Afoot.

So, well, it seems I'm okay with doing sweater quantities.

I'm excited because a technique I've developed to keep the beautiful character of a hand-dyed skein but (!) having a true dye lot seems to be working.  I daresay alternating is not required, though I'd still do it a few rows before switching skeins just for insurance.  

I'm also dabbling (literally) into speckles.  This is Night Bokeh:

In other news, we've been lucky enough to get away for a couple of short family trips.  Specifically, we headed to Philadelphia and Williamsburg on two separate weekends.  We're discovering that short overnight trips are completely doable--and extremely fun--now that the boys are older.  

I need to go through my pictures but in case you are on Instagram, you can find me there, too (handle is 3pumpkinslittle).  Here's a fun one of the boys on the steps of Philly's Please Touch Museum--it was after I told them I was done shooting, which should give you an idea of how many photos I took.

Sandra

Staying neutral.

I am doing things other than dyeing (no, really Charlie, I am)--it's just that for the past few days I've tried to sort through my craft room as I pull out the holiday decorations from storage. 

I keep my undyed yarn in my craft room.  And the storage room is adjacent to the craft room—and I just can’t avoid them any longer.  That's why my recent dye-a-thon makes sense.  Or at least--and more likely--why it all makes sense to me.  That, or I just can't help but start a project during the holiday season.  It’s my thing, it seems.  And since we haven’t found a piece of abandoned furniture for me to rescue this year, I suppose addressing my shelved dyeing projects when I really don’t have time will have to do.

So.

The other day I tackled neutrals.  The thing is, neutrals can be tricky.  No one wants boring beige yarn, right?  So you need some subtle shading.  But with a color value this light, it’s hard to keep things from getting splotchy (not always a bad thing, just not what I was going for this time). 

After a couple of failed attempts with mini skein samples, I finally mixed a neutral that stole my heart. 

I am calling the colorway Sandcastle—it reminds me of wet sand and favorite beach memories.  It’s shown here on 100% superwash merino sport. 

These skeins are headed to the very knitter who inspired me to be one, too.  Happy (belated) birthday Jenn!

I cannot wait to see what they become via your gifted hands!

Think pink.

I have been working, ever so slowly, on a list of colors that I would like to dye up myself.  One color I’ve had in mind for a long time is a certain pink.  I have lots of “sophisticated” pink in my accessories and wardrobe.  But a certain shade of pink is strikingly absent around here.  A girly pink--some would say--so I suppose it’s no wonder in this house of boys.

In my mind’s eye it is a sweet pink.  I might shy away from it in a sweater quantity because, as I said, I feel pretty uninitiated to pink.  But for a cowl to throw on in February?  I think it’s perfect.

I’m calling the color Princess Cake.

This is on BFL Aran and its squish factor is incredible. 

Blue.

Dear Caryn. 

I know I had you on blue yarn watch.  I know I asked you to intervene and steer me away when I try to beeline for skeins with bluesy names like chambray, denim, midnight, wedgewood, cobalt, nantucket, azure, ultramarine, cornflower, and cerulean.  I could go on, and often do, but that's enough for now, right?  Because you know and I know that there is not a solitary shade of blue yarn that, once created, I won't feel compelled to stash.  I love blue yarn beyond reason. 

But guess what?  I picked up some skeins recently that weren't blue.  They were devoid of blue, in fact.  They were white.  Too white it turns out.  So they...and I...and my dyepots...well, we intersected.  And now, you guessed it, they are blue.  We blue addicts are sneaky. 

Sandra