Quirky socks

There is nothing quirky about these socks except for the name of the sock yarn. I'm not sure if it is supposed to be self-striping, but I chose to believe not since I could not find a definitive place where a stripe started.

Pattern: Short-row Toe and Heel Basic Socks, by Wendy D. Johnson
Yarn: Simply Socks Yarn Company Quirky Socks, colorway QS1111, for the foot and leg; Cascade Yarns Heritage, in natural, for toes, heels, cuffs
Needles: US1
Modifications: None to speak of

These socks are knit toe-up, my usual MO. One different thing I do is not purl back on the last row of the toe and heel but go forward. This probably does not make any difference, but it appeals to my sense of structure since that last purl row is not like the others. But now I'm wondering if that contributes more twist that handknit socks naturally have. They are basically one big spiral.

This pair is to be a holiday gift, not sure who to yet. Most of my recipients (myself included) require a larger size, so these are knit 72 stitches per round, 72 rows per foot, 72 rows per leg. That seems to work out just right.

There is more quirky sock yarn to come.

Dyeing with purple basil

It's funny how the color of a dye plant may or may not be reflected in the dye bath, and the color of the dye bath may or may not match the dyed yarn. The latter is so true for purple basil. The dye bath was, well, purple, while the yarn turned out green, or with undertones of green after being modified.

Day 1:
The dye bath: I used 900g of plant material, three whole plants, which is WAY more than necessary. (Note to self: shake off bugs *before* bringing plants into house.) After roughly chopping the plant material, I added it to three gallons of water and heated the pot to around 175 degrees. I maintained the temperature between 160 and 180 for an hour, then let dye bath cool overnight.

Meanwhile, I applied a cool alum mordant on 200g of Cascade 220 yarn - 4 100-yard skeins, 2 mini skeins - using 10% alum by weight of fiber (WOF), as described in Wild Color.

Day 2:
After straining the dye material from the bath, I add the (rinsed, wet) yarn, heated the pot to 170-180, and held it there for one hour. I then removed the yarn and divided the dye bath into five containers for my experiments in modifying.

• One container - no modifier; removed one mini skein, left the other mini in the unmodified dye bath overnight to see how much darker it might get.
• One container - ammonia modifier for one 100-yard skein (a small glug); tested the pH to confirm.
• One container - vinegar modifier for one 100-yard skein (two healthy glugs); tested the pH after one glug, but a little off, hence the second glug.
• One container - iron modifier for one 100-yard skein (half tsp?)
• One container - chrome (was supposed to be copper but I grabbed the wrong container) modifier for one 100-yard skein, loose crystals in bag (1 T?)

I let them all set for "a while" (less than an hour), then rinsed and hung to dry.

Day 3:
I rinsed remaining mini skein and hung it to dry.

A few days later, I washed all the skeins with Eculen, then hung them to dry again.

And here are the results:

No modifier

Vinegar

Ammonia

Iron

Chrome

No modifier, long soak

I just love, love, love these colors. Now I am wishing I hadn't used all my plants at one time. I guess I'll just have to grow some more next year and try again.

My fidgetspinner

I've been so busy lately that I found myself rebelling by just sitting and knitting. For me, knitting is soothing, even when it doesn't work and I have to rip it back. Knitting is my fidgetspinner.

Dyeing: More indigo dyeing.
Knitting: I'm continuing to work on the snowflake headband. I started another pair of "Quirky" socks - toes finished. The previous pair is done-done.
Spinning: I demo'd at the farmer's market again this past week, using both the e-spinner and a spindle; both last week and this I was (jokingly) told I was "cheating" by using the e-spinner.

Many (30+) years ago, I purchased a quilt at the now-defunct L.S. Ayres. It shows the many years it spent on my bed. A quilting friend of mine thinks it is beyond repair (or attractive repair - there is always "visible mending"), but I got it into my head that I could make a quilted jacket from it. Finding a pattern that matches what is in my head is another matter. The one in this book comes close:

My only concern is my sewing skills - they may not be up to this jacket.

My house, my studio

There is an annual "rural studio tour" in these parts every spring. When I was taking a pottery class, I expressed the wish for an urban studio tour. The instructor laughed and said his entire house was his studio. It happens to all of us.

