I'm always asked, "Don't you want a daughter?" Honestly, I am thrilled to be blessed with a child. I had no preference for either gender. I truly just wanted a healthy child. There are many people who assume that I must have a burning desire for a daughter since I cook, knit, sew, etc. While I do enjoy sharing these pursuits with children, I don't necessarily have to produce my own daughter, I can "rent" one of just about any age from my dear friends (who don't have any sons - see, the whole thing really balances out).
This summer, "the girls" and I undertook a yarn-related project. The two older girls (older is relative) had requested knitted purses. I had read an article about dying yarn with Kool Aid. How can you pass up a perfect storm such as this?
I ordered several skeins of
Knit Picks Bare (varying weights and fiber content). I downloaded the
Knit Picks Kool Aid Dyeing Tutorial. We were ready to roll! The girls
begged asked their mothers to take them shopping for Kool Aid. I bought quart wide-mouth canning jars. I was smarter than the average bear - I dyed my own sock yarn before starting the endeavor with young, highly excited children.
I knotted the yarn randomly throughout (and across) the skein to have areas of white and color.
Lemon-lime Kool Aid is bright. (I was expecting it.) For the whole skein of sock yarn (
Stroll, fingering weight, superwash wool/nylon), I used a two quart glass pitcher for dyeing.
The yarn definitely has the fruity smell when it comes out of the dyeing solution.
I was quite pleased with the final results.
Currently on the needles. (I will totally wear these with a business suit to a meeting.)
I split the skeins of worsted weight wool in half for the girls' purses. The Kool Aid flavors (front to back): strawberry-watermelon, berry blue, strawberry lemonade, berry blue, strawberry-watermelon over dyed with another bright pink flavor that escapes me (skein of sport weight superwash wool/nylon for another purpose).
Finished skeins (in the same order).
I made drawstring bags. I began by casting on and knitting a 6" square. I evenly picked up stitches along all edges. (US 9 needle) Both purses have beads knitted in. I knitted a ruffled edge above the eyelets. I made an I-cord drawstring of each color.
After felting, I shaped the bags on overturned quart canning jars. I installed 3/8" grommets in the eyelets.
This is the strawberry-watermelon/berry blue purse with silver beads.
This is the strawberry lemonade/berry blue purse with purple beads.
Since there was a little sister also involved, she was surprised with a purse (random wool in the stash and
Eros). Another improvised design. (Felted measurement: approximate 6" wide)
Recently off the needles:
Skew in
Koigu pppm (colorway 145). This is my second pair of Skew. I love the concept of the pattern, but the easement through the ankle leaves a bit to be desired when putting them on. Once they are on, they fit like a glove.
Alas, these are destined for other feet (as soon as they have a bath - the socks that is).
