Stasia's Place Of Grace

Saturday, April 29, 2006

 

It seems that everyone but me is gearing up for the start of fiber festival season. Unfortunately, I can't travel this year. Does that mean no new spindles for Stas? Not on your life!

Enter Halla, an incredibly talented artist whom I'm proud to call my friend. She kindly sent me a fix for my spindle addiction, since I'm not able to attend MDS&W, MSWF, or any other S&W (sheep and wool) or FF (fiber festival), for that matter (we are likely moving this summer and that allows no time for fleece.)

Thanks to Halla, I present to you my newly-purchased Pansies!

Premiere Pansies, #1 and #2.
Eat Your Heart Out Festival Attendees!
The flash made these appear shinier than they do in real life - they're matte.

Halla will have these beauties available for one and all, but she said she can't ship new orders until she's back from MDS&W. If you want to pluck one of these pretties while you're there, you can find her at the Indigo Hound booth (they make great wool combs - I've got a pair meself), in Barn 6, #18. It's at the highway end of the barn.

Seriously - all those who are attending, have a wonderful time! If you're thinking of going and are able to - go! You will meet lots of friendly people and fiber critters, and you'll have a lovely time. (You'll spend a wad of cash, too, but you'll sitll have a lovely time.)

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Monday, April 24, 2006

 

What I'm Working On, Knitwise...

Boatneck Sweater, "Baby Knits For Beginners", Debbie Bliss

What Jeff's Working On, Outsidewise...

Building New Shed Doors, Painting Shed

What I'm Working On, Spinningwise...

That's a new Greensleeves Trifle spindle (bloodwood whorl and tulipwood shaft) which I like a lot. I purchased it from Kendig Cottage via eBay. It spins much longer than my Queen's Sceptres.

The fiber was dyed by Sandy Sitzman (of Twisted Sisters fame) and the colorway is called "Appleblossom". Nannette had spun the same fiber some time ago, and I fell in love with it and had to order some.

What I'm Working On, Dyewise...

I did these fibers with the hot-pour method from "The Twisted Sisters Sock Workbook". The results were less than predictable - not due to the book's instructions, as they're great! But due to the type of dye I'm using (not what they recommend), and my inexperience. The center and righthand rovings were supposed to be only two or three colors! I ended up with Grateful Dead rovings instead.

I think I will go back to the paint-in-strips-and-steam method now. And I will definitely stop wasting my yummy "blank" Wensleydale (the fibers on the left and right sides) and experiment with the inexpensive Brown Sheep roving (center).

Here are my hot-pour rovings just after simmering them for 30 minutes:

For the one below, I had mixed a pea green and a purple, and this is what I ended up with instead:

For the next one, I had mixed up an orange, a blue, and a purple, and I got this:

I had better success with some purchased fiber. These are from Chameleon Colorworks:

From Left:
Moss, Leaf Peepers
Hyacinth, Queen's Plums
Artichoke, William Morris

They will be blended in the pairings shown. The crimp of this Blue-faced Leicester is fantastic, and the fiber was not at all abused during the dyeing process. I ordered these on the 12th and they arrived on the 24th - not bad when you consider they weren't in stock at the time I placed my order. The colors are wonderful!

Janel helped me choose colors that would "go together". If you don't see something available on the site, or have color questions, just e-mail her - she's great to work with.

I was also lucky enough to obtain these fibers from Winderwood Farm, via eBay.

On the left is Wensleydale, and on the right is alpaca. The colors are lovely and they didn't skimp on the quantity. I also purchased some "blank" Wensleydale from this vendor. Everything arrived very quickly. Don't you guys buy him out, now!

The spindle pictured is a Bosworth Midi in Tasmanian Tiger Myrtle, also purchased from Kendig Cottage. Love it! (Sheila, I can't wait for my olivewood!)

I had shopped for some other handpainted fibers and was sadly disappointed. I won't name the fiber artist, but here is what I ended up with... you can see a mini-skein from the artist's color card, along with the fiber I received... not exactly a match, huh?

This one is relatively close...

Fiber from this vendor several years ago, on left, is "true".

Now, after all my own crazy dyed experiments, I know how hard it is to get predictable results. But then, as with Koigu yarn, why provide customers with a color chart at all?

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And who should show up again, all weekend long?

Mr. Color himself, all bright in the sun.

I hope your day is colorful and full of fiber! Thanks for stopping by!

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