Week-end to dye for

I got out my dye pot this week-end and painted a few skeins of wool. Two of these were autumn inspired. The first combines glorious golden yellows, oranges, reds, browns and greens in a fairly straightforward colourway.
The next colourway adds purple to the mix along with darker softer hues. Freeform painting and overdyeing produced a multi-layered colourway that is softly blended and variegated.
And last but not least, my personal favorite. Two bulky skeins of a wool and alpaca blend were dyed soft and soothing shades of blues and greens. This yarn is so soft and light and the colors so calming and pleasing, I just want to hug it.
p.s. These yarns are for sale.

Tags: yarn wool hand dyed

One Skein Secret Pal - August

Dear OSSP Megan,

Thank-you for the lovely felted clutch purse. I love it! Most especially since it's in my favorite colors. I really appreciate your thoughtfulness.

When I didn't hear from you for August I was a little upset, and then I wondered if something happened and I prayed that it was nothing bad and everything was okay. I'm glad to hear your family has been blessed.

I haven't made anything with the Cestari cotton or Anny Blatt yarn yet, I'm hoarding it in my stash for that special project.

blessings and hugs,
Jo

Tags: one skein secret pal

Fall Purse Swap

Wool. I love wool. The more I learn about it and the more I work with it the more I love it. Especially handspun stuff with it's thick and thin twists and color variegations. I was pleasantly surprised with this yarn, Sensations Licorice, from a big chain store.

Now that my swap partner has received her purse I can post about it. It took quite a bit of rework and redesign and I'm really pleased with the way it turned out. Originally designed with different stitches, after I crocheted a few rows, it was clear it didn't show the yarn to it's best advantage. The new crocheted fabric shows off the lovely twist and richness. Here's a close-up.

The handles were made with stamped leather I had in my stash. I've been a little frustrated with the selection of purse handles available and I picked up this leather skin for another project. The rich brown suited this purse perfectly.

It was hard to give up this purse.

Tags: crochet purse wool

Blue blue

ob·ses·sion
Pronunciation: äb-'se-sh&n
Function: noun
1 : a persistent disturbing preoccupation with an often unreasonable idea or feeling; broadly : compelling motivation
2 : something that causes an obsession

For a long while now I've really been into blue, not navy blue but blue-green, teal, turquoise. When I have a choice, I always go with the blue first. Sometimes I consciously think about it and pick something like pink, but then I'm compelled to go back to the blue.
Take this yarn, I really didn't need it, I'd been working on a few projects with Cottontots in different colors and I'm at the store and I just had to get it, no project in mind, I just liked the color so I got a skein. It sat on my coffee table and one evening I picked it up and started to crochet and it became this sweater. So I had to get more blue.

tags: crochet sweater

Week-end Projects

I had a great crafting week-end, did a little shopping for lining for the purse for my Crochetville fall purse swap and got some goodies to go with. I made excellent progress on many of the projects I've got going. I can't share them yet because some of them are secret for my purse and swap buddies and some are drying. I'm just so happy with all the work.

Here's a close up of Glampyre's One Skein Wonder I'm doing as a knitting lesson. It took me a while to figure out what to do and I'm finally getting good at increasing stitches and using a circular needle.

I'm using a skein of KnitPicks Wool of the Andes out of my stash. It was one of my first dye projects. Is it a little bright? I was thinking of overdyeing it but it's growing on me.

Tags: one skein wonder

Autumn Secret Pal

My Crochetville autumn secret pal mentioned that she was sending a package and I got it in the mail today. I quickly tore it open and there's a bunch of good stuff, a tapestry tote bag (great for carrying crochet projects), a skein of Bernat Softee Chunky in a pretty hot pink color, a box of Twinings Earl Grey Tea, a box of Salada Green Tea Chai, an afghan pattern, and a hand drawn card. I love getting stuff in the mail. Thank-you Secret Pal, you're the best!

Tags: Crochetville autumn secret pal

Crochetville Purse Swap

Wow, I got home dripping wet after running around in the rain today and there was this big box on my porch. The address labels were decorated with fall leaves. Oh boy oh boy oboy! It was from my Crochetville Purse Swap partner Michelle Goodrich, aka Appliejuice.

The box was beautifully packed; many of the items were individually wrapped with tissue and raffia, all along the fall theme. Nothing was wet nor damaged.


Here is a pretty purse in a forest green with an attached cell phone cozy in variegated fall colors and trimmed in cute fall leaf buttons. The inside of the purse was lined with a leaf print pattern also. I can tell she put a lot of care and attention to detail here. There was also extra yarn and buttons.

Here is a felted bowl with candy corn, crocheted potholder, mini-pumpkin, decorative accessories, pumpkin spice candles, and two skeins of blue wool by Brown Sheep Company. There was also a two-year planner, chai tea mix, chocolate mini-book with adorable crocheted flower bookmark, fall napkins and a lovely note (pictured above).

Thank-you so much Michelle for these beautiful gifts. You outdid yourself.

Tags: Crochetville purse swap