Here is proof that I can actually get stuff done. Really.

cafe kurage (jellyfish)

Pattern from Leisurely Amigurumi 「あみぐるみでゆるり」by Sachiyo Fukao (深尾幸世). Knit with hand dyed Lion Brand Fisherman’s Yarn.

Just Enough Ruffles

Just Enough Ruffles

Pattern by Laura Chau. Totally rockin’ and fast to knit. Knit up with Brown Sheep Cotton Fleece in Candy Apple.

I love this time I have to do stuff now. Summer! Now I just need to get this job situation sorted out. *sigh* Also I seem to be going through a red phase right now. That may just be because I have lots of red yarn in my stash for some reason.

Oh! And I have declared this summer DeStash Summer. No new yarn. Ever. I can only knit with what I have. We’ll see how resourceful I get.

After the disaster that was my day today, I thought I’d do something positive … like post here about the hat I finished a few days ago.

Rose Red

Rose Red

Why yes, I did make another Rose Red! It’s pretty much my favorite pattern of all time. I love Ysolda’s stuff. I went back to Rowan Felted Tweed on this one. Holy crap do I love that yarn.

And here’s a sneak peak at my current endeavor:

lovely

I’ve decided to dabble in dyeing (not dying). I had one of those giant skeins of Lion Brand Fisherman’s Wool and decided to screw around with it. Here’s what I got:

yellow hand dyed wool

The above is approximately 110 yards dyed with two packets of lemonade Kool-Aid in the microwave. I decided I don’t like the microwave method very much. More on that in a moment.

creamy/tan hand dyed wool

This is another 100 yards or so of the wool dyed in a pot with some tea. The color could have been better, but I didn’t pre-soak the yarn. I know better now.

red hand dyed wool

This one turned out absolute fantastic! I pre-soaked the wool, about 220 yards worth, in lukewarm water and some Eucalan no rinse delicate wash. Then I stuck it in a pot of almost-boiled water with 10 packets of black cherry Kool-Aid and let it chill overnight. The color turned out really vibrant and I can’t wait to do something with this!

I definitely like the stove-top method. I’m about to re-dye that yellow yarn with some turmeric and vinegar. I’m excited to see how this turns out!

I started off the year with my favorite pattern, Rose Red by Ysolda Teague.

Rose Red

Rose Red

A few thoughts:
1- This red is not NTSC safe. Really. It was impossible to get a good picture.
2- I am really flippin’ pale.
3- This yarn is great for showing off stitches and stitch definition, but doesn’t shape very well.
4- Knowing me, I’ll be making this again in a few months. I love this pattern.
5- I really need a haircut. My bangs are out of control.

Well, I’m off to read up on Matt Smith. Happy New Doctor Year!

The Eleventh Doctor