Fibery Goodness

 That's what its all about, isn't it? Every knitter (or crocheter, or weaver, or fiber artist) is all about the fiber—We love to hold and cuddle it, we love to work with it, we love to wear it.

We might (I think we do!) have a higher need than the average person for certain tactile sensations. We were the picky kids, who had favorite clothes that had the right tactile sensations--(and sometime scratchy was what we wanted—and love certain clothes or blankets because they were just the right amount of scratchy). And now as adults, we love certain fibers.

Kimberly (aka Boss, even though she hasn't been for the better part of the year) is especially drawn to yarns for the tactile sensations. For her, smooth and silky is a must. (Me, I don't mind—even right next to my skin--some wools other define as scratchy. For me, color is as important as touch) Her stash is top heavy with Malabrigo, and one of her favorite yarns is Sanguine Gryphon's Skinny Bugga— 80/10/10—a blend of wool, cashmere and nylon. I can't fault her taste—it is a lovely soft yarn, bouncy and smooth, soft and strong.

For Christmas—She bought me some! A lovely little cone—I don't know how many yards—but a lot-- since its over 4(4.2) ounces of fingering weight—Somewhere in the neighborhood of 500 yards I am guessing. (A standard hank, (3.99 ounces=450 yards))

It came to me in a natural white—but today it was transformed into a peacock blue—a near solid. (My motto, if you can't make an effort to knit yarn, dye some!)  There were a few places the dye just didn't take up evenly—but no matter—it's just beautiful and a color that is sorely lacking in my stash of shawlette/scarf yarns.

While I was in a dying mood—I also dyed some skeins of hand spun. This yarn is closer to a worsted weight. I started with a dye labeled celedon (which to me is a green—a light green, a grey green--but green) that was, to my eye, much too turquoise, and way too dark. It was a lovely turquoise--but since I had just dyed a skein in peacock blue (and what is peacock blue but a shade of turquoise?) I wanted something different. I add a bit more green until I ended up with this—which also isn't celedon, but is a lovely green, (a slightly bluish green) –close to a Nile green I think—but never having seen the Nile, I could be wrong!

My collection of yarns for scarves and shawls is huge--(I have them bundled in a 3 gallon zip lock bag) –with a range of colors—reds and pinks, browns and blues and now turquoise and green. There is  another skein of natural white ( large 200g skein skein) of DK waiting to decide what color it wants to be—its whispering purple—and I might listen to it. But it's in a cake, and needs to be skeined before it can be dyed, so its going to have to be a bit more insistent before anything happens.

The peacock will be a lacy triangle-- of some sort. My daughter's wedding will be in October (which sounds like months from now, but will be here in a flash!) and her request for the mothers dresses is for jewel tones/peacock colors. I haven't even thought of looking for a dress yet—I am once again stuck –and not showing any weight lose, but that won't be for long— I have been making progress (and I know, over time, the progress will slow) The plan is for there to be a lot less of me (inspite of this drearyreport)—So dress shopping will be put off till the summer (if not later) But I can get to work on a small shawl. (even if I don't end up wearing it for the wedding. )

The green? Who knows--It's a lovely color, (and one that suits me)--but it's not a super soft snuggle up to yarn.  Still it might be soft enough for a scarf. (Only haven't I claimed that I am never going to knit another scarf?! Ha--who am I fooling!) 

But I can knit NOW.

Well that is, in theory I can knit. I'm in the doldrums and find it an effort--My December socks have 2 inches of instep knit, but they are far from being done. They just don't send me. Not the yarn, not the color, not the design.   It happens—good ideas that aren't good at all. Lovely yarn that-- just isn't right when taken in hand. I think a good deal of the knitting doldrums are because of these socks. I just don't care for them or about them (and this is the third time I tried to knit socks with this yarn!) 

January socks—when I get to them-- are going to be dead simple: practical, generic socks. With no expectations, they won't disappoint.