Kool Aid dye-ing

Since my post about the $6.99 Goodwill sweater, I've acquired a couple more thrift store sweaters for recycling. The one pictured below was a 100% wool natural-color cabled Talbot's sweater.

I took one ball of this yarn to try dyeing my own yarn. Using Kool Aid drink mix. The Red #40 and Blue #1 that makes Kool Aid drink so bright and colorful happen to be excellent dye for other things. There are tutorials out there on this. For instance: http://www.knitty.com/issuefall02/FEATdyedwool.html

I used Berry Blue, Grape, and Black Cherry flavors. Used the hand-paint method, and heat set it by steaming it in a pot on the stove. It turned out a lovely mix of blues between turquoise and faded denim.

Holiday knitting wrap-up

A quick post with pictures of Christmas projects. They include, from top to bottom: a diagonal scarf, multiple hats, a felted belt, and a Noro laptop case pictured both pre- and post-felting. Other holiday projects not pictured include a twisted rib hat and legwarmers. Most pictures here taken by my younger brother.

$6.99 Goodwill sweater

Many knitters start out thinking "I'll be able to save *so* much money by knitting my own things". After a while you think back and laugh at your naivete. Wool yarn is expensive, starting at $6/ball and going up from there.

Then I heard about the idea of recycling yarn. Shop at a thrift store, buy a sweater cheap, unravel it, and voila: much inexpensive yarn. Besides saving money I like the idea of recycling and conserving resources.

So this weekend, I bought the sweater here for $6.99 at Goodwill. The tag says "Hand knitted in Greece for Byzantium, 100% wool". It's beautiful wool, and will produce many balls of yarn. Of course on one hand it's hard to justify unraveling because a) it fits me perfectly b) i can not yet knit something this nice.

But since this is an experiment, the unraveling has begun. It's timeconsuming to get the seams apart, but then zips along. More updates to come.

Yarn Harlot scarf

The yarn harlot is a well-known knitting author and has an interesting blog: http://www.yarnharlot.ca/blog/. Sometimes she publishes patterns, including the pattern for this scarf. Easy, fun, excellent pattern. It's the first time I knit with Alpaca yarn, and while it's soft, it's a little on the itchy side when worn. Yarn: Frog Tree Alpaca Sport.

Seamingly simple vest

I picked up this pattern at the Blue Moon Fiber Arts booth at the Oregon Flock and Fiber Festival. It's a really good pattern for a beginner. Someone who has made a scarf, and wants to go the next step. You first knit a really big ribbed rectangle, then pick up stiches along the back, then knit another ribbed rectange. The only seams are the two under the arms. I made a few small adjustments, and will add a button. It feels like wearing a cozy shawl. Yarn: Knit Picks Wool of the Andes, 100% wool.

Holiday cards

The local library hosts adult craft events every month. Here are some holiday mosaic cards I made at their last event. It was interesting to see all the creative ideas from the other people there.

Another one

Another zimmerman jacket. This one is made with a combination of two natural undyed yarns. The dark grey color yarn is from Corriedale sheep, Pit River Wool, CA. The natural white color is from Coopworth lambs, Coburn Creek Farm and Pottery, WV.

I mailed both jackets to San Francisco for the "afghans for Afghans" effort (http://www.afghansforafghans.org/). They collect hand knitted and crocheted wool blankets, sweaters, hats, mittens, socks for people in war-torn (and cold) Afghanistan.