Socks. Do not adjust your set. They are a pair, they just aren't quite the same. They are for Liam, and I am sure that he won't mind. I am almost finished and there may even be enough yarn left over for another non matching pair. The skeins of yarn looked close enough to me, but apparently one ended up a little lighter. Which means that one is doing that spirally thing, and the other is not. Hmmmm. Seeing as I dyed them myself (but not with a pair of socks in mind) I really can't yell at the dyer, can I? I never would have guessed that there would be so much of a difference when they knit up because in skein form, the yarn looks almost the same.
I have also been playing around with felting. A couple of weeks ago, the felting class learned felting on a flat pattern. One of the students missed the class and came in over the March Break to catch up. I was kind of tired of cleaning so when she asked me to tell her how to felt using a flat pattern, I said that I would show her and we could do it together. I made a small vessel and had so much fun that I decided to try another one. It wasn't quite felted enough for my liking so I chucked it into my front loading washing machine. I checked it from time to time and it came out smaller and firmer. No great surprise there.
It is not quite finished yet. I am not sure what it need, but I am bouncing around some ideas.
And so I decided to try a larger vessel. This one stared out on a pattern about 18 or 20 inched round. Once I got it to soft felt, I took the pattern out and rubbed and rubbed and rubbed.... And it really wasn't felting up to much more. So I did the washing machine thing again. Except that this time I became distracted by life, the universe, and everything, and didn't take it out until I walked by a couple of hours later and noticed that the washing machine had stopped. It came out a nice oval, and the bottom measures 9"x7.5". It is nice and thick and firm though. Again, I want to embellish it somehow, but I'm not quite sure what I am going to do.
I have also been doing some spinning again. This is once again a surperwash merino and silk blend (80% merino-20%silk). I love the way it spins.
I had about 6 ounces of batts and most has been converted into the singles you see below. There is another bobbin that is almost as full still on the wheel. I am going to try and have it spun and plied by this time next week.
Wish me luck!And here is the frost that mamoo was talking about in my last post. I have never seen frost like this before!
10 comments:
Jackie, I think that your pair of socks looks just great even though they don't match. Liam is a lucky young man. I can remember how thrilled I was as a child when my mother would knit me a pair of socks.
How do you manage to get these streaky colors? Do you tie dye your yarn or paint the dye on?
Your felt vessels are interesting. Could they possibly be turned into hats. I think that the blue one with the small opening would make a nice marble container.
What do you mean by superwash ?
About the frosty lacy pattern, Mother Nature sure is creative isn't she. ( if you can look past the mildew) It almost looks like crocheted lace. Mamoo
I think that this frosty feminine looking pattern was not made by Jack Frost but by Jackie Frost, don't you think?
Mamoo
Hi Mamoo, I can well imagine how thrilled that you would have been when your mother had time to anything for you!
The yarn was actually dyed in a pot. I could show you sometime!
And by superwash, I mean a wool that won't shrink (much) and won't felt (much).
I have seen hats made of felt before but I think that it may be hard to get the sizing right.
I think your first felted vessel looks like a pink tulip. :) One more month until they start blooming!
Well haven't you been busy! The socks look great, even if they don't match ;) I have to agree with the other poster, the pink one sure does look like a tulip!
Wow that frost is something else! Stunning!
your felting is amazingly fun - love it.
and the sock yarn dyeing... heh heh... yes, I have a few skeins like that myself.
last but not least - that frost is incredible. It looks like something my grandmother might have tatted.
that first vessel must be a beacon of spring!
That felting is soo cool!
I thought for a moment you were planning on felting the silk/merino. That would make a rather pricey object, wouldn't it?
The frost is amazing. I didn't know it could do Battenberg lace.
Wow. Minor White would love that frost photo.
The Socks look terrific, in all their unmatched glory. The roving you're spinning up is beautiful.
Amazing frost photo! Interesting felted vessels. My favorite is the marble holder. It is a shame that you don't live in a big city. I could see that being something that an interior designer would snap up as the perfect accent piece. I wonder if you can make small ones that can have a zipper added so that the could become coin purses (something you might be able to sell where you live).
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