Spin A Yarn for Ewe

I made a comment at Mama-of-Purl regarding drip dyeing her roving for more random yarn. After I said it I thought she probably has no idea what I am talking about. So since I am dyeing today I thought I would take some quick photos before heat setting and I will show the results tomorrow. Here is the whole drip dyed roving.
I took a close up too. I am not sure how everyone else does dyeing but I start out the same way every time by soaking the roving. I soak it in plain water for as long as it takes me to get everything set up. I lay out the saran wrap, fish out the roving and squeeze out a lot of the excess water. I then zig zag it back and forth and spray with vinegar. Then the coloring starts. On the drip one I use bottles with tips so I can just drip away. Sometimes shaking the bottle sometimes waiting patiently. Flip and do the other side. Roll up and steam. I did another roving the way I normally do to show the difference. Same until the color where I stripe up and down.
So that is how I do the drip method. It tends to get you a more pastel version of the colors used as there is a lot of the natural roving still left and it also makes for a yarn that is random in color changes. Sometimes you might have subtle striping but not distinct stripes no matter how you spin it.

Here are some mitts that Miriam knitted from some drip dyed yarn I sent her.

Well, my KSKS package finally arrived. It made a very round about journey getting here going to San Diego (were it should of gone) to Los Angeles then back to San Diego to finally be delivered yesterday. I am so glad it is here as my pal, Lynae, did a great job. Here is what I saw when I opened the package. It was all so nicely wrapped but here is the loot. The cutest bag with sock monkeys on it. It zips and has short handles 2 of my favorite things. She also got me yarn from Scout In one of the colorways that I love, Puesta Del Sol. She also included some Addis and the magic loop booklet so I can try that method. A very cute pattern, chocolates, a pencil holder that doubles great as a DPN holder, (something I never thought of) an emery board shaped like a butterfly and the cutest stitch markers you have ever seen. See they even have my blog name on them.

Lynae for sure spoiled me. I am one very happy swap pal.

Since I am fairly sure that my pal for the One Skein Swap does not know my name or blog address I thought I would post photos of the scarf I am doing. I am using the Desert yarn I spun a while back and am using the Opera Scarf pattern. The colors are coming out quite nice and muted since my pal likes natural. I figured this would spice up any natural you may like to wear without boring me too much to actually finish knitting it. I can not wait to block it as it will change the look completely.

I am also spinning the Summer Squash roving into fine singles as I dyed it originally to ply with beads but couldn't find any to go with it so I need to stretch the 3oz. I always like at least 250-300 yards.

It looks like the heat may be more tolerable this weekend. Currently it is overcast, still warm but bearable.

Why do I plant squash every year? Last year we had just moved in to our house so no garden last year, but this year we put in some raised beds so we could grow veggies. I have tomato plants 5' high, loads of peppers, lettuce and SQUASH. I only planted 3 and they are all different kinds but oh my. Every year I say no more than 1 squash and every year the hubby says, "we need more than that." Well, I have run out of ideas on how to cook it. When he comes in with more I groan. We have given it away to every neighbor who doesn't run when they see it and family too. I finally resorted to throwing out the larger ones this morning. Shhhh, no telling.

I also have a new spinning project, of course. I finished the other Grape bead yarn and so now I have 282 yards of Grape yarn. I call this roving Summer Squash as it is the color of the veggie that has taken over my garden. Good news is I don't have to eat it.

I have also broken down and ordered the silk to ply with my yarns. I plan to use it even without the beads for that extra shine that silk has. I could spin my own but cost-wise it really doesn't make sense. Go figure the finished stuff is cheaper.

I finished the grape yarn or at least the first skein. I told you I always run short of beads and this time was no exception. I really think that there is a limit to how many I can put on before the plying process gets to be frustrating sliding the beads down. So I got 116 yards of heavily beaded yarn. I guess my other option would be to put on less beads per yard but I like LOTS of beads.

My KSKS pall told me my package should be arriving today per FedEx so I have been stalking the front door as the delivery guy NEVER rings the door bell. I like my UPS driver better as he does the ring and ditch method. How hard is it to ring the door bell, really?

The heat is slightly better today. Thanks for letting me know I am not the only one suffering. Golf should hopefully be more fun tonight. I told a bunch of ladies about it at a neighborhood party we had on Saturday so if they show it will be a blast.