How I spent my summer vacation

Indigo dyeing stuff at the near end, weaving stuff in the middle, spinning at the far end. I feel like I am in the middle of a lot of projects. And this photo does not include the other three rooms that contain at least some fiber and/or equipment (plus the garage). Yikes.

Dyeing: I dyed Cascade 220 with purple basil and am *very* pleased with the results; separate post to follow.
Knitting: The quirky socks need to be wet finished, then they will be done. Started a headband to practice colorwork.
Spinning: I figured out how to get the power pack to work with my Fold e-spinner, so I took it to a "fiber friends" gathering plus demonstrated at the local farmer's market.

The annual challenge for the spinning guild is to check out a book from our library and use something in it for inspiration. That is rather vague on purpose, as the primary goal is to get people to use the library. I took out a book on knitting hats with the triple goal of setting a good example, practicing colorwork, and using up some of the acrylic I purchased for my granddaughter to practice crochet with (which she has lost interest in). I have done colorwork before, but for some reason it is kicking my butt this time around. Hands cramping up from arthritis does not help.

Green-yellow dishcloths

Yet another FO I forgot to blog about! I think this is the last one (fingers crossed). It's nice to get caught up, though.

Pattern: none
Yarn: Peaches and Creme Original Solids, in "natural" (maybe?), dyed with leftover tie-dye dye
Needles: US7

These are knit in garter stitch. I cast on three stitches, increased on the "right side" a stitch at either end of the row using a yarn over until the dishcloth seemed long enough/mostly square. Then I continued the YO's but decreased a stitch on either side of them using a knit-two-together. Bound off when down to three stitches on the needle.

My kids keep saying they don't need more dishcloths... until they do. I like to have a couple on hand for those times. Also, dishcloths are an easy pickup-and-knit project when I'm feeling idle.

Splash socks

Here is another FO that I forgot to blog about: a pair of socks, destined for my son, a.k.a. Big Foot. For his socks, I cast on for 80-stitch rounds, knit 80 rounds for the foot and 80 rounds for the leg. That seems to be a good formula for his feet.

Pattern: Short-row toe and heel basic socks, by Wendy D. Johnson
Yarn: Simply Socks Yarn Company Splash Sock, colorway 1321
Needles: US1
Modifications: None

A fiber friend belonged to a SSYC yarn subscription or something like it, and the sock yarn was piling up, so she gave some to me. Everytime she saw me working on these socks, she commented on how much she like the yarn. No backsies allowed!

As I have said before, socks are my portable project. If I anticipate having to wait somewhere, I bring either a book or socks to knit. It seems like when I do, the wait is short. Today I did not take anything with me to the vet (besides the dog), and the wait was l-o-n-g. Isn't that the way these things go?

I like to match self-striping socks, although at times I have worked off either end of the cake, so the stripes are reversed. Overheard at a fiber festival: "If you want socks that match, go to the store!"

Neapolitan scarf

I forgot to mention in my last post that the Neapolitan scarf is finished, including the fringe (although I reserve the right to redo the fringe at some later date).

Pattern: None
Weave structure: plain weave
Loom: Ashford SampleIt
Warp: Lone Star Arts superwash merino, colorway 'Neapolitan', handspun
Weft: Lone Star Arts superwash merino, colorway 'Neapolitan', handspun
EPI/PPI: 7.5/7.5
Ends: 47

I tried to twist the fringe, but its superwash nature would not hold the twists together. So I knotted the end of each warp, hoping the plies don't come apart. I may trim the fringe to about an inch and let it fluff out. (I did hemstitch the ends, plus knotted them, so no unraveling will occur.)

This project was a deliberate attempt to use up some of my handspun. I think weaving was the way to go, given how it was spun and the colorway. There is still some yarn left, so I may try knitting a swatch, just to see what it looks like. It's all an experiment.

The roving was a gift from Qutecowgirl, an online fiber friend who I hope still reads this blog and is doing well. I believe she bought it at the New York Sheep and Wool Festival, a.k.a. Rhinebeck (said with reverence), a festival I may never get the chance to visit. But at least I can enjoy some of its largesse.

"Idle" Saturday

For once I had nothing scheduled for today, so I started a purple basil dye bath, wet finished the Neapolitan scarf, and finished the weaving of the clasped weft towel experiment.

