Dye Dreams

Que Sera, Sera

2010-08-01T21:11:00.006-04:00

Stephanie wrote:

I have childhood memories of Doris Day singing "Que Sera, Sera" and my own mother singing the song as she washed dishes and folded clothes. While I've been known to treat my kids to a couple lines from the song, I try not to notice when they roll their eyes and hope that someday they will appreciate the sentiment.

Que Sera, Sera . . . whatever will be, will be. This is my mantra. Life is short and unpredictable. While it's human nature to want to know what lies ahead, the future's not ours to see. And that's probably for the best.

It is with fond memories and an eye to the future that I say good-bye to Dye Dreams. The time has come to close this chapter in my life and start a new one. I've enjoyed meeting many of you online and in person at events across the country. It's been an honor and a privilege. You can follow my new adventures here.

Que Sera, Sera.

Running Around

2010-07-19T08:48:00.007-04:00

Stephanie wrote:

For some reason this summer has been far too hectic. I keep hoping for some lazy days, but instead I'm coordinating various schedules, juggling too many balls. My front door has become a revolving door for family, friends, visitors and total strangers. The parade never ends.

I must confess that my knitting obsession right now is a wool cardigan. I plan and plot to knit a few rows here and there, but it's never enough to satisfy me. The sweater has gotten big enough that it's no longer portable and is a stay-at-home project. And really who wants to sit with a lap full of heavy wool this time of year? Note that last month was the hottest June on record. And yet the sweater is a magnet calling me to work just a few more rows, just a few more inches.

Too much running time and not enough down time has had a serious impact on my knitting. Since many of my projects are not good for on-the-go, most of my knitting time has been spent on Herbivore (Ravelry link). Almost mindless, easy to pick up, easy to put down. When I reached the suggested size for this shawlette, I decided to keep going until I used up all the yarn.

There was a point when I was working the finishing rows that I thought maybe I had gone too far, maybe I wouldn't have enough yarn. For once my calculations were right on. All that's left is the blocking.

This is the time of year to enjoy the farmers' market. Going to market is part of my weekly ritual. I never skip a week.

Hot, fresh pie from the oven.

And to go with the pie . . .

. . . coffee with a layer of ice.

Now before the day gets too crazy, time to work.

Time to wind.

Time To Twine

2010-06-30T08:04:00.015-04:00

Stephanie wrote:

The heat is on, and I've become a nomad in my own home. I have the misfortune of having my work space in the hottest part of the house - the uppermost level that, due to funky wiring and poor construction, cannot accommodate any form of cooling. The heat coupled with the humidity has a definite tropical feel. We abandon this part of the house during the summer months.

I find myself wandering about with a skeleton of my desk - laptop, several file folders and a couple of pencils. I roam about in search of space where I can set up temporarily and do some work. The dining room table is ideal when it's not covered with dishes and/or clean clothes. The recliner works in a pinch, and I can sometimes incorporate a power nap. Even the kitchen counter is inviting if it weren't for the steady stream of food-seeking kids. When all else fails, I have to head out to the library or local coffee shop. I miss having my own space.

In club news the summer mitten kits shipped recently, and the KAL starts tomorrow on our Ravelry group. Beth Brown-Reinsel designed a two color twined mitten for this club installment. Twined knitting is a Scandinavian knitting technique that uses both ends of a center pull ball.

Wound and ready to twine.

In recent wanderings I stumbled across these lawn sculptures.

What a fun way to brighten up the yard. Propeller flowers.

It's Official

2010-06-21T08:28:00.012-04:00

Stephanie wrote:

Today marks the summer solstice, the official start of summer for those of us in the Northern Hemisphere. For many the solstice is cause for celebration with all manner of festivities and time-honored rituals.

This is the season to worship the sun, and there's no better place than Taos, New Mexico. In the spirit of all things solar the Taos Solar Music Festival will be held this coming weekend. The festival boasts a solar village and great music all in a spectacular setting. There's something for everyone with a line-up of musicians that includes Robert Mirabal, Los Lonely Boys, Jakob Dylan and everything in between. Fun in the sun.

The beginning of summer is motivation for me to finally pack away winter coats and boots. Maybe I'll even replace the winter scene on my computer desktop with something more seasonally appropriate.

While I don't have much knitting progress to report, the week ahead will be one with lots of time spent waiting. And knitting. There are new colors coming out of the dye pots.

Always trying to stay one step ahead of the current season.

And goodies coming out of the oven.

Chocolate chip scones - a favorite any time of year.

Scattered

2010-06-16T08:00:00.011-04:00

Stephanie wrote:

This time of year can be crazy busy. The calendar is full of extra parties, celebrations, commitments and obligations. We really should attend this. Can I fit one more activity in our schedule? Constant juggling. Never enough hours in the day. Is this the price we have to pay for the relaxed, playful days of summer?

As a result I feel like this.

Scattered puzzle pieces.

We are on a serious puzzle jag here. Everywhere I look there are puzzles. Completed puzzles because once you've put in all that time and effort, you can't bear to take them apart.

And puzzles in progress.

Flags of the World in 1000 pieces.

This morning I woke up and vowed to regroup and take some time for myself.

Time for this.

Coffee is the elixir of my life. Beer is in the same category, but I save that for later in the day. Isn't this mug funky? It's one of Jennie the Potter's creations.

Time for this.

This is my third time knitting Holidazed, and I'm determined to keep this pair. The light shade is out of my usual color comfort zone, but the yarn, Regia Stretch, is a good match for the pattern. And it was in my stash.

Time for this.

The beginnings of Herbivore (Ravelry link). I had a couple of false starts with colorful, busy yarns that detracted from the pattern, but I think I'm on the right track with this combination.

And time for this.

Maybe I'll find the missing piece to Canada.

Frolicking

2010-06-10T08:21:00.013-04:00

Stephanie wrote:

I still feel a bit damp after a wet weekend in Maine. Even though the rains were, at times, torrential and a boat would have come in handy, I had a delightful time. It's always fun to see familiar faces, catch up with friends and make new acquaintances. Kudos to those who braved the storm to attend this event. It wouldn't have been as much fun without you.

Since we were in Maine, it was only appropriate to spotlight a "Made in Maine" product. There's nothing like a table full of colorful bags to attract attention.

These are the handiwork of Michele from Three Bags Full.

Details. Most of the beads on the bags are also "Made in Maine". They are the work of Bev from Shipyard Point Glassworks.

And more bags.

These, however, are made in Massachusetts.

We were treated to a bit of entertainment.

A fast moving parade.

Of course there were many cute faces in the barns.

English Baby Doll.

And Leicester Longwool.

Some of the goats were too frisky for a photo, but this one was very cooperative.

I love the horns.

Llamas strutting about the grounds.

So regal. They are born to pose.

And I couldn't resist this Jersey Wooly.

A ball of fluff with a twitching nose.

Out And About

2010-06-03T08:35:00.007-04:00

Stephanie wrote:

Not much time for blogging or pictures this week. Dye Dreams will be at the Maine Fiber Frolic this weekend.

This event has a little bit of everything - shearing, demonstrations, workshops, a goat show, a used equipment marketplace. And, of course, a full line-up of vendors. This is a fun event for the whole family. If you're in the area, be sure to check it out.

I'll be back with a full report next week.

Sneak Peek

2010-05-28T08:32:00.014-04:00

Stephanie wrote:

With summer right around the corner we're working on the summer installment of our Four Seasons Sock Club. All of the pieces are coming together.

Yarn dyed and ready to go.

Summer means water, and we have a beautiful shade of blue to match. The yarn is Twinkle Toes, 50% superwash merino/50% tencel. The tencel adds a nice shimmer.

JC Briar designed the pattern. She's put together a delightful, elegant sock with a cuff reminiscent of bobby socks.

If you want a preview, check out JC's blog. You can find the summer edition of the sock club here.

At the top of my knitting pile . . . the right and wrong sides of a project waiting to be finished.

Perfect for a long weekend.

The Waiting Game

2010-05-22T08:17:00.020-04:00

Stephanie wrote:

I've had a week filled with waiting. As any good knitter would do, I planned accordingly and had a couple of projects with me at all times.

First up was my daughter's doctor appointment. After getting settled in the waiting room I pulled a sock out of my bag. The leg, heel flap, turn and most of the gusset were all done. I set off to march down the foot of the sock. I knit and knit and knit. After an hour or so I realized that with a little more time I would finish the foot.

My daughter was not quite as engaged with her book as I was with my knitting, but I was able to entertain her with chatter, all the while knitting away. More waiting while I knit several rounds . . . the foot was done, now on to the toe.

At this point I was secretly hoping our name wouldn't be called - just a little more waiting and I could finish the sock. When I voiced this to my daughter, she sighed heavily and rolled her eyes.

It was not meant to be. Our name was called, the momentum was lost and the sock was put away.

Later that evening with a few minutes to myself I finished what I had started.

Complete.

The next day I found myself hanging out at the airport due to a delayed flight. I reached into my bag and pulled out the makings for sock the second.

I cast on and got down to business.

I had a sinking feeling when I saw the departure board. I got a cup of coffee, made myself comfortable and settled in for the long haul.

The time for departure finally arrived, and I had accomplished this much. You'll have to excuse the off-colors - airport lighting is the worst.

The next day sock the second made an appearance at the dentist office. I picked up where I had left off at the airport.

I was about to start the heel flap, but my time was up. Two cleanings - just the amount of time I needed to finish the leg. While I hated to put the sock away, there was good news - no cavities all around.

I spend lots of time waiting, sitting and waiting. Rather than measuring the time in minutes and hours, I prefer to think in terms of knitting progress. It's liberating to shift the focus from the clock to the knitting needles. And it helps me keep my sanity.

Of course there were other wanderings throughout the week. On one run I pulled into a parking space, got out and was greeted with this sight.

Ten babies in all, fresh and fuzzy.

Color Combos

2010-05-19T09:27:00.005-04:00

Stephanie wrote:

Lots of dyeing, lots of different colors.

I've learned that the drying phase of this whole process can be a good opportunity to experiment with color combinations both random and planned.

Recently I've paired gray with several different colors, and it works well with all of them. What a versatile color.

This combination caught my eye.

And so did this one.

When it comes to mixing and matching colors, the possibilities are endless. The result can be everything from warm and cozy to cool and refreshing; traditional and classic to funky and hip. It's your choice.

Lately I've been thinking of pairing this color with something. I think it could be lots of fun.

And on this dismal, rainy day it's like a bit of sunshine.

Braving The Elements

2010-05-11T10:42:00.014-04:00

Stephanie wrote:

We're back from New Hampshire Sheep and Wool. True to form the weather provided challenges all weekend long. Those who have been attending this event regularly know what I mean. The only thing we were missing this year was snow, and at times I wouldn't have been surprised to see a few flakes swirling around.

Of course on Friday the weather was nice.

This was our first time vending outside. We got off to a good start when the E-Z UP did just that.

Stocked and ready to go.

Saturday was raw with rain, heavy at times. We had some issues keeping everything dry, and there was a slight puddle forming at the back of the booth. Compared to what some of the other outside vendors experienced, we really couldn't complain. While Sunday was dry, the temps were cold and the winds fierce and blustery - an invitation to wear layers of wool.

The view from our booth.

It wouldn't be a fairgrounds without Italian sausage and fried dough.

This alpaca was beyond cute.

Almost made me wish I had one of my own.

In case you think that there is only wool for sale at a sheep and wool festival, we made a stop at Thyme & Ewe Farm . . .

. . . and came home with these goodies. We've already sampled two of them - delicious.

I was gifted with this from Five Sheep and a Donkey.

Very clever.

At Kisakanari, a vendor selling Jacob fleece, I spotted this and had to pause. I learned that this shawl is a beginning knitter's second project. Yes, second project.

I've been knitting for so long that I have no recollection of my second project, but I do know it was nothing like this. What an inspiration!

Thanks to all the hearty souls who stopped by our booth. New Hampshire Sheep and Wool - always an adventure.

Heading North

2010-05-07T08:01:00.005-04:00

Stephanie wrote:

This can mean only one thing.

Packing up yarn for another event. This weekend we will be at New Hampshire Sheep and Wool Festival. This is a large event with plenty to see and do. It's a tradition for many in New England. If you're in the area, be sure to check it out. You won't be disappointed.

And now I'm off to finish packing.

Stuck On Gauge

2010-05-04T08:12:00.009-04:00

Stephanie wrote:

The last few days I've been dealing with a knitting quandary. I'm hungry for a bigger project - a pattern that is clever, challenging and long-lasting.

I thought I had one lined up, but I've run into a bit of a snag. Have you ever had the situation where you like the yarn at one gauge but the pattern is written for a different gauge? That's the dilemma I'm faced with.

At first I thought I could live with the yarn knit at the gauge stated in the pattern. I knit up almost a full skein before I slapped myself and came to my senses. I don't like the yarn at that gauge, but I still want to use the yarn for the pattern. So I've spent a considerable amount of time re-working the pattern to accommodate the gauge I do like.

While I think I have worked out most of the kinks, I'm cautiously optimistic. These things have a way of coming back to bite me.

In the meantime I've started this basic sock to travel around with me and keep me occupied.

Plain sock in Mega Boots Stretch, color 707. I've used this yarn before and like the gradual shift in colors. I'm almost to the heel and think I'll go with a garter stitch flap.

In the news . . . we've had more water issues here.

Earlier this spring it was the heavy rains. This time it's a broken main. They had to tap into reservoir water to keep the system up and running, but that water isn't safe for drinking. We are under a boil water order for all drinking water. Granted this isn't a crisis when you think in terms of hurricanes, volcano eruptions and earthquakes. But it is a hassle.

This brought back memories of life in New Mexico when I had to boil water for bathing and washing dishes. While the kids have fond memories of those days when we had to boil water, not so for me.

Since boiling enough drinking water for my crew could be at least a part-time job, I resorted to this.

I struggled with buying all this plastic but soothed my conscience with the fact that it's temporary.

Just in case . . . a reminder for those who can't remember to stay away from the tap water.

As I write this I've received notice that the boil water order has been lifted. I think we all have a greater appreciation for free-flowing drinking water.

May Day

2010-05-01T08:29:00.012-04:00

Stephanie wrote:

Today is May Day. May Day is synonymous with spring, fertility, the International Workers' Day and political demonstrations. While the calendar has said spring for several weeks, I never feel it's truly spring until May Day.

May Day is a centuries-old celebration with roots in both pagan and religious observances.

We participated in our traditional May Day celebration.

While our celebration includes games and music, the centerpiece is the maypole.

Ribbons blowing in the breeze waiting for the dancing and the weaving.

Coordinating ribbons, dancers and weaving is not an easy task. It takes focus and concentration.

And in the end a decorated maypole.

As I watched the dancers weave all those ribbons I was struck by the similarities with knitting. Creating fabric from ribbons or yarn . . . nothing could be more satisfying.

Have You Any Wool?

2010-04-26T07:53:00.010-04:00

Stephanie wrote:

Connecticut Sheep and Wool Festival has come and gone. One day events can be a mixed blessing. While there's less time away from family and the rest of life, it seems that once you finally get set up it's time to start tearing down.

That's how it was for us on Saturday. We were still unpacking and organizing when the festival started on Saturday morning. But that didn't keep people from stopping at our booth. We worked around the mess and eventually cleared out the boxes. With a steady stream of people in and out of our booth the day went by in a snap. And then it was time to pack up and head home.

I did manage to break away for a bit and wander around the grounds.

The weather was beautiful - dry, sunny, pleasant temps. It was a great day to be an outside vendor.

It wouldn't be a sheep and wool festival without animal pictures.

This sheep was in a pen of shorn and unshorn sheep. He would probably be naked by the end of the day.

And this cutie from Tucker Woods Farm . . .

. . . the perfect model.

I was reminded of the nursery rhyme Baa Baa Black Sheep.

Wool. Three tables full.

Capturing details of a spinning wheel.

A picture of a picture.

Beads And Bags

2010-04-23T08:06:00.007-04:00

Stephanie wrote:

Tomorrow we will be vending at Connecticut Sheep and Wool Festival. This one day event has been gaining in size and popularity. If you're in the area, be sure to check it out.

Today we're tying up loose ends. Last minute details always take more time than you anticipate.

I'm busy weighing out beads for various kits.

It's a fun job to mix and match the beads to different yarns.

Sometimes it's a hard decision - so many colors, so many options.

The possibilities are endless.

Yesterday we received a delivery from Michele of Three Bags Full.

It was time to re-stock our inventory with some favorite bags and some new ones. "Because one bag is never enough!" Michele says.

Fun fabric.

Monday Holiday

2010-04-19T08:43:00.023-04:00

Stephanie wrote:

This past weekend I found myself hanging out in a convention center with hours to kill while the kids attended an event. To make the most of my situation I was armed with my knitting, an audio book and coffee.

Convention centers are strange places that bring together disparate groups of people. For instance this weekend the convention center hosted a talent search competition (envision girls of all ages running around in leotards, dance dresses, full makeup and elaborate hairdos with hovering mothers in tow) and a quilting exposition. What a contrast!

After seeing a steady parade of striking quilted bags and jackets I took a walk down the hallway to see what the quilters were up to.

And this is what I found.

Gorgeous works of art representing hours and hours worth of time spent in color choice, fabric selection, cutting, stitching, assembly and finishing.

Zooming in.

This quilt used completely different colors.

The view up close is different than from a distance.

There are so many different fabrics, colors and stitches that go into each individual puzzle piece. Truly amazing.

As I sat knitting in the convention center several quilters stopped to see what I was working on. Many of them were also knitters. What yarn are you using? What is that pattern? Do you prefer knittng socks toe-up or top down? I felt a real kinship with these quilters, even those who didn't knit. We shared a love of fiber and needles and a passion for creating.

There was a time in my life when I did lots and lots of sewing. I appreciate quilting and some days think of taking the plunge. But I think it will have to wait for another lifetime.

In keeping with the quilting theme . . .

. . . a tile quilt/mural in the convention center.

And just like the fabric quilts you could find some interesting details if you got close enough.

Turtles scattered throughout one section of the mural.

I couldn't resist them.

Today in Massachusetts we are celebrating Patriot's Day, a holiday to commemorate the beginning of the American Revolution. Maine, once part of Massachusetts, also celebrates. It's a holiday marked by re-enactments and parades.

And today is also Marathon Monday, the running of the 114th Boston Marathon. Coupled with a daytime Red Sox game at Fenway it makes for a full day of sports.

Patriot's Day, a spring holiday for history buffs and sports enthusiasts. And appreciated by everyone who has the day off.

Luster Worsted

2010-04-16T17:25:00.010-04:00

Stephanie wrote:

We're busy preparing for our next event, Connecticut Sheep and Wool Festival. While the dye pots cool, I thought I'd take a minute to introduce the newest yarn in our lineup.

Announcing Luster Worsted, a 100% bluefaced leicester worsted weight yarn. This strong, lustrous yarn offers subtle color variation and beautiful stitch definition.

We are offering a select number of colors . . .

. . . with names yet to be determined.

There are a few more colors that didn't make this photo shoot.

No, Luster Worsted isn't on our website, but it will be soon.

My latest color inspiration.

These colorful citrus treats have been popular around here. Bet you can't eat just one.

It's In The Mail

2010-04-09T07:31:00.016-04:00

Stephanie wrote:

In shop news we've been busy with club shipments. The spring mitten club shipped last week and the sock club shipped this week. It's so much fun to get yarn in the mail.

Dragonfly Mitten is the work of Janel Laidman. You can see a picture here (Ravelry link). The mittens are truly a work of art.

Textured Diamonds Socks was designed by Ann Budd. I can't locate a picture, but trust me when I say that these socks look like a fun project. Speaking of Ann she recently started a blog. In addition to talking about all things yarn, she also has a link to recipes from her blog readers. Be sure to check it out.

A couple more notes about both clubs. The yarn used in these designs is Luster Sox, a 100% bluefaced leicester superwash yarn. Both clubs offer exclusive colorways. It's not too late to get in on a full club membership. The spring installments will soon be available as stand-alone kits. Finally, the knit alongs for both of these will be starting in the next few days. You can find all the fun at our Ravelry group.

In knitting news I finished and gifted the Baby Surprise Jacket.

I find it extremely clever that this knitted blob . . .

. . . can be folded into this.

Origami for knitters.

And I'm delighted with the buttons.

The credit goes to my daughter - she spotted them first.

The other day I was stuck in stop and go traffic. I've decided that the only thing worse than being stuck in traffic is being stuck in traffic without my knitting handy.

Since I didn't have my needles to keep me occupied I was looking around, taking in the scenery. And this is what I saw.

A wild turkey strutting down the sidewalk in Cambridge. That alone is enough to bring traffic to a halt.

Soap, Water And Wool

2010-03-30T09:42:00.022-04:00

Stephanie wrote:

We have a springtime tradition of making felted eggs. Yesterday I captured the process from start to finish and thought I'd share it with you. Felted eggs through photos.

Start with wool roving.

I dug through my stash and pulled several bags of roving with lots of different colors. Mixing and matching the colors is half the fun.

I decided to use white for the center of my egg.

I drafted the fiber by pulling it ever so slightly. Then I wrapped it around my hand to form this.

A soft, cushy pillow of fiber.

Next it was time for a bath.

We had a bowl of hot, soapy water ready and waiting.

Time for some agitation.

Roll the blob of wet wool between your hands. Toss it back and forth.

Agitate, agitate until . .

. . . you get something that looks like this. A blob of wet wool with form.

I added some color by layering more drafted wool over the blob.

I repeated the process of bath and agitation to produce this.

A felted egg.

Notice that during this second round of agitation I did a bit more shaping to transform the blob into an egg shape.

I've been doing this with the kids since they were little. Soap, water and wool can provide hours of entertainment. Even though the kids are bigger now, they still enjoy making felted eggs.

A bowl of eggs in a variety of shapes, sizes and colors.

We're in the midst of more gray, wet weather. These eggs will brighten our days.

Thanks to all who entered the contest. It's encouraging to hear of all the thriving local yarn stores. The winner of the $25 Dye Dreams gift certificate is Tracey. Congratulations to all of you for buying local!

Afternoon Fun

2010-03-28T08:00:00.012-04:00

Stephanie wrote:

Yesterday afternoon Mona and I were able to break away for a few hours. We took a short drive to Wellesley Booksmith. They were hosting a Knit-a-Thon and had a full day of scheduled events.

We attended the color session. Melissa Morgan-Oakes discussed how her book, 2-at-a-Time Socks, came to be. Melissa is a firm believer in knitting two socks at the same time, and her book demonstrates how to do it using one circular needle. Keep an eye out for her new book, Toe-Up 2-at-a-Time Socks, which will be available later this spring.

Kristin Nicholas led a discussion of the color wheel, complementary colors and analogous colors. Using samples she showed various color combinations and how you can tweak them to suit your own taste. Be sure to click on her link for oh-so-cute sheep pictures.

And finally Gail Callahan, aka The Kangaroo Dyer, gave a demonstration on how to dye a skein of yarn. After discussing various dyes she proceeded to dye a skein of yarn with help from Melissa.

This is Gail on the left with Melissa as her assistant. Melissa had poured the dye on the skein and set the dye using a microwave. Here Gail is squeezing out the skein to show what little dye is left in the water.

The finished skein had some beautiful color combinations - perfect for spring.

And there were goodies.

The raffle prizes included three skeins dyed by Gail.

The session was followed by a book signing. Wellesley Booksmith was running a charitable book fair in conjunction with the Knit-a-Thon. Customers could request that 10% of their book purchases be donated to Women of Means, an organization that provides medical care to women and children in shelters.

It was an inspiring afternoon.

While my goal is to tidy up a few projects already on the needles, I did have to start this new one.

This is Elizabeth Zimmermann's Baby Surprise Jacket. I've made several of these sweaters and enjoy the process every time. I recommend this pattern to all of my knitting students as a good exercise in faith and following instructions. If you can't envision the finished product, just follow the pattern and believe - it will all work out in the end.

Today is the last day of our contest. We've had lots of responses. If you haven't done so already, leave a comment and enter to win a $25 Dye Dreams gift certificate.

Buy Local and Contest

2010-03-21T08:27:00.012-04:00

Stephanie wrote:

Like so many days yesterday was one of those days devoted to transporting kids. The difference was that I wasn't driving across town. I had to schlep 40 miles one way. I was discussing this with my sister - the lost knitting time, my sore back, the million and one things at home that weren't going to get done - when she asked if there were any yarn stores along the way.

Brilliant. Now why hadn't I thought of that? Talk about turning lemons into lemonade. Of course there were yarn stores along the way and one in particular that I had been meaning to check out.

After I had deposited said kids I made a swing by Knit Purl.

This is a comfy, well-stocked yarn store. They have an extensive selection of yarn with something for everyone. The walls are lined with samples - plenty of inspiration. And they have a nice selection of knitting bags, an overflowing sale basket, patterns, knitting books, oodles of needles and accessories. I could have been swallowed up for days.

When I was there, there was a lively group gathered around the table chatting about this and that. What a lovely sense of community. I enjoyed my time there and my discussion with Nancy, the owner.

My visit to Knit Purl turned my thoughts to the state of local yarn stores. My immediate area has seen the loss of two stores. For an area this size we don't have many yarn stores. And I've heard of well established yarn stores in other cities and towns closing their doors. I understand some of the reasons - high overhead, online competition - but there's a real loss of community when a store shuts down.

I was envious of those women at Knit Purl gathered in such a cozy setting, knitting row after row, sharing stories, offering advice about this or that project. Knitters have been gathering together for centuries. Today many gather in online venues. There are many advantages to internet forums - you can share ideas with others across the country or across the globe. I'll be the first to admit that the internet has revolutionized knitting. But there is an element of intimacy and shared experiences that can't be duplicated electronically.

The challenge is to maintain those connections in the face of an ever changing retail environment. I encourage everyone to shop their local yarn store. Don't take it for granted or you may wake up one day to find it closed.

In an attempt to practice what I preach these goodies came home with me.

It was a day for turquoise.

The calendar says spring and to mark the occasion we are running another contest. Leave a comment and a plug for your local yarn store. The winner, chosen at random, will receive a $25 Dye Dreams gift certificate. The contest will close on Sunday, March 28.

Knitting In The Wild

2010-03-17T08:08:00.018-04:00

Stephanie wrote:

My recent internet wanderings have turned up a couple of interesting tidbits. The Newcastle ScienceFest includes, among other things, guerilla knitting. Knitters turned out in force to decorate Newcaste for this event. The knitting was done in advance of the actual festival which is going on right now. Pictures can be found here and here.

As so often happens with the internet one thing leads to another. Before I knew it I had landed at Knitted Landscape. Check out some of these pictures. Fun, creative, wacky and entertaining.

Along these lines someone recently brought the book Yarn Bombing to my attention. I haven't seen the book yet, but I'm curious to take a peek. While I'm not a fan of graffiti, this is one form of graffiti I can appreciate.

And from the dye pots . . .

. . . more samples. It's always fun to envision what they might become.

This past weekend we had wild, wet weather here in eastern Massachusetts. A nor'easter moved into the area on Friday and stayed around for the entire weekend. We experienced heavy rains and house-shaking winds. It was raw and blustery - perfect knitting weather.

These pictures show the flooded banks of the Mystic River.

Some areas reported upwards of 10 inches of rain over a 72 hour period. Logan Airport recorded winds over 50 mph with other areas reporting even stronger winds.

The storm caused flooded streets and homes and, in some areas, evacuations. Monday brought snarled traffic and school closings.

As the waters recede people are assessing the damage and beginning to clean up. The weather forecast for this week is favorable with drier conditions.

I've heard reports of crocus sightings. Spring can't be far away.

Stitches West Part Two

2010-03-10T07:23:00.035-05:00

Stephanie wrote:

Now for my second report on Stitches West. The marketplace was huge and at times overwhelming. Even though I was there for the duration I didn't see all there was to see. But I did spot some interesting things.

Take this, for instance.

This is a soy lotion ball. Mona first brought this to my attention. When I saw it again at the Ruhama's booth, I thought I'd give it a try.

The soy lotion ball is just that - 100% pure soy oil and vitamin E. To apply you roll the ball around in your hands. Your skin will feel smoother and softer without being greasy. I've even used it on my feet.

By the way the women at Ruhama's were so pleasant and helpful. Among other things they had an inviting sale basket and racks full of Kauni. If I ever find myself in Milwaukee, I'll be sure to stop by their store.

And since I'm on the subject of hand care I have to mention my all-time favorite.

Super Duty Hand Care is made locally at Sweet Grass Farm here in New England. I have dry skin, and my fingers often have cracks. Super Duty works like a charm. Between the Super Duty and the soy ball I have all the bases covered. Check out Sweet Grass Farm for other goodies - lip balm, muscle rub, soy candles.

In my marketplace wanderings I stopped several times at A Verb For Keeping Warm. While they had lots to look at, I kept returning to fondle the Jannah - a 50% camel, 50% silk fingering weight blend. In the end I didn't get any because none of the colors really spoke to me. Jannah is a new product and isn't on their website yet, but I'll be checking back.

I also made a couple of trips to Black Water Abbey Yarns. So many lovely colors . . . decisions, decisions, decisions. Thank you, ladies, for your patience.

While the marketplace is made up predominantly of vendors with goods for sale, there were a few booths that had something else to offer.

The Lacy Knitters Guild is comprised of knitters with a passion for lace knitting. In their booth they displayed beautiful pieces of lace work. They also had information about the Guild for those who might be interested in joining.

One evening we met two Guild members in the lobby of our hotel. Lew and Eugene are two men in their 80s who knit lace. They were sitting quietly in the lobby, working on their projects. While I hated to disturb them, I just had to go over and investigate. They were more than happy to show off their lace projects and share their stories. Before long a crowd of knitters had descended on the two men, oohing and aahing over their beautiful handiwork.

I asked Eugene if he knits only lace. He said he used to knit other things, but back in the 50s he came across some lace. "I can do that," he said. And he's been knitting lace ever since. They were a delightful pair and so engaging. I'd like to think their knitting keeps them young.

Walking through the marketplace I noticed several people with hand knit bears. One woman had a family of bears peeking out of the top of her back pack. When I commented, she mentioned that the Mother Bear Project had a booth and she was going to drop off her bears. I was already familiar with the Project and made a stop at their booth.

Mother Bear Project sends hand knit bears to children from emerging countries who have HIV/AIDS. To date they have distributed over 50,000 bears. The Mother Bear booth was a busy place. If you have time for charity knitting, you might want to put them on your list.

Finally, there was an entrepreneurial girl scout troop walking the aisles of the marketplace with a cart full of girl scout cookies.

Just what I needed - something to bring home to the family. The girl scouts bailed me out big time.

Back to work, back to the dye pots.

Sun dappled yarn.

There And Back Again

2010-03-05T07:58:00.016-05:00

Stephanie wrote:

The excitement is over, and we're still recovering from Stitches West. As is usually the case with these large events we are totally focused and immersed in preparations for weeks. Poof! In the blink of an eye the event is over, and we're back home picking up the pieces.

I don't know where the time in Santa Clara went - that may have something to do with the time difference - but we were busy from the get-go. I tried to savor the moment as much as possible.

We were greeted with warmer temps, blooming trees and green.

As Mona often pointed out the air smelled sweet.

The convention center sign was a beacon to knitters far and wide.

Note more flowers and green.

The first visit to our booth was a harsh reminder that we had lots of work ahead.

The gridwalls were not set up, and we were not happy. After ironing out the details to get our booth in shape, we were ready to get to work.

With the help of three Ravelry elves we were able to transform our space into this.

Ready for showtime.

This table of colorful bags attracted lots of attention.

Most of these bags are the work of Michele from Three Bags Full. She uses lots of fun fabrics, many with knitting themes.

We featured two new sweater designs at Stitches West.

Tangled Up In Teal is shown here in Celestial Peacock. I didn't get a close up, but the neckline includes some beautiful bead work.

And the short sleeve cousin Tangled Up In Rose.

This is a fingering weight version in Twinkle Toes Raspberry Sorbet. Both designs are the work of Mara Labell (Ravelry link).

We highlighted a couple of designs from Janel Laidman's newest book, The Enchanted Sole.

This is Mirror Mirror on the left and La Licorne on the right. Both are available as yarn packs.

We also had a new shawl for our booth.

This is Damson knit up in Classy Sox. The yarn is dreamy soft and the pattern calls for one skein - a nice combination.

Before we knew it the show was over, and it was time to tear down.

Packed up and ready to hit the road.

Our last night at the hotel bar was full of fun and games.

The fearless leader of the Blue Moon team walks, clucks and, if given needles and yarn, could probably even knit.

And in the hotel lobby . . .

. . . a sign that knitters were there.

