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knitting malaise
Posted on | May 30, 2007 | 14 Comments
Nothing I pick up to knit is appealing to me. I cast on for socks yesterday, knit 15 rows, decided I didn’t like it and ripped it out. I think it’s too early for the summertime knitting doldrums, but the smoke from the forest fires makes it seem much later in the season than it really is. Maybe it’s the haze hanging over the city that’s messing with my mojo.
Good thing I’ve got spinning to fall back on!
This is the yarn I made from the roving I showed yesterday. It is Falkland wool, dyed by The Yarn Wench, 3.7 oz., 240 yards, heavy sockweight. I’ve already placed another order. I’m weak and her colors are fabulous!
Finished another hank of natural brown 3 ply, 220 yards. Has anyone ever overdyed natural brown? I *almost* like it but the gray hairs are throwing me off. Maybe a deep red? Thoughts?
South African Fine 2 ply, shades of light blue, turquoise and teal, dyed by me.
This is what I’m spinning now. Wool/mohair blend, dyed in the crockpot with mason jars. Can’t decide whether to make chained singles to keep the stripes, or make a two ply, so this is currently stalled while I debate with myself.
Spinning the Yarn Wench’s roving has really hit home to me that I need to practice more with my dyeing. I get a good depth of color, but I need to work on my combinations. This weekend I plan to break out the dye pots and utilize the hot pour method, which I’ve never tried. Should be interesting!
I almost forgot! I didn’t spin this this weekend, but I did finish it. It’s the Wensleydale singles I was trying to decide what to ply with. It rested on the bobbin for a LONG time and I was worried it might kink to high heaven when I soaked it, but it didn’t! It seems very sturdy and relatively smooth for Wensleydale, and I think it’ll make a lovely lace something. Julia of Moth Heaven had a post last week where she talked about using singles for knitting lace, and she kindly forwarded information to me about how to do this. Seedstitch Cheryl has knit several lace shawls from singles and they’re beautiful! I’ve been feeling the call of lace lately and perusing lace stitch patterns in the BW Treasuries. I’ve found an edging I like and a center panel, but that’s as far as I’ve gotten.
Maybe once this malaise passes, I’ll actually knit something! In the meantime, I’ll keep spinning….and you guys keep up the knitting! Deal?!?!
Comments
14 Responses to “knitting malaise”
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May 30th, 2007 @ 11:50 am
I’d rather sit and spin than knit, too. You’ve been spinning up a storm!!
May 30th, 2007 @ 11:53 am
Such lovely colors! What a great way to spend time during a knitting malaise!
May 30th, 2007 @ 11:56 am
I haven’t overdyed brown, but this color chart has inspired me to try: http://www.thepiper.com/fiberart/koolaid/images/colorchart-max.jpg
I bought some grey over the weekend for that very reason….
May 30th, 2007 @ 12:00 pm
Oh! Also over the weekend, someone pointed me to the Twisted Sisters Sock Workbook. She talks about using “energized singles” right off the bobbin for sock knitting. (The dyeing info was more limited than I expected but I liked the different examples of hot and cold pour and “spot” dyeing).
May 30th, 2007 @ 1:00 pm
Ah. So it’s YOUR fault I didn’t feel like spinning last night, and had to knit instead.
The Yarn Wench does WONDERFUL colour work! She just has a fabulous eye. For dyeing thoughts, incidentally, poke around a bit and see what you can find about low water immersion and hot pour methods, I bet you’d find them a lot of fun to play with.
May 30th, 2007 @ 1:15 pm
Spinning is just as good as knitting as far as pretty pictures are concerned! The Yarn Wench stuff at the top is lovely!
May 30th, 2007 @ 1:33 pm
how about i crochet instead? i’m not feeling the knitting either (although it’s mostly because i can’t decide on a project).
the spinning is lovely.
May 30th, 2007 @ 9:35 pm
I so enjoy seeing all your lovely spinning. Please do keep it up so we can see more pictures! :-)
May 31st, 2007 @ 6:43 am
The Wensleydale single is beautiful – it will make a beautiful shawl!
May 31st, 2007 @ 7:29 am
Hey, thanks for the compliment on my shawls! I think singles make a wonderful fabric for lace, very drapey.
Your spinning looks great, I love that yarn in the first picture. I’ve overdyed natural brown yarn with good results. It gives you a color with great depth.
May 31st, 2007 @ 9:09 am
Gorgeous yarns!!! It seems like August rather than May with everything so dry…..it is hard to get in the knitting “mode”. Glad to see it isn’t effecting your spinning!!!!
May 31st, 2007 @ 12:50 pm
Beautiful handspun! I get times when nothing appeals to me. It always passes. Maybe you are gearing up for an explosion of ideas.
May 31st, 2007 @ 4:53 pm
The woman who taught me to spin had a basket of koolaid dyed locks done on white wool and gray. The stuff on gray wool came out so beautiful and muted, you’d think it was Mountain Colors or something. I bet anything you put on that gray/brown wool will come out great.
June 2nd, 2007 @ 2:38 pm
The Wensleydale singles look fantastic!