The Pink Brethren ...

This continues to be the best men's sock pattern I have found on the net. Next month I am hoping to make another pair of these babies in a special colorway. The Colorway is called "Eye of Jupiter". Happy Father's Day to the great Dads here.

I am also working on other things some come crochet, but the time is not here yet to test.  It is in the desing form and I hope to have a new Crochet Man Shawl and perhaps an Icelandic Inspired hat, knit or crochet, I am not sure yet.  Hope all the fathers are having a great day. Thanks for stopping by!

Colour by Craft Andy

Today was one of those days that my life became more colorful.  I can honestly say that a yarn is as good as it dyes.  I bought this yarn from Drew Emborsky with the purpose of eventually dyeing it.  It took the dye like a champ and remained soft and fluffy.  I wanted to make a very bright orange yarn.  I am trying these new dyes from  Greener Shades , the dyes are a bit more greener than others and they use citric acid as a catalyst for the protein fibers yarns.

The  picture above is before and the picture below is after.  I used the Sunset Orange.  I also added a bit of vinegar and it was all a great chemical reaction that was environmentally friendly.

This is the whole picture. All the yarns I dyed today, they were a different colour just a few hours ago.The far right yarn was greenish, now is brownish.

I also had a Wollemeise Limone that I wanted to make into Tandoori Masala, and I think that I made it.This is the before picture of the limone. This brand of yarns is also a magnificent brand, it overdyes like a dream. The yarns on the far left and far right are Knit Picks Bare, which do take dye like a dream as well.  The one on the far right is a donegal, so I have little flecks of colors in it, it is a sock yarn as well.

 

After a bit of spending some hours in the crockpot this is the beautiful colour that it came out. A Tandoori Masala skein which I am proud to own and will become a pair of the Brethren Socks as well. I have made a comitment to make at least one pair of socks a month.

 

The colors are not far from what you are seeing on the screen. That neon tangerine is very much so bright and the Tandoori Masala is very deep orange - red.  I am pleased to say that I used all the colour until it was exhausted . I overdyed all the yarn that I wanted, from reds to brown. Thanks fors topping by!

The more I spin the more I spin

 I have been busy spinning my way to fun. There more I spin the more I realize how much more I need to spin to gather more experience. This is some of my spinning fun.  Most of it it's unknown fiber gifted to me friends.


These two in the white where lots of fun to spin and so was the dark.  Spinning should never be done in a hurry for me, it becomes sloppy and not the best quality.  I love my fiber, most of it anyway lol. 

 
This tweedy 2 ply was an interesting fiber. I thought it would be more of a lace weight and it is in parts. Is an uneven yarn, but so is Lamb's Pride, right?

 
This was a lot more fun to make and is a lot more even.


 

 My favorite blends to spin are blends with silk, it makes it a lot easier to draft and spin.  I got some "pin drafted" cotswold from Stitches West that was a nightmare.  It was a bit matted and if I saw it today, I would have not bought it.  Unspun fiber is not matted and pencil roving is not matted.  Felted roving that is a different story.  I haqve more spinning coming and some more sock knitting.  Hold on and get ready for another fun pair of socks, hopefully by the end of the week, maybe even a picture of one, if I get the timing right.  Thanbks for stopping by!

Superwash Wool Baby Set

 

I liked the pattern that I got , is the Almost Instant Baby Cardigan.  It calls for Malabrigo Rasta, I decided to follow the LYS Owner suggestion and go with Superwash wool. I did not like the way the cardigan looks after I blocked it.  The picture above is unblocked.  Once this cardigan was wet, it kind of got very crazy, is all I can say.  No problems because I have yarn left and I will be crocheting an edge and border around the neck .  It needs it, it looks too sleazy, well you know loose.  A crochet border will make this cardigan have a bit more form and will make it a bit more sturdy.  I will also make a crochet border on the sleeves.  The Cable Cast on , looks fantastic, I am not messing around with that lol.

I wonder what will happen if I make it in cotton?  Definitely a crochet edge to hide the ends.  One thing I did was to get the rest of the yarn wet like the project.  Why?  Because it will have the same texture as the already blocked yarn.  This particular Superwash bulky yarn, from Cascade, when it is wet, looses it's form.  Not really criticizing it, just stating a fact.  I hope you have a great weekend and I will have more to post later during the weekend and is not fiber related..  Thanks for stopping by.

The Medici Hat by Woolly Wormhead

One of my first designers to test my hat making abilities was Woolly Wormhead.  This designer without a doubt had the best hats in the world.  The were made on the flat and then kitchener together. I got myself into plenty of trouble, but I learned a lot about making hats.

Here are different views with my cool Kilt socks on of the Medici hat.

The link will direct you to the purchase option, it is a fun hat to be made.  I went with dk weight yarn, double strands and it took 95 grams or two skeins.  I opted to go a needle size down and made the smaller size hat.  It has a beautiful cable cast on , and lovely twisted stitches. Thanks for stopping by!

 

Fourth Grade Entrelac Hat Pattern

 I did not find this pattern to be as intuitive as I may have needed it to be, but in the long run it is a good pattern.  This is an Abby Franquemont free pattern and if I practice more on it I think I will get it better.  I did find it very intriguing and more or less easy to understand.  I don't think there is anything wrong with the pattern, but my lack of understanding of entrelac.  I liked the hat inside out as much as the right side.
 

The ends have been weaved as much as I like them to be. This pattern has a lot of potentia as a hat for me. It is a hipster hat indeed.I did get to use a lot of remnants and some of my handspun as well.
 
Another view, I call this the painter / artist beret.
 
For those golf moments on Djerba  Moon, I liked the fact that it is a very utilitarian cap.
 An the slouchy style.  Thanks for stopping by!
 

Purple Brethren Socks FO

Here you have me a day before my Birthday finishing these pair of socks for me.  I got a chocolate milk seegar, which is a See's Candy chocolate cigar.  There are more socks to come, so stay tuned.  I do have some other projects, but I tell you , that my life is a bit busy at this time. Love to all  and thanks for stopping by!