Thanks again to everyone who stopped by the booth. Club members who introduced themselves get bonus points - it's always nice to put a face to the name.

I came across a few interesting things at Stitches West, and I'll highlight them in my next post.

At The Museum

2010-02-21T08:59:00.023-05:00

Stephanie wrote:

Our departure for Stitches West is right around the corner. After we finished our fall shows the end of February seemed so far away - plenty of time to get everything ready. Even with all that time I know I'll be working up until the last minute.

Some of the last minute details I'm working on are actually quite fun. I've made time to sit and work on Cité. The body is done.

I'm making my way along the hem edge, knitting it to the body as I go.

Lovely little stitches that add a soft, feminine touch.

Be warned - photo tour ahead. I recently made a trip to the American Textile History Museum. The Museum had been renovated, and I was eager to see it. During the Industrial Revolution New England was home to many textile factories. The American Textile History Museum strives to preserve that history through exhibits and educational programs.

This open space contains some of the big, bulky equipment that was used to make textiles. I was intrigued by the engineering and scale of the equipment. The noise and fiber dust in the factories must have been incredible.

And of course this exhibit caught my eye.

The Charm of Color - what a clever title.

One display case housed these gloves.

I would have loved to examine them more closely to see how the beads were attached.

And then I spied this pair of gloves.

I like the colorful details, and they look so warm and cozy.

I couldn't pass up this exhibit.

Aprons: Fifties Functional Fashion

This exhibit brought back a flood of memories. My mother and her sisters wearing aprons. My apron-clad grandma cooking Sunday dinner.

The walls were covered with aprons - aprons in different colors and styles, aprons with themes, aprons for various holidays.

I admit I have a thing for aprons, and I wear one every day. I'm messy in the kitchen so aprons serve a very practical function. They save me from wearing my cooking and are a pleasant reminder of days gone by.

Being a baseball fan I had to investigate this exhibit.

Do you know the answer? Wool. The baseball core is wrapped in wool yarn, a blend of 85% wool and 15% synthetic fiber to be exact. The wool helps the ball keep its shape after being hit.

And who could resist this scarecrow?

Meet Purl. Purl's scarf was made with the help of a computer program. The scarf contains 90 squares. The computer generated design made sure that no squares of the same color touched. It also made sure that the color sequences of each row were never repeated.

And it wouldn't be a textile museum without sheep.

From a distance these almost look like the real thing.

We had a bit of wintry weather this past week.

The snow was wet and heavy. The branches on my neighbor's tree were almost touching the ground.

It made for a beautiful winter wonderland.

Snow and ice.

And a visitor.

I was out and about early, but someone else was first to walk in the new snow.

Packing Up

2010-02-15T13:49:00.019-05:00

Stephanie wrote:

The blog has been quiet which means we have been extra busy. Last week was spent packing, counting and re-packing our inventory for Stitches West. How much should we take? Is this enough? Or is it too much? When all was said and done we made our best guess, packed it up and shipped it out.

A glimpse at the mountain of boxes. It was an exhausting process to pull it all together and a huge relief when it was all done.

There are still lots of loose ends to tie up. Over the weekend I cast on this booth sample.

It's not very often that my knitting project coordinates so well with my coffee mug - I had to capture the moment. This neck warmer is Anne Hanson's Cité in Classy Sox Smoke. The cashmere in this yarn makes a soft, cozy fabric which is perfect for next-to-skin wear. The pattern is easy to memorize and a quick knit.

The Valentine's Day holiday was a good excuse to do some baking. I made the dough, and the elves here did all the rest.

These little hearts were decorated with frosting and sugar before heading out to a party.

And it wouldn't be Valentine's Day without chocolate.

These fruit and chocolate combinations make for delicious colors.

Marking Time

2010-02-04T09:22:00.018-05:00

Stephanie wrote:

I've always been interested in the concept of time - how we measure time, the effects of more or less daylight, why time seems to go faster as we get older. And then there are my daily efforts to maximize time.

Just this week I heard an interesting story on NPR about time. Why does time seem to fly by as we get older? It seems that people all over the world experience this same feeling. This isn't a cultural concept. Some scientists theorize that our first experiences are dense because they are new and fresh. They seem to take up more time. As we experience these same events over and over they are no longer new and seem to go by faster.

Food for thought - when you reach your 60s and 70s and realize that your time is limited, you try to savor your memories and remember all the details. I find it all very fascinating.

Well, for Dye Dreams these are busy times. We are packing up our yarn and shipping it to California for Stitches West. We have never done this event before, and I'm sure it will be quite an adventure. It will be a relief to have these boxes on their way.

I've been busy with last minute dyeing, labeling yarn, counting and re-counting. Sometimes the simplest math can be the most challenging. With all this packing and counting I don't have many pictures to show. I did finish the booth sample of the Fishbone Gansey Sock.

Here it is drying after a quick bath. I'm anxious to start a pair for myself. Maybe that will be my reward if I finish all my work for the day.

A few days ago we marked time with a birthday celebration.

These candles are supposed to be tall and straight. Perhaps the heat of summer got to them, but that didn't stop us from enjoying them. Warm light glowing at crazy, funky angles. And the cake? Homemade German chocolate.

Making Progress

2010-01-29T08:26:00.013-05:00

Stephanie wrote:

It's the dead of winter, and the time for all things warm and woolly is now. While I've been finishing up the last of my holiday gifts (a second sock, a second pop up paw . . . there seems to be a theme here), I've also been working on my knit along projects.

I often have a debate with myself. Should I concentrate all of my knitting energy on finishing one thing, or is it better to go back and forth between a couple of projects so that I can see some progress all the way around? Often I'm forced to go with the latter. I'm always knitting on the go and some projects just don't travel well. What I can knit in one situation, I can't work on in another. So I bounce back and forth between projects, noting slow but steady progress.

This week I completed one Celtic Frost Mitten.

After numerous shots of various poses I've decided that it's hard to model mittens. The mate for this mitten is underway. They should be united very soon.

I've also been working on the Fishbone Gansey Sock. I have to agree with Anne Hanson - this sock does travel well. I think most of it has been knit while I've been waiting for appointments and sitting through meetings. I'm closing in on the toe and will share pictures of the finished sock very soon.

And the dye pots have been busy, too. I'm still sampling new colors for Classy Sox.

This one has potential.

And so does this one.

Subtle shades.

The sampling process is almost done. Then comes the hard part - deciding which colors to use.

The other day I was gifted with this.

A two tone rose. I don't think I've ever seen one before. As it opens up I'm watching the colors unfold, providing more inspiration.

Knitting Along

2010-01-22T08:23:00.021-05:00

Stephanie wrote:

Right now we have two knit alongs running on our Ravelry group, Dye Dreamers. I'm leading both of them, and it's like a get out of jail free card. Laundry, cooking, dishes, cleaning? Sorry, I can't - I have to knit for the knit alongs.

Needless to say I have one or both of these projects with me at all times. And I'm loving every minute with both of them. Here's a peek at what I've been working on.

Fishbone Gansey Sock is the winter installment of our Four Seasons Sock Club. The pattern is designed by Anne Hanson.

I am addicted to this pattern. The other day I was disappointed when my son's orthodontist appointment was over, and I had to put my knitting away. I'm having so much fun I can't put it down at the end of the day. I've finished the gansey design at the top of the sock. From here on out it's all ribbing.

I loved watching the combination of knits and purls unfold into this design.

See the fishbone? The yarn is our new Classy Sox - 80% superwash merino, 10% cashmere, 10% nylon. The colorway is A Sockwork Orange.

I'm afraid this sock is destined to be a booth sample so I'll just have to cast on a pair for myself once it's done.

My other project in tow is the Celtic Frost Mittens, the winter installment of our Four Seasons Mitten Club.

The pattern is designed by Wendy Johnson of Wendy Knits. I have a thing for cables so am really enjoying this mitten.

The yarn is our Luster (check back for color options), a 100% bluefaced leicester worsted weight yarn. The colorway is Celtic Frost. This yarn is a pleasure to work with - durable yet soft and lustrous. I've been thinking a Luster sweater would be nice. It's always good to have new project ideas percolating.

As I've been saying to my family, you'll have to excuse me now - I have to knit.

Classy Sox

2010-01-18T10:26:00.016-05:00

Stephanie wrote:

We have a new yarn here at Dye Dreams. Classy Sox is a blend of 80% superwash merino, 10% cashmere and 10% nylon. While Classy Sox made its debut with the winter installment of our Four Seasons Sock Club, I haven't given it a proper introduction here.

