Wednesday, August 27, 2014

Scarf-lace...


Spun up the "fluffer-nutters"..


The yarn was so soft and full of texture I couldn't 
resist weaving it into a little necklace-scarf..


... a "scarf-lace"...


.. or "Narf"..?


Merino / silk warp
Saori style weave on the Cricket rigid heddle loom
Local alpaca, hand dyed merino, and recycled sari silk weft

Autumn is in the air..

~

Joining Ginny

Monday, August 25, 2014

Understanding



"Look deep into nature, and then you will understand everything better. " 
~ Albert Einstein 

There is just something about colors obtained naturally.

I am looking deep into nature
and loving what I am finding along the way.

These lovely yarns were dyed with locally sourced
Queen Anne's lace and sustainably 
harvested Logwood.

~

Wednesday, August 20, 2014

Go-to..



Ah...The Antarktis..
How I adore this pattern.

This is the third time I've knit it and it won't be the last.

It is the first thing I grab when heading out the door.

Perfect size..
Perfect drape..
Just plain cozy.

Knitting this one with a skein of my hand dyed yarn.
Had the hankering for for chartreuse and purples.

Do you have a go-to knit that you love?

~

Antarktis: by Janina Kallio
Pattern available via Ravelry

~ joining Ginny~



Saturday, August 16, 2014

Creative reuse..


The purpose - where I start - is the idea of use.  It is not recycling, it's reuse.
~ Issey Miyake


Once upon a time there was a sweater.

Soft.
Labeled made in Nepal.
Sitting by its sad self at the thrift store.

Of course I couldn't leave it there.


It came home to join pieces of:

~ other reclaimed fiber

~ thrifted yarn

~ donated yarn

~ a tiny bit of hand spun
(with bits of an Oscar de la Renta scarf spun in)

~ recycled sari silk fabric

..to make this..







Handwoven Saori style wrap 
created on my little cricket rigid heddle loom.

New.  Wearable. Use.

~


Wednesday, August 6, 2014

Colors of nature..Part 2


Classroom time at natural dye class.

Notes..
Formulas..
My nose is still in the dye books.


Labeling our treasures from the dye pot...


Everyone in the soup!


More drying.
Our true colors flying.


My superwash "spaghetti" from tossing yarn in the pots
at the end of class..


Finally a little treasured collection of all our naturally dyed samples:


"There are no accidents in nature."

~ John Muir ~

~


 Joining Ginny for Yarn Along.  

Monday, August 4, 2014

Colors of nature.. Part 1



Nature always wears the colors of the spirit.
~Ralph Waldo Emerson


Mixing.

Stirring.

Simmering.

Learning how to extract the colors of nature.


Sunny breezes.


In awe of Mother Nature's colors captured on wool.


It was like a 'lab of color chemisty' with lessons taught by the
 lovely and talented Juanita Breidenbagh.


The pots would open and the group would sigh..
'Ahhh....'

Rinsing..


More drying..


Beauty seen is never lost, God's colors all are fast.
~John Greenleaf Whittier

~