Geez is it hot. I know it is hot everywhere right now but we have hot and humid something we never have to deal with. I mean 100+ plus 60% humidity and I am dying. Saturday was the worst when it was 110. Come on fall.

So for lack of content I will make up with pictures. First I finished the Sea Breeze Yarn. Here it is. And here it is close up. I love this colorway and I think I will do a beaded version to go with it.

I also finished the Grape single. I am plying this one with beads in a purple mix as soon as I get them strung up. I can work on that under the ceiling fan so maybe today. Here is the roving first. And here is the single. I am going to use a cotton thread in purple this time but I am thinking about getting some silk weaving yarn that I can dye to match the singles exactly. I was thinking Tencel first but after research I found out that I would have to use different dyes to use it and with all I have mixed up now I really don't feel like investing in more. So I will just spend more on the silk instead. Makes sense, right?

The Noni bag is done. Well, almost done. It is still wet so I haven't sewn on the handles yet. It turned out very cute. A little bigger in all respects then I wanted but very cute to tote my current WIP around in. I don't think I would do the pattern exactly again. I would modify the size of the bag and the flower. I love the flower I just wish it was smaller. I think 3 small ones would be cuter. So next time that is what I will do. I do LOVE the ruffle. It turned out much cuter than I thought it would. I saw one the other day as an example at the LYS where I dropped off my yarn and it was so limp looking. I was freaked and almost ripped it out but I am glad I didn't.

The Sea Breeze singles are done and ready to be plied tonight. I have also been trying to get some golf practice in so I did that this morning. The lesson on Tuesday was fun but slow when you have 12 people trying to all get a chance to hit balls. Today I hit about 60+ balls in only 30 minutes. It really is a workout in the heat but I am finally getting better.

I am so happy. I finished the ruffle on the Noni bag and it is currently taking a spin in the washer. I can not wait to see it done. Here is a before felting picture which always makes me laugh at the size. Thank goodness I KNOW it will shrink. Now I can devote my knitting time to the exchange gift which I have been neglecting since Sunday.

I have been spinning the Sea Breeze roving a dyed a while back and I am really happy with the single. I should be a very bright finished yarn. I also dyed some roving in purples and plan to do a beaded yarn with it. I picked up some beads at Micheal's when they where half off in a purple mixed pack. I plan to use the whole bag an I hope to get a longer yarn than I have before. I seems like I can never load enough beads.

I also hope my KSKS partner lets me know that she got the bag I sent. I sent it last week and it was delivered Friday but no word yet. I am bummed. I hope she didn't hate it. I thought maybe she was on vacation but she said she would look out for it so I assumed she would be home. I always worry until I at least know that they have it.

Yesterday there was a surprise in my mailbox. My One Skein swap pal had said to watch the mailbox but I guess I had kind of forgotten and inside was my July installment. It is handspun again which I love and some is a boucle. I have been to afraid/chicken to try this but now with some handspun to examine up close I am going to try. Here it is. The purple one is a wool/silk blend and is very lovely. I can not wait to make something with this yarn and I still have the fantastic yarn from last month.

I also got going on the Noni bag ruffle. As Miriam pointed out it wouldn't take that long if I just did it, so I started. Here it is hanging out on my desk where I can not ignore it for too long. So the yarn is gone and I am feeling the need to spin up loads more. I even dyed more roving in anticipation of it.

I have also decided to go to the Ladies Golf Night at the course we live on. It is really just like a group lesson with wine but my instructor, who puts it on, said it is really fun. I have been practicing a lot so hopefully I won't be too embarrassed. Worse case after a glass of wine in this heat I won't care.

I have finally finished re-skeining the yarn for the LYS that carries my stuff. It looks like twice as much since she only likes skeins at 100 yards. It used to be a pain but now with my Rose I can spin up big skeins and then just re-skein for her if she wants it.
This time she wanted everything I showed her. I always keep a few for me as I sometimes have remorse after selling them all. Weird, I know, as I could not even come close to knitting everything I spin but I still feel it.

I also took a close up of the "magic" skeins. These are all the left over bits from the other skeins tied together. She swears people love them and they usually sell out first. Go figure that the leftovers would be the most popular. I thought these skeins would look horrible as my colors this time were all over the place but they look better that I thought they would.

I have also started my One Skein exchange gift and it is moving along. I have not forgotten about the Noni bag but I am putting off picking up 100 stitches and then quickly increasing to 400 for the ruffle. Binding off 400 stitches is somehow sounding like a lot of work. Maybe because it has been so hot.