What experiment, you say? Well, it occurred to me that I really like weaving on the SampleIt loom, but it is only 9.5" wide, limiting its usefulness. But what if I did something like I do on my 24" loom: weave two halves of something and sew them together? Hence, the clasped weft towel experiment.

At the weaving study group, when I asked what others would like to learn about next, someone said "double width weaving". It took me a minute to figure out what they were talking about. Then came the DUH moment - I could weave double width on the SampleIt. It takes two heddles of the same size, plus some pick up sticks. Once the loom is warped, the process is repeating just four steps. I'm eager to try it.

Dyeing: 900g of purple basil in three gallons of water, "cooked" for an hour.

Knitting: The Quirky socks are at the cuffs; listening to an audio version of the novel Slow Horses.
Spinning: Still working on the murky roving; I ran out of bobbins, so had to chain-ply some of it. I'm spinning yellow roving on the Fold e-spinner; I think I need a different power pack, as mine does not seem to have enough voltage - sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't.
Weaving: The clasped weft towel is off the loom; the two halves are surprisingly equal.

This week I tendered my resignation as president of the spinning guild, effective at the end of the year. Technically, I could serve another year before stepping down, but one year was enough for me. Instead, I volunteered to be vice president, as that person is in charge of programming. I'm planning a kind of "Sheep to Shawl University" series, with the old guard (OG) as the faculty. The guild has a lot of younger, less experienced members, and we oldsters want to pass on some of our knowledge.

Another loom?!?

One of my fiber friends is a shopping genius, rarely pays full price for anything, frequents thrift shops and estate sales for bargains, etc. She spotted a Schacht Cricket on FB Marketplace and relayed the info to me. Not that I needed another rigid heddle loom, but it was such a deal I could not resist. So now I have three(!) rigid heddle looms.

It came with plenty of accessories: heddles (including a variable reed one), shuttles, pickup sticks, dividers, warping peg, a stand, plus a cute bag to carry everything in. My SO asked where I was going to put it. Somewhere....

I pre-ordered a book by Alexandra Brinck on mending: Knit Repair: A Comprehensive Guide to Invisible Mending for Knitwear. The ship date is not until November :-( but in the meantime I am subscribed to her Patreon account. Not that I have had time to look at that lately...

...because I have been dyeing with the indigo vat. Some of my results have been less than stellar, but I seem to be getting the hang of it. I have to remember to be careful and patient.

Dyeing: See above.
Fiber prep: I attended a mini wool washing workshop that the spinning guild sponsored; now I have some clean fiber to process.
Knitting: One sock is almost to the cuff, the other about halfway there.
Spinning: Still working on that murky fiber. I bought a telescoping stool for the e-spinner.

Weaving: For the rigid heddle study group, I demonstrated clasped weft weaving.

Whew! It was a busy fiber week. Summer is almost over, so things are going to pick up even more. It's both exciting and overwhelming.

Fold me up

The EEW (which stands for Electric Eel Wheel) Fold arrived earlier than expected. I needed to follow the video to figure out how to put it together, etc. Otherwise, it is easy peasy. Today I took it with me to a spin-in and spun some Polish merino for two hours without missing a beat. I'm very pleased with the device. If you are interested, visit Dreaming Robots.

Another participant has a Nano, which is smaller than the Fold, so size does not matter. She mounted hers on a tripod with a 3-D printed platform while I just put mine on the folding chair next to me. However, I will order a collapsible stool for it, something I can throw in my bag along with the wheel and away we go.

Dyeing: I ordered a boatload of Cascade 220 blanks from Darma Trading because I like to experiment with natural dyeing and this is the yarn I prefer to use. I also ordered a short-sleeved tee and a long-sleeved tee with plans to dye them with indigo.
Knitting: I worked on the Quirky socks while waiting for my granddaughter to finish a tennis lesson, until my hands got too sweaty to knit; I'm listening to Agatha Christie's The Mysterious Affair at Styles.
Spinning: Tour de Fleece is over, but I'm still spinning the murky roving on my Joy 2; there is a lot of roving to get through.

I missed attending a transparency weaving workshop, but stumbled over this book, which I purchased. It just arrived today, so I have not had a serious look at it yet.

I'm still working on Don't Call It Art. I get a little tired of being told how creative I am (or could be), but this quote resonated with me: "When you are not worried about wasting your precious supplies, you don't have to worry about being perfect." In other words, you can always buy or spin more yarn! It's not a finite commodity.

