Tuesday, April 28, 2009

No spinning for me and flying yarn

I've been asked when I'm going to start spinning to which I answered, "Never!" - not because I don't want to but because I cannot handle another hobby. It's hard enough working a full-time job, doing contract work, publishing an e-zine, crocheting, designing, knitting, and now dying yarn, while trying too keep up with my cross stitching, weaving, pysanky, sewing, and painting nested dolls! Oh, and don't forget finding time to do my artwork ...

Anyway, I was balling up my Mango Madness yarn last night because I didn't like the way it had re-skeined on the swift and wanted to redo it on my warping board. I was trying to keep the yarn loose so it would come out easily and the first skein went very well, no problems. The second skein was doing well, behaving, etc. and I was watching the pretty colors fly by, turning the handle on the ball winder ... fun! However, I was apparently turning too fast and not holding the yarn with enough tension and suddenly I saw a flash go in front of my face and land on the floor. After a moment of shock, I noticed that the ball winder was empty and there on the floor was the half finished ball of yarn! (sigh) So I had to untangle it and start over. This time I made sure that I had more tension on the yarn and it behaved this time.

I also re-skeined the yarn I'd dyed over the weekend. The colors started with a yellow on one end but it ended up too muddy even though I only put a couple drops of black in the dye mix. So, I dumped some red dye in the pot (don't ask how much, I don't know as I just added dye until it looked pretty) and dumped the rest of the skein in the pot.

And this is the result, which my sister named "Lobster Bisque" and has a bit of a burnt orange mixed in where the original icky yellow used to be:

KP_LobsterBisque

Not too bad for a "ewwwww ... fix it" dye job!

This is using a Knit Picks Bare yarn and it is available for purchase (two skeins available) in my etsy shop along with the two skeins of Mango Madness.

No comments: