Saturday, January 20, 2007

Yarn porn.

Okay, I've been skeining up yarn all day and I've got a few goodies to show.

First, the purple dye experiment. I'm calling it 'purple train wreck', but it might wind up a regularly-made color scheme.


Then there's my first attempt at a fall leaves inspired color. I'm thinking more brown and less orange, but otherwise it's not bad.


Then there's 880 yards of lace-weight merino. The photo doesn't show the pink too well, but the color's fairly accurate if more subtle than the photo.

I'm thinking I may have to charge more for the lace-weights, because winding up 880 freaking yards takes FOREVER. And I desperately want to keep this one because I adore it, but I can always dye myself another one later (I wrote down how I did it).

And, you know, there's nothing like having a cat around for help. This is right before she pounced. Fortunately I grabbed her right away and there was no damage done.


And I've gotten another wild hair: Pattern support.

So another question. Would you guys buy reasonably priced hand-paint yarn for felting? $12 USD or thereabouts for 220 yards worsted weight?

12 comments:

Bells said...

Love the Purple Train wreck! That's cool. And your aumtunal ones are gorgeous. Good work!

Unknown said...

I also like the purple train wreck! I would buy it (although I haven't even finished my first pair of socks!)

All of these dye-jobs are awesome. I am terribly impressed. :)

Catie said...

I love the train wreck and the others are great too. I'm too new to understand the amount of yarn that is in yards. What can you do with 220 yards? It sounds reasonable to me. My only limiter will likely be shipping but I will buy a few right off the start for sure.

Julie said...

The purple one? The blue in it? I never used blue dye. The purple dye 'broke' and separated into pink and blue. I decided it's a neat-looking effect, but I still can't dip-dye anything purple because that happens.

As for handpaint worsted-weight, I'm going to design some felted bags to knit with them. At the moment I'm making myself felted slippers with the purple train wreck - I'll need two balls, at $12 each would be $24 to knit a pair of slippers. That's not too bad, is it?

Laura B said...

Love the purple! I think $12 would be reasonable.

Netter said...

Bright laceweight, great sock yarn! I'm definitely going to patronize your shop!

Anonymous said...

I really like that another woman is stricking out as a small business owner.
I've thought about it but Im not sure Im the right personality type.

I have a freely offered - so feel free to ignore, rage at or use - idea that may help with your marketing.

Show a small knitted swatch next to your yarn - sometimes the yarns that don't thrill in the skein are the most gorgeous knitted up.

You will find this even more true when you start dying in the wool and spinning up your own.

kris said...

Julie, not only do I LOVE the purple train wreck - the two boys who came running when I said "ooooooohhhh" both declared it very very cool. You know you're doing somethign right when you have adolescent boys admiring yarn.

Louiz said...

I'd buy the purple (along with everyone else!). And the felting bags - For some reason british washing machines don't work the same way as american/everyone elses, so felting is more experimental here (not that I'm not interested, but the results are not as guaranteed).

Bells said...

how many days has it been since we had a picture of The Baby? too many. I bet many would agree!

Anonymous said...

love your purple train wreck!

Amy Lane said...

The purple train wreck is awesome...the merino laceweight is awfully pretty--the thought of doing what you're doing as a business scares me--you're a braver woman--go mighty samurai knitter go!!!!!