So I bought some more fiber today at the spin-in. Isn't that a luscious color? Four ounces of Polish merino.

I've been neglecting my weaving and the indigo vat. There are only so many hours in the day, days in the week, weeks in the month, months in the year, years in a lifetime. Even when the calendar looks relatively open, stuff happens to fill my days. Better than twiddling my thumbs in front of the TV, I guess.

But is it art?

Periodically, the question arises over whether crafts like knitting or weaving are art. Some say the difference between just making and making art is the latter "says" something. I know what pleases my eye, but unless I know the context behind the creation, I might not appreciate what I'm looking at. That's one reason I like to attend gallery and museum openings where the artist is available to discuss their work.

As for my own creations, what I make is usually from a pattern, so not art. I don't think I have anything to say anyway. But I don't let that stop me from enjoying the process, even when it is frustrating. (I'm talking to you, log cabin towels!)

So I'm happy when I run across a book like this one, which encourages us to get in touch with our inner child and just make something. I haven't read much of it yet, but so far, so good.

Dyeing: I picked more purple basil blossoms and applied some heat, but the color did not look promising. I did a cold water mordant with alum (a la Wild Color) with the Cascade 220 skeins from last week, will probably use them with daylily blossoms I've been gathering from the backyard.
Knitting: Turned the heels on the Quirky socks while listening to Christina Applegate's memoir, You with the Sad Eyes.
Spinning: Still Tour de Fleece'ing; only two days left, but there is more fiber to spin, so I will hopefully keep at it.

I'm frustrated over the results I get dyeing cloth with the indigo vat. The problem is surely me, but I'd like to know what I am doing wrong before I start dipping some of my precious handspun. I've just been too busy lately to pursue the matter.

My Fold e-spinner is due to arrive on Monday. Squeee! I'm a little worried that it might be too small, but I'm still excited.

Grandma hobbies?!?

In the news: Young people are taking up what the media refers to as "grandma hobbies". I am a grandmother and I have hobbies, but I took up fiber arts long before I aged. I guess I was ahead of my time. No matter. I'm happy to see young people becoming interested in such activities. Besides, knitting and its cousins are reputed to fend off dementia.

The Michigan guild's monthly lecture was by a woman who wove a color gamp from naturally dyed yarn. She "foraged" for the dye materials over the course of a year (some of the foraging was in her own kitchen). Her presentation gave me an idea for what to do with the bits and bobs I have from various dye experiments, but I wanted to create something smaller and simpler than she did. Of course, I didn't have the right loom to execute my idea, so I purchased this one from Beka for around $25. A bargain!

Dyeing: I indigo dyed some clasp resist items, but didn't like how they turned out, so I redyed them. Gathering daylily blossoms to dye with. The purple basil blossoms finally gave up some color, so I poured hot tap water into the pot to further it along. Some Cascade 220 has been divided into smaller skeins for dyeing with (once it is mordanted).
Knitting: I finished the second set of tie-dyed dishcloths. Some progress on the socks.
Spinning: Still Tour de Fleecing.
Weaving: Added a single crocheted edging to the selvages of the Neapolitan scarf; debating on what to do about the fringe. I actually worked on the log cabin towels, but I need to do something more about the tension - sigh.

There is a website to check out if you inherited unfinished objects or would like to help others in that boat. It's called Loose Ends. I have no experience with it, but it sounds like a great idea.

How to get something done

The Maiwa online classes give the students three (3!) years access to the class materials. I know of at least one person who finished just under the deadline. I didn't want to be that person, so I committed to providing the weaving guild with a January Zoom program on my indigo journey. I will probably have an encore performance for the spinning guild as well. That is one way to keep on keepin' on.

Dyeing: I dyed some indigo - bound resist examples - and prepped more cloth. I also plucked blossom clusters from the purple basil and soaked them in water, to see if any color leached out (it did not, despite my purple thumb, but it smelled great, unlike some soaked dye material).

Knitting: The socks continue - almost to the heels.
Spinning: I've spun or spindled everyday so far, for Tour de Fleece. Eagerly awaiting my e-spinner.
Weaving: Warped the SampleIt for a scarf, to have something to work on during the rigid heddle weaving study group, and finished the weaving; it's off the loom, to be finished someday.