This yarn is a pleasure to knit. It's soft yet cushy and bouncy. And it has wonderful drape. As you can imagine it's ideal not only for socks but also for scarves, neck warmers and any garment where you want next-to-skin softness. Classy Sox is firmly plied and doesn't split the way some softer yarns do.

This yarn takes dye beautifully. Classy Sox has a nice range of color variation and depth. We chose our initial color offerings for Classy Sox but have been experimenting with other color options.

Dyeing is a process that forces you to go with the flow, to be open and accepting of what the dye pot produces. Often I'm seeking a specific color only to look in the pot and discover a color that isn't even close to what I had envisioned. But that's OK. The color I was aiming for is yet to be found and in the meantime there's a new color with all kinds of possibilities.

Case in point . . .

This was not the color I intended, but it may grow on me and be part of our lineup in the future. It has potential.

This one also didn't come out of the pot as I had expected.

I like the depth of this color. Again, it's not what I was looking for, but it may make the final cut.

Now this color dyed up as I imagined it would.

I think it may be a contender.

I had a hunch how this one would turn out, and it didn't disappoint.

While I realize this bright green isn't for everyone, I know it speaks to some knitters.

And just to balance things out . . .

. . . subtle earth tones. I think this one has real possibilities.

I'll be sampling more colors in the next several days and will share the results with you.

There was a good response to the contest last week. While I knew the online sources of inspiration would get lots of votes, it's encouraging to see that some of you still rely on knitting groups and local yarn stores for ideas. Nancyd is the winner of the $25 Dye Dreams gift certificate. Thanks again to everyone who participated! We'll be doing this again soon.

All In A Day's Work

2010-01-14T16:31:00.012-05:00

Stephanie wrote:

Some days I'm amazed at what I can accomplish when I focus my time and energy. Yesterday I woke up and decided I was going to put all my knitting time into one and only one project. I surveyed the pile of possible candidates and chose this project already underway. It was to be my companion for the whole day, and it was a good choice - a lingering holiday gift.

This is Pretty Thing, a simple yet entertaining cowl pattern. The yarn is our Alpaca Sox Eggplant (sorry, still not up on our website). We had this yarn spun especially for us. It's a blend of 60% superwash merino, 25% alpaca and 15% nylon. I love working with this yarn. It takes the dye beautifully and has a subtle alpaca halo.

The cowl saw a dance class, various other errands and finally a quiet night of knitting. And in the morning I woke up to this - all done except for the bind off.

Before I let myself pick up another project, I had this one off the needles, bathed and blocked.

I like this so much that I think I'm going to have to make one for myself.

I especially like the way this pattern plays with the color variation of this yarn. The pattern calls for 164 yards making it a good choice for a small amount of luxury yarn. I added a repeat for this cowl and didn't use the full 50 gram/245 yard skein.

Tomorrow marks the beginning of two knit alongs hosted by Dye Dreams. The Mitten Club features the Celtic Frost Mittens. The Sock Club will be knitting the Fishbone Gansey Sock. Both events are happening over at our Ravelry group, Dye Dreamers.

Thanks to everyone who responded with comments to the contest. There has been a wide range of responses which I think is healthy. Remember the contest is open until Sunday. Leave a comment and let me know where you find your knitting inspiration.

For those who have been following events in Haiti Stephanie has put up the Knit-Signal for knitters who want to respond. Today I heard one veteran radio reporter moved to tears on air. The tragedy is overwhelming. As always events such as this offer an opportunity to pause and reflect.

Getting It Right and Contest

2010-01-09T17:07:00.013-05:00

Stephanie wrote:

Lately I've been putting in some long days. At the end of the day if I get a chance to knit, I want my knitting to be uncomplicated - the kind of knitting where you follow the pattern and everything falls into place.

But of course that's not how things work out when you're tired, your feet hurt and you seek solace in your knitting, even if only for a row or two. Instead, it seems that every project I touch has "issues".

I was cruising along on this fingerless mitt until I stopped to count my stitches after all the thumb increases had been made.

I had the right number of thumb stitches, but the total stitch count was off. I counted and re-counted a couple of times. I was tempted to start ripping it out, but decided to set it aside until I could take the time to work it out on paper.

After doing all the math I discovered that my stitch count was right. The pattern was wrong. I love it when that happens. Now finishing these will be a snap.

And then there was a slight problem with these socks.

Isn't it beautiful? These socks are a gift, and I thought I had the sizing right. Turns out they are a smidge too long. As you can see I haven't taken this one off the needles yet. It's nothing that can't be fixed, but it's not something I look forward to doing when I'm tired and crave effortless knitting.

This pattern is Holidazed by Anne Hanson. I'm in love with this design and am resisting the temptation to start a pair for myself. Maybe after I finish this pair.

Now that we're in the deep freeze of winter, I think we're due for another contest. Leave a comment and tell me where you find your knitting inspiration these days - blogs, Ravelry, knit night, local yarn shop, magazines or something else. I'm fascinated by what inspires people, and I'm always looking for new sources of creativity. The winner, chosen at random, will receive a $25 Dye Dreams gift certificate. Contest closes Sunday, January 17, 2010.

Going Green

2010-01-04T08:00:00.008-05:00

Stephanie wrote:

With the holidays behind us life is settling down to normal or as normal as it gets.

I had great fun last week watching events unfold over at Knitspot. Anne Hanson designed the pattern for the winter installment of our Four Seasons Sock Club. To make things interesting she ran a contest to name the colorway featured in the kit.

Over 300 people commented with name suggestions. I needed a diversion and enjoyed taking time to read the comments. There were so many creative suggestions. Anne narrowed down the list and took a vote. The winner is A Sockwork Orange. Very clever, indeed.

If you're interested in just the winter installment of the club, it will be available as a stand-alone kit later this week. Check our website for details.

Even though we've been in holiday mode around here, I've been busy with the dye pots. In addition to the regularly scheduled dyeing, I've been playing around with some new colors.

Since each of our club offerings features an exclusive colorway, there's plenty of incentive to experiment with color.

Green,

green and

more green.

I sampled several other greens and many more colors too. One dye formula often leads to ideas for others. I find myself muttering, "What would happen if I tweaked this one just a little bit?" The options are endless and lots of fun. The largest box of crayons can't compete.

Down To The Wire

2009-12-23T17:06:00.009-05:00

Stephanie wrote:

This time of year can be busy and hectic, at times a blur. We run from one thing to another, barely taking time to savor the moment.

Even with all the planning and preparation we're busy down to the last minute. And then it's here.

My own holiday preparations are still in the making. I've had to call in reinforcements. My sister is here baking cookies and bringing order to my chaotic household. We secured a tree. It waits outside for us to clear a space. All in good time.

I continue to knit and make progress on my list of holiday gifts. I have resigned myself to the fact that not everything will be completed in time for the opening of gifts. But there is something to be said for gifting a ball of yarn with a promise for what it will become. And then the knitting will be easy, done out in the open with no pretense of secrecy.

Just the other day I experienced a knitter's rush. I've been hard at work on several Cairn hats. It's been fun to sift and sort through stash, playing with different colors to toss together in a hat. I knew I was cutting it close with this one. I had estimated the yardage of the contrast yarn but wasn't sure if I had quite enough.

As I worked through the crown decreases the ball dwindled before my eyes. But I kept knitting. At one point I was called away on an errand and had to leave my knitting behind. I hated to leave - the suspense was killing me. Would I have enough yarn?

This time the knitting goddess smiled on me. Yes, I had enough, just enough. There were only inches to spare. I couldn't have cut this one any closer. I topped off the hat with a feeling of accomplishment - and relief.

We've been fortunate here in New England. There's nothing like a good storm to provide a festive atmosphere.

Winter white . . .

. . . with a splash of color.

No matter how you mark this time of year, be sure to enjoy the season and savor the moments.

The Simple Life

2009-12-12T11:01:00.012-05:00

Stephanie wrote:

I try to lead a simple life as much as possible. My kitchen is not full of gadgets, and I have a cell phone only because my kids insist on being in constant communication.

And I try to keep the holidays simple. Granted my long list of holiday knitting projects may not appear to be simple, but for me it's much easier than a trip to the mall. The mere thought of going near a major retail outlet this time of year is sure to bring on a migraine.

