A few weeks ago I received a phone call from someone who was down here taking care of her brother who'd been in a "catastrophic car accident". She was spinning yarn for a sweater and had run out of roving. She needed some Cheviot wool.
She brought her sweater in progress so we could match the wool as best we could and it turns out she was not just spinning her own yarn, but she'd only been spinning for a couple months and she was spinning all her yarn on a drop spindle and using all natural plant dyes for her Fair Isle colors. (!)
Starting with white wool, she's using oak leaves and goldenrod and different combinations of iron and alum mordants to get all these colors. Wow!
She offered to come back out to help me get the patterning started on the Jester sweater and I was thrilled.
We pulled the half finished sweater out of the project basket last week, worked out a couple pattern ideas using an EZ pattern chart and Laurie's "scientific calculator". She gave me some helpful tips for carrying colors and most importantly, some much needed inspiration.
Jester's all natural, straight from the sheep colors.
I'm going to finish the B. Willard sweater first...but Laurie taught me a neat edging for that too. It will be perfect to show off all Willard's colors :-).
Each one, teach one.
She brought her sweater in progress so we could match the wool as best we could and it turns out she was not just spinning her own yarn, but she'd only been spinning for a couple months and she was spinning all her yarn on a drop spindle and using all natural plant dyes for her Fair Isle colors. (!)
Starting with white wool, she's using oak leaves and goldenrod and different combinations of iron and alum mordants to get all these colors. Wow!
She offered to come back out to help me get the patterning started on the Jester sweater and I was thrilled.
We pulled the half finished sweater out of the project basket last week, worked out a couple pattern ideas using an EZ pattern chart and Laurie's "scientific calculator". She gave me some helpful tips for carrying colors and most importantly, some much needed inspiration.
Jester's all natural, straight from the sheep colors.
I'm going to finish the B. Willard sweater first...but Laurie taught me a neat edging for that too. It will be perfect to show off all Willard's colors :-).
Each one, teach one.
19 comments:
There you go again, using that language I don't understand! If you're happy, I'm happy. Look forward to seeing the finished sweater.
I'd like it if you COULD spin right from the sheep....like in cartoons! :)
Lovely.
I'm simply amazed with the natural dyeing and the gorgeous colors she gets from them. That sweater will be wonderful!!
You have Cheviot? Do you have more wool that you want to sell?
I love naturally colored wool, and, asa a natural dyer, I absolutely love the sweater she is doing. Her brother is in my prayers.
I know I have some of Popcorn PeePee Pants' fleece left and maybe a tiny bit of Peabody too - as roving. Email me at thecrazysheeplady AT gmail DOT com.
Awesome! I someday want to do a Fair Isle with all the Shetland colors I can round up. I also want to work with the natural dyes.
The pictures are amazing. Only two knitting things that scare me...Fair Isle and Cables and I want to learn both soooo much LOL I am just not good at dealing with all the extra colors in the fair isle....hats off to both of you. *hugs*
I'm in awe.
Of you BOTH!
When the weather starts to turn bad, I'm going to get back into spinning more yarn. I think I might take you up on comming and trying the different kinds of spinnin wheels. The drop spindle is just killing my hands. (I'm getting old.)
I think your visitor is an OVERACHIEVER! Sheesh; talk about showing up the rest of us.... (-;
Talk about your sheep thrills! What an amazing array of colors you have from Jester and B. Willard.
You and Laura show your true colors by sharing your talents with each other :-D
Such amazingly beautiful yarn provided by your good friends, the sheep.
Beautiful!
I heart that yarn too ♥
Beautiful!!!
Linda
http://coloradofarmlife.wordpress.com
that's amazing. some serious yarn love. and an epic sweater!
that's amazing. some serious yarn love. and an epic sweater!
Wow, what a labor of love, and from such a new spinner too. Very impressive indeed. I've never tackled something as huge as a sweater. Note to Jennie C - I did my very first cables in a scarf for my mom this month. It wasn't nearly as daunting or scary as I thought it would be. You really must try it! I'm also the world'd slowest knitter, so if I can do it, anyone can.
Awesome! I suppose she learned Fair Isle knitting in a month, too!
Hi Sarah, it was really fun to see my hands on line. Really enjoyed reading the comments from others.
Laurie
Back in Illinois
Post a Comment