Another go with Indigo

 

Last Saturday I was privileged to once again teach an Indigo Dyeing Workshop at the Charleston Museum.  We had another great bunch of dyers, who were a blast to work with!

First we got a peek at some of the indigo items in the Museum's collection, and Curator of Textiles Jan Hiester gave a brief history of the use of indigo in the Charleston area.

Then the dyeing began.  Can you see how green the yarn is in the vat?  It looks kind of sickly, but trust me, it turned out a beautiful blue--that's the magic of indigo.

Laura brought a dress that she wanted to try in the vats.  She was thrilled with the results! It turned out great!

A little silk tie-dye? You bet! Delores did a beautiful job! 

Look for the next Indigo Dyeing Workshop to be scheduled soon.

Free Pattern Friday: Socks! Now via PDF!

After having this pattern available for almost a full year (how time does fly...), I have  created a PDF file for easy downloading, and (presumably) easy knitting.

This pattern is not complicated, but it looks smashing when knitted up and if you use Cascade 220 Superwash Sport like I did, they'll be so soft you won't want to take them off.

With Christmas just around the corner, here's a great gift idea for someone on your list.  Cast on now--what are you waiting for?  After all, it is a FREE pattern!

Knit and Crochet Show 2013

So last weekend, this happened:

 

I traveled up the road to Charlotte, NC to take a class, meet with some editors, and generally hob knob with some of the finest knitters (and crocheters) anywhere.

There was a lot of yarn! And yarn accessories! And people draped in yarn!

Yes, I was one of those people draped in yarn.  Here I am meeting the incredible Melissa Leapman.  When I knitted the "Tamara Wrap," I never thought I'd get to meet the designer of the pattern. I think she approved of my work ;)

And I approved of hers, too. Here she is teaching "Turning Pro" to those of us who aspire to make money from designing knitwear (or crochetwear, as was the case with so many of the other students.  I mean, I have never seen so many crocheters in one place as I did at this show! But I digress...).  So much is right with this pic--Melissa's intensity while teaching, the fact that I was trying to take the pic on the sly (I'm sure she didn't see me aim my iPhone at her from table height. Right??), the magnificent shawl on the student in front of me, which was only eclipsed by her magnificently braided hair...!

That night we were treated to this lady--Patty Lyons.  I laughed so hard at her crazy pics of sweaters that were miles too big, but I also learned a lot about gauge. Great fun! And I was finally in a room full of KNITTERS! There were probably some folks who also crocheted, but I chose to overlook it. Ha!

All in all, it was a fantastic experience.  I spent time with friends from my Knitting Guild, folks I only see at shows like this (like Pat!), and new friends I made like Maureen, Diana and Sandy.

PS: I took with me 5 items that I designed, wrote patterns for and knit in the last 2 months--a shawl, a wine bottle cozy, a bag, a sock (half a pair!), and a hat.  I received offers to buy the shawl and hat for publication!  Stay tuned for further developments on that front :)

 

New Pattern for Halloween!

SALE!  
Halloween Sale-October 2013
buy all three patterns for half price! 

I don't know about you, but when I hear the phrase "Halloween Wine Party," I immediately think of this:

So when someone said to me recently, "Halloween Wine Party," I looked around but found no patterns written for what I wanted.  So of course I wrote one.  Actually I wrote three: a skull, a pumpkin, and a black cat, all quick knits on double-pointed needles.  I think they will make a great hostess gift, decoration, or even finger puppet ;) You can get all three patterns for one low price, just by clicking the link below:

Halloween Wine Toppers-$3.00

Halloween Sale: Now only $1.50!