Coffee and Tea Dyeing Sock Yarn

Today was a successful experiment in dyeing naturally using tea and coffee. I have a lot of different types of teas. Yes, I love tea, but there is now way that I could drink all that I own. I had heard of coffee dyeing before and had wanted to try it. Lots of people have dyed successfully using coffee. So why not give it a try?

I had heard before that tea actually stains your teeth worse than coffee. I thought if this were true, it would make a great dye as well. With my unlimited supply of different varieties, I grabbed a couple of bags and went at it using this BLOG POST as a guide to get me started.

I used 10% WOG alum and 5% cream of tarter for each yarn that was soaked in bottled water. (The water here in town is very hard and I didn't want any surprises from it.) After squeezing all the water out, I put them into my tea and coffee solutions to set in my oven at 170 degrees for an hour. Then, after a thorough rinsing, I placed them outside to dry. They aren't very dark, but that's okay. I love the colors. Oh, and let me add it took a lot less tea to dye the yarn than coffee. I used 4 tea bags for 2 hanks versus 4 cups for 3 hanks.



The first photo is coffee and the second is my tea brew experiment. I personally love the tea version. It looks like a granny apple to me. I plan to explore more varieties of tea and see what happens. So stay tuned!

Dark and Lavender Leaf Knit Pattern

Dark and Lavender Leaf
By Dawn L.E. Riden

Inspired by Georgie O’Keeffe’s “Dark and Lavender
Leaf” this simple knit simply showcases the beauty
already found in nature. Knit it up to use on hats, bags, as
an ornament, or even sew it onto a shawl pin back for a
nice accessory.

FINISHED MEASUREMENTS
Length: 4 inches
Width: 3 inches

MATERIALS
Light Brown Hare Jackrabbit Fingering Yarn
[100% Superwash Merino; 400 yd/m per 50g skein];
color: Sunken Treasure; scraps ~10 yards

Recommended needle size:
1 set US #3/3.25mm straight/circular/double point
needles

PATTERN
Row 1: CO 1
Row 2: KFB (2 sts)
Row 3: K across
Row 4: KFB (4 sts)
Row 5: K across
Row 6: K1, yo, k2, yo k1 (6 sts)
Row 7 and all odd: K2, Purl to last 2 sts, k2 (6 sts)
Row 8: k2, yo, k2, yo, k2 (8 sts)
Row 10: K1, kfb, k1, yo, k2tog, yo, k1, kfb, k1 (11 sts)
Row 12: k5, yo, k1, yo, k5 (13 sts)
Row 12: K6, yo, k1, yo, k6 (15 sts)
Row 14: K7, yo, k1, yo, k7 (17 sts)
Row 16: k6, k2tog, yo, k1, yo, ssk, k6 (17 sts)
Row 18: k6, k2tog, yo, k1, yo, ssk, k6 (17 sts)

Divide sts into 3 sections of 8, 1, 8

On the right side:
Row 20: K1, k2tog, k1, k2tog, k1
Row 21: K2, p3, k2
Row 22: BO knitwise

To make matching bind off on the left side turn work over:
Row 20: P1, p2tog, p1, p2tog, p1.
Row 21: K across
Row 22: BO purlwise

For the stem st, k the st 4 times.
BO and weave in all ends reinforcing stem and sides.


Copyright 2010. Dawn L.E. Riden. These patterns are for personal and non-profit use only. You may not sell items made from these patterns. You may make them for yourself, as gifts, or for donation to charity sales or auctions. And these patterns love being used for knitalongs or other organized knitting events that are free of charge.

Merchants may not download or print these patterns for sale, free distribution, or class use without prior written permission from the author (that’s me, Pam). If you received one of these patterns directly from a yarn store, or are taking a paid class using one of these patterns (even if you downloaded it yourself), please verify that the store has written permission from the author.
Printing or downloading a pattern constitutes agreement with these terms.

Corespinning Ribbons and Threads

Many people ask me, how did I learn to spin so well. Truthfully, I've been lucky and unfortunate enough to not have classes available to me, either because I can't afford them or they are within a reasonable distance. Unfortunate, obviously, because there was no one to show me the baby steps when it comes to spinning. Lucky, because I have not been influenced by the way someone spins. I am purely self taught, and have evolved my own way to spinning.

So, when it came to core-spinning, I loved the idea of wrapping fiber around something to give it a unique look that you can't do with traditional drawing. For me, I get more bang for my buck because I can use less fiber to get a lot of yardage.

I recently received a swap package from a friend on Ravelry with big pieces of tinsel in it. Tinsel like what comes off the 1970's Christmas tree. I've spun ribbon and smaller Angelina into fiber before, so it wasn't anything new. I soon realized that the way I spin it in is different than the techniques I've seen others use.

My method in the most simplest words is
1. insert
2. cover
3. flip
4. wrap
5. cover

Better yet, here's a video of how it works.



A larger video can be found on my YouTube at http://www.youtube.com/user/DawningDreams.

Spinner's Lap Cloths

My friend Carissa and I have been working together on many projects lately. Being in a small town away from any major city, materials don't come easy and having someone to chat about ideas with can be even fewer. Luckily I found a friend and fellow crafter in Carissa. When we are looking for opinions of ideas and projects we can discuss without being negative or disheartening.

One project that we have worked on as a pair, is the spinner's lap cloth. I told her my idea a while ago, and since she was really getting into sewing, she went home and made a mock-up. After many samples and discussions, we finally settled on a creation we both love and can make without breaking the budget. Believe me, with fabrics costing above $10, it's easy to make a simple pattern cost $50 just because of the materials. Keep in mind, though, that doesn't include time to photograph, upload, and package each item either.

So, now we have our cloths, she with her favorite fabrics and me with mine. I tend to lean towards most whimsical, while Carissa's are more traditional.

Check out more in either of our shops at:
DawningDreams.etsy.com
OR
DawningDreamsYarns.com

Carissa's site:
Loksi Company
LoksiCo.etsy.com

Gorgeously Gothic Spin-A-Long Coming!

My son started reading “The Series of Unfortunate Events” after receiving the first “The Bad Beginning” book for Christmas. Since then, those bothersome books have brought nothing, but leisurely laziness to my home. With so many ill-fated adventures, one must take events into their own hands by stopping to spin a tale using a frenzy of fibers from my Gruesomely Gothic Spin-A-Long! Samples of some of the colorways are headed out in January's Phat Fiber Box, which you can find more information at www.phatfiber.com/.

THE DASTARDLY DETAILS:

Listing for the fiber will go up for sale on my Etsy Store the day Phat Fiber boxes go on sale. I will either card two beastly batts of 2 oz each, or I will dye 4 oz of Superwash roving that is inspired by one of the 13 books. Some of these sinister sets can be viewed and purchased right away. Others, you will have to wait and see what comes in the mail.

The awful batts boast lots of texture and dark colors. The possibilities are endless with angora, Angelina, Firestar, wool, mohair, and other dreadful fibers. (NOTE: if you are allergic to a particular fiber, please let me know ahead of time.) I will also include extra goodies to add-in, which could include sequins, locks, ribbons, or a number of different items.

When you have finished spinning your atrocious yarns, photograph them and send the picture to me at dawningdreams@gmail.com. I will then post pictures on the Dawning Dreams “Gorgeously Gothic SAL” Thread for final voting.

THE PRIZES:

1^st place - Complimentary 4 oz choice of batt or roving and handmade orifice hook

2^nd place - Complimentary 2 oz choice of batt or roving

3^rd place - Handmade orifice hook

THE TIME FRAME:
January 17th - Ordering available

February 1st - Batts will be sent out.
March 2nd - Final yarn pictures due by for contest consideration
March 8th - Winners announced!

Feel free to take pre, process, and post photos of yourself spinning. The more pictures we have to choose from, the better your chances. You will also receive double entries for finished yarn AND finished object photos.

If you would like to join this Spin-A-Long please feel free to purchase this listing (or more if you feel so inclined) and join the fun at http://www.ravelry.com/groups/dawning-dreams

THE QUESTIONS FOR SURPRISE BATTS:

Please, include the following devious details for your bad batts in a message, so that I may make your package as perfectly personalized as possible.

What are your top two color choices?

emerald green, amethyst purple, ruby red, topaz yellow, sapphire blue, tourmaline green, and turquoise blue

Include your selection of add-ins (you will receive a variety of those you choose, though not necessarily everything):

Buttons, ribbon, lace, sequins, locks, metallic threads, beads, faux pearls, fabric strips, feathers, silk flowers, or if there is something else you have in mind that I may be able to find.

Here's a preview of the samples Phat Fiber will be distributing, which includes 3 of the 13 available colorways:

December Phat Fiber Joy!

Spinning on a Quill Spinning Wheel