I've been holding back on you guys. You see, when I made it to Madrona for all of 6 hours or whatever it was back in January, I met Janel from Spindlicity and Chameleon Colorworks (where I got some Optim wool for Kristi). Anyway, we got to talking and the next thing you know, I'm going to teach a sock design class on the Spindlicity cruise through Alaska!!!
It's going to be fantastic. After the cruise, we're going to tour qiviut farms. How much better can it get??? Spinners and knitters, water, beautiful surroundings, ALASKA. Janel was awesome and really knowledgeable about fiber and yarns. I wish Kristi could have been there to meet her because they would have gotten along famously. A little bit more about the class I'm teaching - it's going to span multiple sessions over more than one day, so we will cover a good amount of material. I am not a fan of short term classes where you learn one small thing. I say bring on the information overload! We'll cover how to address many of the challenges of fit and working with certain types of stitch patterns in socks, and by the end of the cruise you should have your very own sock knit from your very own pattern, or a good head start on the sock if you're too busy staring at the scenery to knit. The early bird special ends in March, so sign up soon!
Oh yes, and how is this for some eye candy (pre-Friday even). The last yarn of the yarn I dyed, still wet out of the rinse (the colors will change a little once they dry):
My new personal favorite:
I tried to counter the predominantly green/blue colors of the previous batches. I still have some pounds of undyed yarn left, but that will have have to wait until after Stitches. And goodness, I will never dye yarn again after it's gone. It's a hard job best left to the pros who are good at it. The only reason I started is because I way over-ordered the cream yarn for the German Stocking. I was going through a natural cream phase and thought I could single-handedly make it the next big thing. But once I started telling people I was really into cream traditional colored stockings, they kept looking at me like I was crazy. So yeah, that's where the half-baked dyeing came in. It's also really interesting to look at the colors once they've been rinsed or after they've dried because they are NEVER what I was expecting or aiming for. I'll post wet / dry pictures for comparison when I get the chance.
Wow! Those are my favorite colors to combine. I having been trying to convince my husband that we need to go on a cruise, and this one sounds perfect for us! I can't wait to see the rest of the dyed yarns. (Bunny hugs!)
=:8
at February 15, 2007 8:38 AM
I like cream for socks. Anyone who looked at you with a crazed look must have been thinking of something else when you mentioned being into traditional colored stockings...
Have a great cruise!!!
Posted by: shanny in oregon at February 15, 2007 8:44 AMLOL I LIVE in Alaska! I have been to the qiviut farm, a lot of fun and very informative. There are some really great yarn shops in Anchorage, Wasilla, and Palmer. If I see a group of women with that glazed fiber-drunk look in their eyes showing up at the LYS, I'll know it's you guys! Have fun!
Posted by: bunchkin at February 15, 2007 10:44 AMA knitting/spinning cruise to Alaska?! Oh man. I have always wanted to go on an Alaska cruise. And now I could combine knitting AND a cruise? Sh*t. Maybe you could take me along as your assistant wool winder or something... ask Jeni, I'm real good at it! Instead of "yarnboy" I could be "yarngirl". Dang.
Posted by: Cindy at February 15, 2007 10:47 AMI went to the musk ox farm during the summer I lived in Alaska. It was a great time. If you get a chance, the Oomingmak cooperative in Anchorage sells goods made from the qiviut collected from the musk oxen on the farm. It's all done by a collective of Alaska Native men and women. Expensive but so beautiful.
Posted by: TheBon at February 15, 2007 11:00 AMOh a cruise for spinners and knitters....sounds like a cruise for me. To bad I can't go. :(
The colors are beautiful. I'm lovin' the first one a lot.
I'm so very jealous. I've never wanted to go on a cruise until I read about the knitting cruises to Alaska. Now that is something I would love to do. Maybe one year I'll convince my hubby.
Posted by: Rebekah at February 15, 2007 1:15 PMI'm so very jealous. I've never wanted to go on a cruise until I read about the knitting cruises to Alaska. Now that is something I would love to do. Maybe one year I'll convince my hubby.
Posted by: Rebekah at February 15, 2007 1:15 PMThe browns and golds one is making me drool! Any chance of you dyeing something not wool?
The cruise sounds fun!
Posted by: Abigail at February 15, 2007 1:33 PM*Sigh* Once I have the baby, and he's big enough to stay home with dad, I SO want to go on a knitting cruise...I'm very jealous. You'll have a fabulous time!
Posted by: Sarah at February 15, 2007 3:44 PMI just love your stuff! I just found your page from Knitty and wanted to tell you that I'm on my second pair of Baud's. I never knit the same pattern twice...just too much out there to get to, but I loved this one so much that after making a pair for a friend I had to have my own pair. I'm on the first sock of the second pair and still totally in love with the pattern. Great work!
Posted by: Cambria W at February 15, 2007 4:43 PMDamn Cookie, if I weren't already planning a 2-week trip to Great Britian I would be signing up for that cruise, you're so lucky.
Posted by: yarnsnob at February 15, 2007 5:13 PMI really like how that orange pops out of the pinks and reds. Really nice!
Posted by: pauline at February 15, 2007 7:12 PMWow where to start. First congratulations on being faculty (doesn't that sound great!) on a spinning/knitting cruise. That does sound like fun. And I love your yarn! The top one is cool but I love the bottom one. It reminds me a Easter eggs. I am so ready for Spring! And please do write a sock book. You are a very creative designer. And your socks rock.
Posted by: Sheila at February 15, 2007 8:25 PMI live in Anchorage!!!
You have to visit Far North Yarn Co., the cutest yarn store around, and Oomingmak Coop here, and we have a State Yarn Council you should check it out! (Alaska State Yarn Council, ASYC)
I probably won't make the cruise, but have a great time! Megh
Hi Cookie, I've been admiring your socks for a long time. Love 'em! So I happen to live in Alaska, near a musk ox farm and have a phenomenal LYS. Where, oh where will this cruise/tour be? We have bunches (at least bunches for Alaska) of local knitters that would welcome you!
Posted by: Lazy Raven at February 27, 2007 4:57 PM