Speaking of finishing, Rebecca Mezoff dropped a blog post with the question, When does a WIP (Work In Progress) become a UFO (UnFinished Object)? I would say spinning that is off the bobbin but not yet wet finished, or a weaving that is off the loom but requires some finishing work, or knitting that is off the needles but awaiting something more.

But what about those projects that are languishing, that spend years on the needles, for example, abandoned for all intents and purposes? I have a few of those, but many more UFO's just laying around, taking up space (physically and mentally). How about you?

It's not fair

My schedule finally opens up, and what happens? I get sick, with an ear infection that is not responding to treatment. Over a holiday weekend, no less. Not fair! I'm not letting it totally incapacitate me, though.

I'm still able to keep up with watching/reading the indigo lessons, and today I have actually started the banana vat. It will need to sit overnight, so that gives me time to add resists to some of the fabric pieces provided in the kit.
Dyeing: See above. My SO made these resists for me.

Knitting: The Quirky socks are on their way; I knit on them while listening to Wiser than Me podcasts.
Spinning: I decided to participate in Tour de Fleece this year, and work up all that murky roving that I have been re-blending. Today is day 1.

Weaving: I checked the warp for the log cabin towels and fixed a couple of things; it's tied on and I'm ready to actually weave.

Hope you have a happy 4th!🧨🧨🧨

A Fiber Fling

For several summers now, the spinning and weaving guilds have demonstrated fiber arts at the local county fair, something we call the Fiber Fling. The home ec club likes having us there, so much so that this year they asked us to come an additional day. So this past week we were there both Wednesday and Saturday afternoons.

Wednesday was a bit chaotic, as there were several other activities going on in the same building (including the pie auction). Saturday was much calmer. No matter - several interested passersby may actually show up at a guild meeting one of these months (which was my motivation for starting the Fiber Fling - new members!) We also had some interesting conversations with other fair-goers as well as amongst ourselves. A success.

Then there was the open exhibit to which I urge guild members to participate in by submitting entries. I was not particularly proud of my projects, but I wanted to set a good example. In past years, I provided the judges with guildlines, as they didn't seem to know their way around a knitting needle, but this year I forgot. Oh well!

Dyeing: I am still caught up on the indigo videos and reading, but I need to actually DO something, like add resists to some fiber and, oh, I don't know, CREATE A VAT.
Fiber prep: I took my drum carder to the Fiber Fling on Wednesday and worked on adding lighter, brighter color to some murky roving.
Knitting: I finished the Splash socks. Started another pair, from yarn called "Quirky". Also, cast on a second dishrag (although I think I have neglected to blog about the first one).
Spinning: On the second day of the Fiber Fling, I brought my wheel and spun some of the roving I carded. I also spindled a bit.
Weaving: I retensioned the log cabin towels, using a tensioning device (made from PVC pipe); now I need to double check the warp threads before beginning the weaving.

The Ideal rug loom is still in pieces, and it would be anyway, since I left behind some bolts and a crank, which my fellow guild member brought to me after he purchased the other loom. If my daughter and I can get the garage cleaned out a bit, maybe we can get the loom put back together. It needs some repair before it can be used. One step at a time.

Smells like bananas

In anticipation of creating my first indigo vat, I purchased some past-their-prime bananas. I also ordered a 5-gallon pot to create the indigo vats in, as I may want to dye large things like curtains. The pot I ordered from Atlas Restaurant Supply, which has a local outlet. While awaiting its arrival, the bananas continue to ripen. If fruit flies appear, the bananas will go into the freezer.

Dyeing: See above; I am all caught up on the video lessons.
Knitting: The socks are done but for the weaving of the ends. I started a dishrag to have something quick and easy to knit during zoom presentations.

(Yes, I am reading Dangerous, Dirty, Violent, and Young, but not while knitting. For that, I am listening to Judy Blume's biography, having finished Horseman, Pass By.)

I sat through a Weaving with Color zoom session from the Austin guild this past week. The presenter is a Texas transplant who lives here now. I was already familiar with most of the samples she presented, but I'm curious about some of the looms she uses and what she makes with them.

My SO and I attended the opening of a new exhibit at a local gallery this past week. While there, I chatted up a weaving guild cohort who mentioned a tapestry loom she may want to get rid of one of these days, one that has a pedal-driven shedding mechanism. That piqued my interest.

So am I now going to become a collector of looms?