Freshisle Fibers

Freshisle Fibers Fans

Nothing like a little self-promotion!

After months of debating with myself, I've finally taken the plunge and created a Ravelry group for Freshisle Fibers yarns and patterns.  Heaven help me.

 

I'm hoping it's one way to answer questions all at once, give notices about shop updates, and save myself a little time on emails.  Hoping.  I also realize that moderating the group is going to take some time.  Catch 22.

I've spent the morning dyeing and getting the group ready so now I'm off for some 'me' time.  Some Dusty and me time.  A walk in the bush on this gorgeous November day is in order.

Onward

Earlier this week was a drag.  I had stomach cramps, headaches, stuffy nose, and on and on.  Miserable.  Could I dare to hope that's it for the season?  I'm still a little run down and the drippy nose isn't quite gone yet, but much better.  Onwards and upwards.

I have finished another pair of socks.  Another Christmas gift off the list.

 

These were knit with our own Suffolk wool.  The brown was naturally dyed with black walnuts and the blue with acid dyes.  It's my basic sock pattern with a little Fair Isle chart thrown in at the top for interest.

Two skeins (but I didn't use all of the blue), 3.25 mm needles, 56 stitches.  Man size.  Huge.

 

Given my recent bout of illness and the pace of school these days, plain socks are about all I can manage in the evenings.  Lace and cables are on hold for a little while!  

Happy Hallowe'en

In the Meantime

My site was up and running fine earlier this morning and now seems to be down.  Looking into the problem.  Edited - late afternoon - I'm back up and running!!  Thank heavens!

In the meantime, try this fun quiz - Which Ewe Are You?

Ribber Rubbers Socks

Today was sunny.  Thank heavens.  After a week of grey and cold and rain, my spirits needed a little sun.

In between raking leaves and playing with the Dusty puppy outside, I even managed to finish the pattern writing for the Ribber Rubbers Socks.  These have been off the needles for a while now waiting for the pattern writing to be completed.  Finally done!

They are knit with our own Freshisle Fibers Suffolk wool yarn and are perfect rubber boots socks!

The cuffs, afterthought heels, and toes are in natural and the rest is a variegated skein dyed with leftovers of natural dye baths.

These will likely be a Christmas present as the Christmas knitting is already behind schedule.  Must get knitting!
 

The Joys of New Books

I've had trouble turning out my light this week and getting to sleep at a decent time.  I had two new books arrive on Monday afternoon and I've been devouring them every evening.

When I first quickly went through The Knitters' Book of Yarn by Clara Parkes on Monday evening, I was disappointed.  It really wasn't what I expected.  I was expecting a book full of yarns like mine.  I thought I would see a focus on smaller businesses with breed specific yarns, farm yarns, yarns that are unique and special.  That's not what this book is so it didn't appeal to me.  At first.

I've moved past what I expected and with closer reading, I do like this book.  There is an overview of many breeds and it is well done.  In Sheep's Clothing: The Handspinner's Guide to Wool is more detailed and perhaps I've been spoiled by that.  I also have many of Paula Simmons' books/pamphlets so I know I've been spoiled with the wealth of information from those!

 
The patterns in The Knitters' Book of Yarn are excellent.  Nice, easy projects that look harder than they really are.  Although they are shown in more commercially available yarns, most are easily substituted and in the introductions to each pattern other breed specific yarns are suggested.  There are many references to Down breeds like our yarns being appropriate choices for a variety of projects.  That makes me happy!

The other addition to my book shelves is the re-print of Alice Starmore's Book of Fair Isle Knitting.  The Fair Isle knitting Bible.  I've had the original in my hands, but sadly it wasn't mine to keep.  I refused to pay the small fortune required to purchase one from eBay so I was ecstatic when I learned it was being re-printed.  It's been a long wait.

 
I love the history.  I love the ideas for patterns.  I love the designing ideas.  There is nothing not to like about this book.  The pictures alone are glorious and make for hours of knitting dreams.

Once a Week

These once a week, on the weekend posts need to stop.  I somehow need to find more hours in my days so that I can post more than just once a week.  Terrible.

