The Wicked Stitch

So, who needs a new pair of socks?

I have two new sock yarns in the shop for you all to try....

This is a smooshy, handpainted merino from Two Windows Dye Co. of Hutchinson, KS.  The colorways are really scrumptious!

And this is Ditto from Universal Yarns.  This workhorse yarn is really pretty in subdued self-patterning colorways.  This yarn makes socks you could wear anywhere.  I am thinking along the lines of making a Simple Yet Effective Shawl by Cosmicpluto Knits.

Here is one done in Ditto by twocables ...

It is simple yet effective!  I'm all over it!

The Cauldron

Welcome back our Cauldron Dyed Yarns, grown, spun and dyed in Kansas!

Our exclusive yarns are now available in three weights - worsted, sport and sock. 

And how do we take these humble, white skeins of soft wool and turn them into the rainbow of colors you see above, you may wonder?  Well, I'm so glad you asked...because I took pictures!

First, I put on my pointy hat and grab my magic witchy wand (I am absolutely serious.).  Next, I haul out the cauldron, better known around here as my ill-fated lobster pot.  Really, I had to start a fiber dyeing career.  What else is a transplanted New Englander supposed to do with her LLBean lobster pot, (with the nifty clam steamer bottom bit), that she insisted she drag across the country with her?  (There must be lobster in Kansas sweetie, people can't really live without lobster rolls! Right?  Right!?!)

Don't you hate it when they try to push off the lid and escape?

 

Then there is a lot of hot water, a very stained wooden spoon, silly face mask, rubber gloves, sweating, a little cursing (okay, sometimes a lot...), eye of newt, toe of frog, and that sort of thing.

 

Then, abracadabra....

 

Doesn't it look lovely even just sitting on my table?  Very color coordinated.  Although it points out the neglectfully wrinkled condition of my tablecloth.  Oh, don't look!   Hmmm,....I wonder how it gets that way...?

 

 
 
DId I just show you a picture of my cat on my table?  Don't look at that either!  She is not allowed on the table, that is awful and disgusting, and we are very firm!  Shoo Purl, off!  Go on, get!  Get down, Baby,...come on sweet little Purly-girl....Mommy loves you Miss puffy-pants....oh well.   Just don't let my mother see.....

 

The Wicked Stitch

 

 

A little R&B summer Batik

What the Fair Isle? Is it just me or has Kansas totally skipped it's early summer weather?  We went from wearing sweaters (Well, I was wearing sweaters this spring, but I don't take much arm twisting to pop one on.) to hot, steamy, better off nekid weather in a matter of days.  My ancestors must have been from far northern places where humidity is expressed mainly in inches of snowfall.  Because this hair of mine reacts quite violently with crazy, frizzy curls to this weather. (I am not taking a picture.)  So when you stop by the shop, I am the shrubby looking thing behind the desk that really needs to get her roots done. 

So enough about the weather, lets get to the knitting...

I am doing the Frock Camisole (great free pattern by the way) in Cotton Supreme Batik.  I need to start by saying, in general,  I HATE KNITTING COTTON!(There... now I feel better.)  It doesn't stretch in your hands, it's totally unspringy, and it kind of squeaks on your needles.  {shudder}  BUT...this Batik is like butter. 

 Seriously. 

And the colors are gorgeous.  Batik is like the really pretty girl in back in high school, that should have been a stuck-up pig so you could hate her with a good conscience, but actually  she raised money for orphans and walked dogs at the shelter and played piano at nursing homes.  She was even an honor student, so you couldn't even make dumb jokes. 

 Batik even self patterns for gosh sakes... 

 At the risk of sounding like a bad 80's song...I have never (never) knew cotton like this before - What a surprise - Never (never) knew cotton like this before - Opened my eyes!    Yeah, Baby!

Oh, come on...you know the words...