Lessons Learned ...

Saturday I went to a coworkers house to dye yarn with her. The first skein that I had an actual plan for went very well. I have a pansy out front that is very pale yellow with dark purple streaks and dark orange in the very center, that was the inspiration for this color:



The second one, not so good ... in fact I refer to it as the Great Dyeing Debacle of Twenty-Ten. However, I learned that if you hate the dyed yarn that much, pick a primary color and dye it again ... ALL OVER (except for one tiny section in this case) and all your problems will be solved. I really wish I had taken a photo prior to the over dyeing, but I really didn't want any permanent record of the disgusting colorway I had originally come up with ... the image is forever burned into my brain. Originally it was red, green and grey ... what I like to refer to as "Elf Barf" or "Christmas in Hades" or the "Bloody Hummingbird Masacre". I still want to try to make a hummingbird colorway, but not a bloody masacre, LOL!




Recently I took a class on the Baby Surprise Jacket, its done ... a little wrong, but that's OK. Meanwhile I had cast on the February Lady Sweater, which uses the same increases as the BSJ that I had done wrong ... I also ripped out the Feb Lady Sweater and started again doing the increases correctly! Good timing to learn that one.



Just needs seaming up and buttons!

Lilac Kool-Aid

I have some acid dyes in my stash, but have not dyed yarn at home (did it once under the supervision of a yarn dyer at the Knitter's Guild meeting last September). My only concern is that the dyes are slightly toxic so I don't want to do it anywhere the cats hang out. Then I thought I'd check out the dyeing with Kool-Aid thing, since that's something you actually eat, you can use your kitchen and regular utencils to dye with.

We had grape and cherry in the house, so I used 2 parts grape to 1 part cherry wanting a fushcia type color. It was a very cool process, the water became clear once the yarn soaked up the dye and I do think the color came out pretty close to what I wanted - I was thinking of the lilac we have out back.

FO: Leaf Pattern Baby Sweater

Pattern: Leaf Pattern Sweater Set - Designs by Jeannine
Yarn: Dreambaby DK by Plymouth Yarn
Needles: US 4 & 6
Cast On: April 25, 2010
Cast Off: May 1, 2010 (buttons sewed on 5/15)

This is a really cool pattern, the yoke is completed (which goes fast) then one sleeve and then the other sleeve and then the rest of the body. Really quick knit! I love the buttons I found for it, I think they really work well.

Focused Knitting Update

1. Diane's Gloves - need thumb an ends woven in. 1/15/10
2. Derek's scarf - needs to be completed.
3. Leyburn socks - second leg needs finishing. 1/14/10
4. Toe up socks - second heel and leg needs to be completed. 1/25/10
5. Cable bottom up sweater
6. Reversible Cable Scarf
7. Blanket square
8. Lavitan Mittens
9. Bat Shawl
10. Christmas Stocking

I totally forgot about this plan to finish up some WIPs before casting on new projects. I didn't forget about the WIPs - some of them stare me in the face every day when I sit down at the computer, LOL!

I have decided that I don't like knitting blanket squares and I don't want to make a blanket. Its too long of a project and I just don't want to do it. Life it too short spending free "hobby" time on something you don't want to do ... that's what working for a living is for.

I have knit two baby sweaters, one is completed and I posted a picture of it. The other one needs buttons and I am currently knitting a matching hat. I am taking a class on Elizabeth Zimmerman's Baby Surprise Jacket starting tomorrow.

The second baby sweater was the Leaf Sweater Set from Designs by Jeannine.







I hope the hat fits. The first sweater I made came out too big - more like 12-18 months instead of 3 months. This one I think is more like 3 months, but not sure the hat is big enough for a 3 month old. Wouldn't be a big deal, but the kiddo is due in June ... who needs a hat in June besides a sun hat, LOL!

I hadn't touched the Bat Shawl in several months and was pleasantly surprised that I could pick it up and knit after looking at the pattern and chart for only a minute or two. I hadn't touched it in so long figuring I would not be able to find where I was in the pattern. I am using a chart keeper and have the last place marked off, but still its been bounced around for a while, so I figured the magnets had moved and I lost my place. No worries there!