Latest Dyeing using black

ONDINE

HARTLAND MOOR

Hi Folks

What a day I had yesterday, great fun and messy. it was like 'kindergarten' only with good results. I dyed some roving and some yarn (cashmere/silk), using 'home' mixed colours and the microwave.

Getting the right shade of the colours is very interesting, mainly thro' trial and error, using a paper towel as your palette and great fun.

When we had dyed 'n' fried our wool it was interesting to see the results thro' the clingfilm and I must admit I had grave doubts about the roving, a muddy mess comes to mind.

The yarn looked beautiful - very clear distinct colours.

After they had cooled, I washed and rinsed the fibres and was pleased to see that the roving had distinct areas of colour and some great areas where the colours have blended. The yarn had absorbed all the colour and looked wonderful.

A great day was had by all at SpinDyeWeavers.

Speak soon

Hugz

Keith

Yummy Silk

Yippee I won.

Hi Folks
Yesterday I won on Ebay for the first time. I won 12 skeins of Thai silk each one 250 yds long.
This is what I'm going to use to wrap the Pumpkin skeins with.

Our Monthly meeting of SpinDye Weavers tomorrow, should be a good day, I'm looking forward to it.

Speak soon

Keith

Waiting for a delivery

Hi Folks

Well, having previously bought a set of knitting looms for chunky wool, I've been having a quick practise every now and again. it is quite relaxing once you get the hang of it.
So I thought I'd better chase up my order from the USA, and yes it has been made and is on it's merry way to me - an EFG* sock knitting loom. *Extra Fine Gauge, eg: laceweight and sock wool. I'll put up a pic when it arrives.
Not such a good day today, feeling a bit (sicken in a bucket) maybe picked up a bug somewhere, anyway it will go when it's ready.
I think I might try spinning up a little of the merino/wensley from the locks, just to see how it goes.
OK that's all

Speak soon

Keith

Hi Folks

Another day another blog, well after dying the pumpkin I decided to have a go at dyeing the silk/cotton mix I have had for ages. Not a problem all went well, I did it in the microwave ( I know I shouldn't use the house one) to save time and it wasn't a big skein - just a little one for practise. It came out quite well - but I'm not happy with the colours. They just don't stand out enough against the pumpkin. So I going to send away to a site on Ebay that sells lovely jewel coloured silks, that will brighten up the whole thing.

I also completed the Navajo Plyed yarn Candy Twist, and was very surprised that after a wash and a good thwacking the yarn has relaxed (it looked sooo overtwisted) and looks and feels good.

Our monthly meeting is the end of this week and I'm looking forward to that, but it seems Shani and Brucie may not be able to come so, we will have to postpone the big dyeing project we had planned. No probs, we'll still be here.

Winter is still with us and has shown us a liitle snow, but it doesn't settle and maybe it's for the best. No more falling over pleeeese. I must admit I can't wait for Spring tho'.

That's just about all for now.

Speak soon

Keith

Dyeing day

Hi Folks

Well on Tuesday I decided to dye my welsh X yarn. It is a chunky single that I was hoping to wrap with some dyed silk/cotton yarn I bought years ago. The aim was a cornfield colour - corn coloured base with a wrap of red splashes and green lines. On dyeing I found I didn't have enough of the summer yellow, so I added some bits and lo and behold we have 'pumpkin' as per the pics. So - it's going to be Pumpkin Patch with green lines and blue and red splashes for the 'weeds flowers'. Wish me luck!

Hi Folks

Well Argos didn't have Xbox in stock, so we went to Currys online and got one a pound cheaper. Ta daaa.....
I got a stockpot for dyeing from Wilko's and wondered if the Somali shop up the road sells large pots ???? Will go and have a snoop around.
I'm definately dyeing this week so will post pics of my efforts.
Byeee
Keith x

Hi Folks

Well it's Monday again and this time I've managed to get through the washing cleaning, without doing a treble salko and a dying duck and hitting the floor - hooray!.

What a lovely afternoon we had on Saturday, spinners doing their thing, in a relaxed, happy atmosphere, enjoying each other's company and having a good natter.
Tracy, having some problems with the spinning wheel is now getting to grips with a spindle, Chris was patiently plowing through her camel mix. Nina was ablaze with her Blaze tops - a striking colour mix. Shani was whizzing through her stash at a rate of knots - what ratio was she using?? Gill finished her yarn, and gave us a masterclass on how to Navajo Ply and then skein from your bobbin using you hands only. I tackled the merino/bamboo and Rosie sat and spun with a serene smile that would outdo the Madonna any day. As usual time flys by when you having fun and all to soon it was time to pack up. In fact the whole day whizzed by and I was amazed to find the late evening arrive so soon. Yesterday I completed spinning the merino/bamboo and will have a bash at the Navajo plying.
Andy's Xbox has crashed again for the umpteenth time and we are off to Argos to take up their offer. Speak soon.

Keith x

A new year a new blog...

Hi Folks

Well here's my first blog of this year 2010.

Great start to the week, I was sooo busy doing the washing and trying to get a lot done in the morning yesterday, that my speedy little self came a cropper in the bathroom. I was putting out clean towels etc. and had dropped the toilet surround on the floor, I turned around twisting the toilet surround and slammed to the floor like a sack o' spuds. Ooh that hurt! Fortunately I had almost finished the washing/drying, so it was eventually off to bed with a heat pack and some serious painkillers. Spent the night heating the area and bed with my heat packs and today I'm up and about with some trepidation ( I gave the toilet surround a good telling off)!

So whats new on the woolly side of my life, not a lot really. I need to get a load of vinegar to help dye my welsh X yarn (I'm gonna call it corn field)I think. Then it's the continuing saga of flick carding my merino/wensley and finish off making batts of my Zwartbles.
I had a go at spinning some of the merino/bamboo roving from the last Spindyeweavers meeting, a blue and white confection, I have called Spearmint Ice. A beautiful colour too.

We lost our Zebra finch last week (Fern), she too was very old, so that is goodbye to Patsy (Kakariki) and Fern. Both were elderly, but had had comfortable lives.

Now we are left with our budgies, Charlie, Reggie and Ronnie. Do those names sound familiar to you?? Remember the Krays. Well it's one male and 2 females, Charlie is the male and the other 2 were given names not knowing what sex they were. Spring is here according to them as they are in prime bonking condition. Do we put nesting boxes up - NO - not until we get another male. They have got to have a husband each, as poor old Charlie has enough to put up with at the moment, they run him ragged as it is.

Well that's all folks for today, speak soon.

Hugz

Keith