This week when my teenage daughter said she wanted to knit a holiday gift for her friend, I was feeling mighty proud. After years and years of watching me knit gifts, she was going to do the same. If my kids have learned nothing else from me, at least they've learned how to knit.

Imagine my dismay when said daughter presented me with this tangled mess.

And this isn't the worst of it. This is how it looked after I had spent a considerable amount of time following various twists and turns. You'll notice it was so bad I had to start from the other end and work my way through the tangles.

The real kicker in all of this is that I had suggested she put the skein on a swift and use the ball winder. While I may not have kitchen gadgets, I do have yarn gadgets. When she handed off the mess, I asked about the swift and ball winder. It turns out she used the back of a chair - which is fine. But then she took the skein off the chair and that's when the whole process went awry. I'm just glad she had enough sense to give me the tangled mess before she took a scissors to it. With a little more time I'll have it all sorted out.

I continue to make progress on the Red Scarf (deadline is just around the corner) and have started a pair of Felt Clogs for my son's birthday next week. I have outfitted the entire family a couple of times around with these clogs but have yet to make a pair for myself. One of these days . . .

And when no one is looking, I work on various secret projects.

The beginning for a couple of projects.

While almost everything is still in some form of production, I have completed a couple of items. My favorite project this holiday season is Cairn. It's quick and clever. The color work is achieved by slipping stitches so you never work with more than one color on each round. Believe me, it's sure to impress the recipient.

Thanks to everyone who responded with comments to the last contest. Fresh ideas full of creativity and inspiration are always welcome. The winner of the winter installment of our Four Seasons Mitten Club is Kate. Congratulations!

Before I head off to select the colors for my next Cairn, I leave you with this.

I love the dark days leading up to the winter solstice. During this busy season I make time for lighting candles and quiet reflection.

Scarf On The Go

2009-12-05T11:13:00.010-05:00

Stephanie wrote:

This time of year, with so many knitting projects in the works, I'm forced to maximize my knitting time. I'm sure those of you who knit for the holidays can relate.

I find myself getting up extra early to grab some quiet, secret knitting time. And I stay up later on the other end of the day to knit just one more row - or twelve.

Since the deadline for the Red Scarf Project is rapidly approaching, that project is getting lots of attention. I've set aside my Waffle Rib Socks in favor of the red scarf. Now the scarf goes everywhere with me.

And it's the perfect project to kill time - a one row pattern over and over and over. But already I feel like I've fallen into a hole with this project. I keep knitting and knitting, visibly reducing the size of the ball of yarn. But the scarf doesn't seem to get any longer. How can that be? I'm trying not to dwell on it. I said I will knit until the yarn is gone. As long as the ball gets smaller, I know I'm on the right track.

The scarf made a trip to the skating rink.

The kids and I go ice skating every week. This week I sacrificed my ice time so I could work on the scarf. The kids were bummed I wasn't skating, so next time I'll have to be out on the ice. Maybe I can skate and knit at the same time.

And for a bit of culture the scarf went to a play.

For once I had the benefit of a well lit set.

Thanks to all who posted comments and entered the contest. What an ambitious, creative bunch! If you haven't done so already, there's still time to enter. Post a comment and tell us what you're knitting for the holidays. If you don't knit for the holidays, let us know what you're currently working on. The winner receives the winter installment of the Four Seasons Mitten Club. But hurry - the deadline is Sunday, December 6.

Red Scarf Project and Contest

2009-11-29T08:37:00.019-05:00

Stephanie wrote:

Every year I try to knit a few things for charitable organizations. A few days ago I was taking stock of my charity knitting and couldn't think of one thing I had knit for charity during the last year. Not good. I vowed to knit something for charity before the end of the year.

Along comes Anne with her Red Scarf KAL (Ravelry link). Anne is knitting a scarf and hosting a KAL for the Red Scarf Project. This project, spearheaded by Norma, donates red scarves to foster kids in college who no longer have a family support network. This year the Project is behind schedule in collecting donations. I've knit for this unique, worthwhile cause in the past and am on board to knit again.

You might want to check out the KAL - there's a prize involved. Pick up your needles, red yarn and get to work. The deadline is December 15.

My knitting progress has been piecemeal. I always envision hours of uninterrupted knitting time over a long holiday weekend, but it never happens.

I did manage to dump my stash and choose a selection of yarns that will make their way into holiday gifts. And I found red yarn for a scarf. While my list of holiday knitting may seem daunting, I find it reassuring to at least know what I'm up against.

I have given Bittersweet some attention.

I'm ready to turn the heel and get on with it.

It's that time of year when we think of knitting gifts. Since I'm always looking for new project ideas, I've decided to run a contest. Leave a comment with what's on your list for holiday knitting. If you don't knit for the holidays, mention what you're currently working on. The winner, chosen at random, will receive the winter installment of our mitten club. The contest closes on Sunday, December 6.

Enter To Win

2009-11-24T23:29:00.014-05:00

Stephanie wrote:

In case you missed them, I want to clue you in to a couple of contests running right now.

First up Wendy Johnson has a contest to name a mitten pattern. The mitten is the winter installment of our Four Seasons Mitten Club. Pop on over and check out the design. If you have an idea for a name, be sure to post it to Wendy's comments. If your suggestion is selected, you win a kit for the mittens. The deadline for entries is noon EST on Sunday, November 29.

Next is a contest being run by Susan Gibbs and Juniper Moon Farm. Susan offers a Shepherding Camp at her farm in Virginia. Shepherding Camp is an opportunity to hang out on the farm and see what shepherding life is like. Susan is giving away a Shepherding Camp Weekend for two. Go here to read all the details and enter to win. But hurry - Susan will be picking the winner this Thursday.

Time for a project update.

Waffle Rib Socks almost ready for the heel flap. Since this picture was taken the flap has been knit, the heel turned and stitches picked up.

From the dye pot.

Celestial in an array of seasonal colors.

Be sure to stay tuned as we'll be running a contest of our own in the near future.

Club News

2009-11-22T08:39:00.017-05:00

Stephanie wrote:

We've been cooking up a little something here at Dye Dreams and have expanded our Four Seasons concept to include mittens. Announcing the Four Seasons Mitten Club.

Every quarter members will receive the yarn and pattern for a pair of mittens. The pattern designers are Wendy D. Johnson, Janel Laidman, Beth Brown-Reinsel and Donna Kay.

We are very excited about this project. We've been working with the designers to select the yarn and an exclusive colorway for each pattern. The designers will offer interesting, varied patterns. Like socks, mittens make a great portable project. It will be lots of fun.

Speaking of clubs we've also opened up our Four Seasons Sock Club for 2010. The designers for the Sock Club include Anne Hanson, Ann Budd and JC Briar. Again, there will be a variety of fibers with an exclusive colorway. These designers are sure to provide a nice selection of sock patterns.

News from the needles . . . I'm cruising along on the foot of my Bittersweet Socks, watching the twists and turns unfold. I had lots of unexpected waiting time the last few days so I also made progress on my Waffle Rib Socks (Ravelry link). Sorry I don't have pictures of either - those will have to wait until next time.

Last month I was at Fruitlands Museum. In addition to an interesting program on Shakers, Transcendentalists and Native Americans we got to view an exhibit of Joseph Wheelwright's Tree Figures entitled Branching Out.

In motion, ready to swoop down and grab you.

The lookout in a field.

A towering figure . . .

. . . with roots for hair.

Incredible works of art. However, they are not meant to last. The trees are not treated and will weather naturally. From the Fruitlands website, ". . . there is a creeping sense that when we turn our backs on them they move." And that's exactly how I felt.

Finally, this piece.

I couldn't resist this face. Or is it a mask? Blank yet expressive.

Balancing Act

2009-11-16T07:37:00.012-05:00

Stephanie wrote:

At the end of last week I found myself without a small, portable knitting project. I had finished the Smockies fingerless mitts and didn't have a sock project underway. I felt lost. How could I leave the house without a project in my bag?

I quickly remedied the situation and cast on this sock.

This is the beginning of Bittersweet Socks, the fall installment of our Four Seasons Sock Club. Wendy Johnson designed this cable pattern of twists and turns. I've knit a bit more since taking this picture and am enjoying the design. However, this may not be the best project to carry around with me while I wait in line or at the doctor's office. The chart and needle size changes require more mental power than I usually have in those situations.

