, cotton and random mixed yarns skeined and mordanted and this time, I'll see what can be done with the fresh flowers!

Wednesday 11 September 2013

The View of the back room


Cotton and wool, skeined for mordanting

Tuesday 10 September 2013

Yarn Bin, month 1

A bit slower than planned! (isn't everything?)
The snuggly alpaca blends gave me a couple of neckwarmers


and the next week, I carried on the theme with a bundle of pure alpaca that has been sitting around looking at me for far too long.









2 weeks intermittent knitting and many dvd's later, I have this!


For practicality, it is useless. Doorhandles are a particular hazard and there are a few too many holes (deliberate!) for it to be much help against Derbyshire weather. But it is silky, and snug and the closest I'm going to be able to get to wearing a blanket at work. So it's mine!