Dyeing disaster

I tried to dye up a sweater's worth of yarn today. My goal was to have a yarn that was semi solid in a light olive green. What I got was this:

My pot was WAY too small for the amount of yarn. By the time I jammed all the yarn in, the yarn to hit the pot first has essentially sucked up all the dye in the water. I knew enough to hold the yarn so that each skein entered at the same time, so each skein is similar, but I've got one end that is a darkish browny olive and the other end a very pale green. Live and learn.

Maybe I can salvage this and make it usable by over dyeing. In any case, I don't think I will be using this for the project I intended. C'est la vie.

Relaxing Saturday

I've been knitting, but I haven't taken any photos of my current project. So instead, here is another poppy, up close and personal. It doesn't look like they will last very long, several have already lost all their petals. I finally managed to get my (very few) annuals into the pots and/or the ground today.I've been swatching! I'd like to finish the old project before starting a new (my socks are on hold)--but I've already even ordered the buttons for the new!

We spent the afternoon at Windrush farm, where we had a pony ride, hay ride, and spent a lot of time checking out the ambulance (for fun only). And we saw this guy.

What's blooming, early June

The poppies have arrived!!

What's blooming this week, Memorial Day weekend

My poor azaleas have some flowers.

A shrub with flowers I always look forward to--no idea what it is.

My first columbine of the season.

Waiting for my poppies!! So far I count 15 potential flowers! I wonder if they will open this weekend!

And here is some yarn.

Three cones of Alpaca Silk lace from Webs--could not resist the sale, and I have been wanting some of this. It is a great value even at the regular price.

Also on sale, I picked up enough Peruvia to make a Tilted Duster.

And from the NH Sheep and Wool festival, some lovely 100% Tencel, in a fingering weight. Just enough to make a scarflet of some sort.

Done!

What's blooming this week, mid-May 2009

Here is an effort to bring more frequent posts, with pictures of pretty (or interesting) flowers/plants and the latest yarn acquisitions. I have a whole bunch of new yarn--but I haven't photographed it all yet, so I will spread out the yarn over the next few posts.

First, in the yard, the rhodies are blooming and looking lovely, even though the deer ate a good chunk of them over the winter.

The peony is starting to unfurl. I wonder if I will get any flowers this year?

And for yarn.

I bought this lovely skein in Newburyport.

Itata Solid
by Araucania
Fingering / 4 ply Wool, Silk, Bamboo

And this was prize from a contest I entered--so pretty I had to put it on display. Maybe I will keep this basket out as a rotating display of my yarn collection--hmmmm?

Happy Feet
by Plymouth Yarn
Fingering / 4 ply Nylon, Merino

NH Sheep and Wool 2009

I spent a lovely Saturday in NH checking out some lovely yarn and some cute animals.
We also has some celebrity knitters sightings!

I only bought one skein of yarn, and I have taken a picture of it yet. It is 100% tencel, and I think it is destined to become some sort of scarf.
I did buy a little loom, and lots of yummy food.

The alpacas were so cute.
But I wanted to take this little goat home.