On the other hand, I may just have to face up to the reality of my days.  They are busy.  Not always blog worthy, exciting to read about days, but busy days.  There's a little time for dyeing and knitting, but it's ridiculous how little progress I'm making on some knitting projects.

I've started on some Cauchysocks (Ravelry link).  I'm enjoying the pattern so far, but after only a few rows I realized I wasn't in love with the yarn.  It's Cadenza from Estelle, 80% Superwash Merino Wool and 20% Tussah Silk - a gorgeous blend that looked and felt wonderful in the skein.  Knitting with it is not so much fun.  I'm finding it splitty, slippery, difficult to maintain an even tension with, and I'm not pleased with how the colours are sometimes pooling and sometimes not.  I'm sure they will be comfy and luxurious socks once completed if I can just get past my lack of love for the yarn.  The sad thing is I have two more skeins of it in different colours in the stash.

Today was chilly, but sunny, and we enjoyed most of the day outside raking leaves.  Dusty puppy thinks that chasing leaves is one of the most fun activities.  Eating them is pretty good, too!

 

Happy Thanksgiving Weekend

I'm having a lovely Thanksgiving weekend.  The dear husband has gone moose hunting and I am free to dye as much as want.  Well, not exactly free.

I have the new Dusty puppy to entertain me.  He's learning all about walking on a leash and getting better with every walk.  His joyful bounces when I bring out the leash let me know that he's already made the connection.  Walks are a very good thing!

I've been cleaning up the flower beds and pots and putting things away for the winter.  This means the last blooms of many flowers to dye with.  I can't do them all this weekend so many are going into the freezer for later use.

 

Red geraniums make a wonderful red dye bath and with an alum mordant, a lovely soft beige yarn.  Staghorn sumac also has a rich red dye bath, needs no mordant, and results in a warm brown.  I love the shades of brown but I always think it's a shame those deep reds don't transfer to the yarns.

Today's plans include more dyeing, more puppy walking, and turkey.  Yum!

Growing Them Big

I've never had cosmos grow like this.  I'm 5 feet 4 inches and some of these are over 6 feet tall! 

This flower bed previously had some phlox in it and they were dug up last spring.  The deer love phlox so I gave up on ever having them bloom.  Some new soil was added, but other than that, nothing special.  For whatever reason, we've enjoyed the most amazing cosmos I've ever grown.

The Dusty puppy is also growing.  And growing and growing.  There are changes every day.  His ears are enormous!  And they have muscles.  They move in the most endearing ways and are a definite indication of his interest and moods.

Earlier this month I dusted off the circular sock machine and dug out some cones of yarn from last summer's Spinrite sale.  I need to start some socks and scarves for Christmas presents now if I ever hope to have them completed in time.

 

Our hydro will be off this morning so I'm up early to make coffee and put it in the carafe for later.  I plan on having a wee nap while the power is out!

Alkanet

Our September weather has been wonderful and I have finally had a chance to experiment with one of the natural dyes I purchased this summer.

When I think of natural dyes, I tend to think of the flowers, nuts, barks, etc., that grow in our area and that I can collect myself ( or my dear Dad can collect!).  I still have a little bias against purchased natural dyes.  There's something a little commercial about it that makes it seem not quite 'natural' to me.

However, I have pushed the doubts aside and purchased different natural dyes.  Alkanet was one I had yet to try.

I soaked the alkanet roots in alcohol for about an hour and a half, drained them, added this wonderful deep purple liquid to the dye bath, added wool that had been pre-mordanted with alum, and simmered.  The colour of the dye bath was amazing.  The finished yarn, not so much.

 

It's a rather drab beigey, grey.  There is a slight hue of purpley pink to the skeins, especially from a distance, but up close, pretty blah. 

Then I put it with some of the other naturally dyed skeins.

Much better.  The alkanet dyed skein is in the centre.  The other naturally dyed skeins make it appear much more purpley pink than a beigey grey and it really does have that same muted tone that many of the natural dyes yield.

I have more alkanet roots to try.  Maybe a longer soak in alcohol, a different mordant, an ammonia afterbath???  The experiments continue.

P.S.  For sale in the shop - single ply Alkanet.