Thursday, July 07, 2011

Back At It


Here is the yarn I spun yesterday in hopes that it would satisfy the person who has asked me to re-create a hat I made two years ago. I was rushing a bit because I had kept her waiting a week while I attended to other things. I knew that it wasn't quite it, but I also knew to get closer would mean dyeing new colours which would mean another day or two of drying and carding and spinning. So, I sent her the pictures and crossed my fingers that whatever qualities she liked about the first were present enough in this second one.

Alas, the answer was no. She was kind and gentle, but clear, about it. And since I knew it anyway, it wasn't so hard to hear.


More blues were dyed. This time I used my acid dyes. I use Greener Shades which have no heavy metals except, it turns out, for the turquoise. Apparently, there is no turquoise without a dose of heavy metals.


Acid dyeing is much faster and less complicated than dyeing with natural materials. But you miss out on the witchy feeling of stirring a pot of twigs. You also miss the opportunity to force your family to run out of the house waving their arms saying, "what is that horrible smell?!" You know you want that.

All methods have their uses.


Gratuitous cat photo.

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