March 2, 2007

First Dyeing of Sock Yarn

I had too much fun dyeing yesterday. I decided it was time to work on my sock yarns from KnitPicks. The purple is made from Wilton's, blue food coloring and vinegar simmered on the stove. It's still bleeding a little blue, but it'll eventually wash out (and stain my hands and needles while knitting, but hey, that's half the fun!). The Fiesta is Orange, Cherry, Watermelon Cherry, Lemonade, and Lemon Lime KA. I spent more time working on that skein than I have on any other hand painted yarns.

I didn't rewind the skein from Knitpicks...it's 100 gms and is probably about an 36 inch skein. If I can, today I'm going to rewind another skein into about a two yard skein. Haven't quite figured out how to do it yet, but hey, how hard can it be???? Have to go buy some more KA, too. I was really disappointed I didn't have any blue KA. I really wanted some blue in the Fiesta one....

Can't wait to finish up my Sockotta socks and start working on the Fiesta!

F called me yesterday to tell me there was an dryer on Freecycle. I called and low and behold, my son is going to pick it up for me tomorrow. It needs a new belt, but F's confident he can fix it for me. Life will be so much easier for us (me) now. Most of the dryers in our complex don't heat up, so we have load everything in the car and drive several blocks to a laudrymat to dry our clothes. Cost of time and $$. With a dryer I can keep up with the laundry and not be dependant on my daughter's days off to do it.

The plan for today is F is coming over to help me fix the back door where the dog has scratched a big hole. The hole now, however, goes all the way up to the white spot under the door knob. We are also going to price a screen door. Now, my back door is built backwards, so the screen door will go in the inside, as it should, but will open up into the kitchen. My solid back door opens out into the yard instead of into the house like a front door would..... But that's okay, cuz the screen door will never be open except to walk through it. And the amoung of natural light in the kitchen will dramatically increase.

The Sudafed has done it's wonders and I'm feeling about 98% better than two days ago! I still sound a little stuffy, and am coughing some (useful coughing that is loosening things up), but, hey, I can think and function again!

March 1, 2007

Better Living Through Chemistry

First of all, I must sing the praises of Sudafed. Not the stuff OTC, but the stuff you have to turn in your passport to get. Had my daughter go to the pharmacist to get some. She had to show a DL, they wrote down the number and I don't know what else. The chemical in Sudafed is used to make some illegal street drug of which I don't know it's name nor am I particularly interested. I'm just pissed that it took me so long to remember it still can be purchased BTC from a pharmacist. (And I'm supposing it was cuz my head was full of cotton stuffin' as to why it took so long--talk about a Catch 22!) Anyway, that and two sleeping pills and I slept like a baby last night. My head is much clearer. I sound terrible, but feel sooooooooooooooo much better.

I advanced some on my sock. Got the waste yarn in for the heel and am not working on the foot.

But, my big news is: My KnitPicks order finally came in!

That's just the yarn. I also got a copy of Sensational Knitted Socks. It's all sock yarn weight. Dyeing fun! I'm especially excited about dyeing this one to see how the little blobs of color come through.

Interestingly enough, the little blobs of color are called Donnegal. Which is famous for it's tweed yarns used in weaving. What I don't understand is the fiber content is 65% superwash, 25% nylon and 10% Donnegal. So I'm guessing it's wool...the little blobs of Donnegal.... It seems to me Donnegal would be more of a process than a fiber content.... Who knows?

February 17, 2007

Firsts!

I'm so pissed! I had a nice big blog entry and Yahoo yahooed it. So here's the summary. I have a few firsts in my life: Bought my first sock yarn yesterday (see above). I placed my first Knitpicks order! Sock yarn and Knitting Sensational Socks. I'm hoping it'll be a good source book for different heels, toes, etc.

I knitted like crazy yesterday when I had the chance and am just about ready to start the toe decreases on my second yellow sock. Can't wait to finish it so I can start my new socks with "real" sock yarn!

Edited to add pic:

My oldest grandsons are coming for a sleep over tonight. We are taking them to see Bridge to Terabithia after a kid dinner of mac and cheese or grilled ham and cheese sandwhiches. (Did you catch the "cheese" theme?)

We are going to the local Renassaince Festival on Monday. Although I dearly love going, and used to go in costume all the time, I'm still favoring my knee. It's not that it hurts so much during the day if I over use it, but that night it keeps me up. If I even think about moving in bed I wake up..... However, my daughter still has a couple Vicodin left over from her tooth extraction..... That might work!