My solution - cast on a second sock project.

I can easily carry this project around and work on it without having to think. It's an embellished rib sock - perfect for kiling time while I wait.

The yarn is Dream Sox Mulled Wine, and the pattern is Waffle Rib from Sensational Knitted Socks. The color is more accurate in this picture. I like the way this is knitting up with just a bit of texture.

Now I have some balance with my sock projects. One to while away time and one to make me think.

Part of balancing everything else in my life includes keeping my family happy. Food usually does the trick.

Homemade bagels hot from the oven. Who could resist?

All Thumbs

2009-11-12T10:43:00.013-05:00

Stephanie wrote:

The pace around here hasn't slowed down one bit. We've been busy filling orders, re-stocking inventory.

And shipping the fall edition of our Four Seasons Sock Club. Wendy Johnson designed the sock for our fall installment and recently posted about it on her blog. The colorway is all about fall, and the yarn is Luster Sox, 100% bluefaced leicester. This yarn is one of my favorites for socks, but it works up well for other projects too - neck warmers, scarves etc. We are still taking orders for the fall sock club - you can find it here.

Our website was down earlier this week but is up and running again. The situation has been dealt with and hopefully that's the end of it. One of the frustrations in life is dealing with problems that you, alone, can't fix.

Knitting progress has been slow. I'm still finishing up these fingerless mitts that will be gifted. My goal is to mail them by the end of the week.

Here is mitt the second minus the thumb. This pattern uses an Elizabeth Zimmermann thumb technique which I think is written up in Knitting Without Tears.

See the small bit of contrast yarn? First, knit a specified number of stitches (this patterns calls for 9) with contrast yarn. Return those stitches to the left hand needle. Continue knitting with working yarn as if nothing had happened. Finish mitt. Now it's time to knit the thumb.

Remove the contrast yarn and pick up the exposed stitches.

Rather than remove the contrast yarn in one fell swoop, I worked stitch by stitch and put each one on a needle right away. These stitches are small, and I didn't want them to scoot away from me. I was left with a beautiful thumb opening. All that's left is to pick up a couple of additional stitches on the ends and knit up the thumb.

The first mitt is almost complete except for the finishing details.

These mitts are worked wrong side out. Mitts are turned right side out after knitting. Now it's time for the fun part - smocking. Using beads or contrasting yarn, pull ribs together and attach. I'm working on my first column of beads here. The second column of beads will be staggered with the first to create the smocking effect.

I have fond childhood memories of smocked dresses. My aunt was an excellent seamstress and even made matching smocked doll dresses. The beads give this smocking an elegant touch.

The pattern is appropriately named Smockies; the yarn is Reynolds Whiskey, color 053 from stash. Using stash is good.

The last couple of months have been a flurry of activity - at times a blur. As I gaze out on naked trees with just a few oaks hanging on to their leaves, I recall the warmer, more colorful days of fall.

Website Down

2009-11-09T17:34:00.002-05:00

Wahh! Our website is down and the master of such things has not been able to correct the situation. Thanks to all of you who have sent us notes to let us know. Hopefully we'll be up and running again soon.

Survivors

2009-10-29T07:51:00.010-04:00

Stephanie wrote:

Mona and I are still picking up the pieces from Stitches East. It was our third event in four weekends - a crazy, busy time for us. October was a marathon of fiber events, and we lived to tell about it.

For many years Stitches East was held in Baltimore, but this year it moved to Hartford. Now Hartford is practically in our backyard so the change of venue was an easy trip for us.

We arrived on Thursday morning to a jumble of boxes and bins.

After several hours of work and lots of rearranging our booth was presentable and ready for public viewing.

Convention center lighting is pathetic at best so you'll have to excuse the poorly lit shots.

Our inventory had been hit hard during the previous two shows, and we were concerned about being able to fill a double booth. We managed to spread everything out, and it wasn't as sparse as I had imagined it would be.

There was a bit of a draft in our booth so one of the first things I did was weave in the ends on my Harmonia's Rings Cowl.

I wore this for one or two days and received lots of compliments. It was just the thing I needed to keep the chill off my neck.

I'm in love with the beaded edge.

Having an event like this so close to home was a great opportunity for many of our friends to come for a day or the entire weekend. Stitches East offers a chance to take classes, browse the marketplace and hang out with other knitters. And don't forget the never-ending parade of beautiful knit garments - everything from wild and crazy to striking and sophisticated. An event like this is not lacking for inspiration.

Thanks to all of our friends, old and new, who stopped by to chat. That's why we keep the extra chairs handy.

For me the down side of these events was the lack of knitting time. I may have knit a bit in Vermont, but I did not knit one stitch the whole weekend in Rhinebeck. I managed only a couple of sock rounds at Stitches East.

While I feel I've earned the right to sit and knit uninterrupted for a couple of days, my schedule won't allow that. However, I did manage to start a new project.

I lost my fingerless mitts in Vermont and started a replacement pair. Then I had the realization that I owe a special someone a birthday gift this coming Saturday. These are destined to be gifted. While they don't look like much right now, they have a little something extra in the finishing. All will be revealed.

Finally, my color inspiration for the week.

Fingerling potatoes - almost too pretty to eat. This was the last week of our farmers' market, and it will be missed. The seasons they are a-changin'.

Rhinebeck

2009-10-20T08:38:00.015-04:00

Stephanie wrote:

We're back from Rhinebeck. What a whirlwind weekend!

On Saturday the mobs invaded before our booth was completely organized. The booth was packed all day long as in "take a number" packed. I know many people took one look at the close quarters and decided to come back on Sunday.

Mona and I did our best to move everyone through the check out process as quickly as possible and at the same time restock inventory.

Our booth was in a horse stall in a barn. It was a crisp fall day. One of the challenges was keeping warm. The benefit of having so many people in our booth was the extra body heat. I was dressed in various layers, but the one thing that helped me the most was my Hoarfrost Neck Warmer.

Sunday the weather was not as nice - damp, rainy and still chilly. The crowd was not as large, but we had a steady stream of people in and out.

Time for taking pictures was at a premium, but I did manage a couple shots toward the end of the weekend.

Doesn't this look cozy and inviting?

This is a yurt made by Mehmet Girgic, a Turkish feltmaker. Mona and I had heard Mehmet speak last spring at a Common Cod Fiber Guild meeting. Mehmet uses natural dyes to dye the wool that he then uses for his felting projects. He creates some beautiful, impressive pieces.

This little boy was so cute.

He was taking Rosie for a walk and paused just long enough for me to take a picture. He couldn't stand still and was rocking back and forth on his heels. Rosie is one strong, sturdy gal.

The view as seen from the back of the barn we were in.

A splash of fall color.

At the end of the day on Sunday the sun decided to make an appearance.

Everyone was busy packing up, getting ready to hit the road. For us that meant a trip home in snow.

Thanks to everyone who came out and visited our booth. As always it was fun to meet so many creative and inspiring people. Special thanks to Nancy for stopping by to show off her Jalapeno Sunrise (ravelry link).

We're not done yet. Mona and I have just a couple of days to catch our breath before heading down to Hartford later this week for Stitches East. The fun continues . . .

Crazy For Cowls

2009-10-12T15:04:00.009-04:00

Stephanie wrote:

The weather and season are an open invitation to knit as much as I possibly can. I'm happy to report that I've made significant progress on the Harmonia's Rings Cowl.

Using Cat Bordhi's Moebius Cast On this cowl is worked outward from the center. I completed the top half and am now working my way down to the bottom. This pattern is designed by Sivia Harding, and she includes instructions on Ravelry for making it a bit longer. In just a few rows I'll try it on and see if I want to make it longer. I've been feeling chilled the last couple of days (no, I haven't turned on the heat yet) so longer seems like a good option.

The top edge is finished off with the half beaded picot bind off. I love the sparkly accent of the beads against the Celestial Charcoal.

In other news . . . this can mean only one thing.

I must confess that I've already started not only another project but another cowl - this time using Celestial Rust.

This wee bit is the beginning of Soft Cables Moebius. Unlike Harmonia's Rings this cowl is knit flat. Note the contrasting yarn of the provisional cast on. The moebius twist is made when joining the two ends.

While doing a quick inspection of my pathetic yard and plants I spotted a few remaining blueberries on our bush.

Usually the squirrels raid this bush before we get to eat any berries. This time they left us a couple of crumbs.