Big Post Today

Ooo boy are you folks in for a picture treat today. I've been busy since my last post.

On the knitting front, I did finish the collar for my sweater, but it's too big. By a lot. So I've decided that I'm going to figure out how I need to make it smaller, frog it, and reknit it to the proper size. Damson is out of hibernation, and I have counted, tinked, counted, tinked, and counted it back to the correct number of stitches and am successfully working through the stocking stitch border. It looks like a scrunched mess right now, but I'm confident that it will be completed before the end of the month.

I tried some more natural dyeing this past week using purple cabbage. I went from this:


to this:



And then, after over 24 hours in the dye (plus 6 hours in the mordant bath) and several heatings, I ended up with two skeins of this:


Yep, the yarn took up none of the dye. I was assured by a book that this would work. The two skeins are currently dripping in my shower, and I'll dye them over in the future, probably with Wilton's.

Yesterday I almost died in the wilderness. Ok, so that's an exaggeration, but there was quite a bit of back and foot pain involved when I went for a hike. I did get some lovely photos, though.




Tonight's sunset was also the subject of some photos.



I'm hoping to take some of my photographs and translating them into paintings. I've recently rekindled my interest in the Impressionist period, specifically in Vincent van Gogh, who is my favorite painter of all. I went a little crazy at the library today, getting books and DVDs on Impressionists and how-to paint. I'm going to do some more reading before I jump in, but I've already picked up my basic supplies so that when I do go to start, I don't have to postpone anymore.


And finally, my little local yarn store has started carrying Malabrigo. I got bitten by the Malabrigo Bug years ago, but kept it under control through distance. I stopped by today to see what she'd gotten in, and two skeins followed me home.


The color way of this yarn is "Hummingbird" and it reminds me of van Gogh's night time works (there was some worked up at the shop).

I've decided to save the pictures of my finished items from my January challenge until the end of the month. I think it will be a nice way to wrap up my personal challenge.

That's all until next time.