Dyeing

I have an awful lot of Max’s
fibre , and while it has the most wonderfully soft handle, it spins up into a grey/brown mix and I want to dye it. I took about 16grms of carded fibre and pulled into a sort of roving, soaked it for a while in water with vinegar added; then drizzled some magenta, turquoise, and red dye onto it, then sprinkled yellow powder in a couple of places; encouraged the dye to spread and mingle by putting cling film over the top and squishing it, and steamed it for a good 30 minutes.

I was very pleased with the result. Even more pleased, I cannot tell you how much, that I didn’t manage to felt it.



I spun ( so want to say ‘span’) it up into a fine single and Navajo plied it. I’m really like the result and after knitting with it – on 4mm needles - I want to reproduce the colours as closely as possible to make my Dad a waistcoat for his birthday in early April.

So, can I replicate the effect with 300 gms?

I’m feeling nervous about this. I suppose I should have weighed and measured the amount of dyes I used, but, I feel that although I might not get exactly the same colours what I do get should still be attractive. The biggest problem I foresee is coping with 9 or 10 carded batts and having them come out near enough the same.

I think what will happen is; the colours will generally be of the same hue and tone in each batt, and if I am not happy with the colour variation between the batts I could re-card them once dry into more homogeneous colours.

In order to keep the graduations of colour through the garment I’m going to knit it in the round – and steek the armholes and centre opening. Again, this should help with colour variations, it will be a design ?ploy. I want it to have an opening in the front as Dad had a stroke years ago and can’t use his right hand.

I have enough fibre, but am I dying enough? It seems like a huge bag full but only weighs 350gms.

I’ll wing it. I will take notes this time and so should be able to reproduce the colours reasonably well.



Umm, far to much red. Something a little strange happened, the blue didn't seem to take, an awful lot of it washed out of the fibre while there was hardly any red coming out, and yet I added the blue to one end of each batt. I have run out of glauber's salts which you are supposed to use with these discharge acid dyes so maybe that's the problem, I hadn't used any with my original swatch so thought it would be okay.

It's okay, just. (There is a lovely teal shade in there which I would love to get again). I don't think Dad will like this as much, so I'm going to swatch using some black and try a simple fairisle pattern or maybe mosaic?

Mrs Beeton's

Diane asked about the Mrs Beetons - they are wristwarmers from a Knitty pattern, written by Brenda Dayne of Cast-on. They are a very easy knit if a bit fiddly especially when you are trying to knit the two frills together and have 7 double ended needles in your hand!

It's only since living in northern France, which is actually colder in the winter than the south of England, that I've appreciated that little bits of wool around your wrists, ankles and neck do a hell of a lot to keep you warm. As I don't like anything in the slightest bit snug around my neck I rarely wore scarves except for the floaty variety. Then, feeling cold in doors one day I put on this fairly flimsy cheap, bought job and found I instantly felt cosier. I think the wrist warmers will help as well, especially driving when woolen gloves are a bit to slippery on the steering wheel. I know leather gloves have grip and style, but have never been able to keep a pair for more than a week before I lose one. Then I hang on to the sole remainder for years as I can't bear to throw it out. I'm the same with earings.

So, it dawns on me that knitting scarves may not be a complete waste of time and just as I complete one it looks as if I've left it too late! After several weeks of relentless winter, today has been absolutely glorious, sunny, warm and still. We joined our English friends and about 10 others - all French, for a group ride through the countryside.

The Published Plan:
Meet at 1.0pm at bar in Le Perrier
Short ride to visit an organic bakery - demonstration
14K ride to another village for "Tout Feu, Tout Flamme" - (Pancakes/waffles cooked over open fires)

Actual Event
Met at bar, general milling around, no-one knew what was happening, after 20 minutes a general straggle of cyclists started towards the bakery.
Arrived at bakery, looked at excellent bread for sale in their shop, tried a bit, left.
Cycle the 14k which takes an hour because 2K was down tracks, some of them very very muddy and my slim tyres wouldn't grip so I had to walk.
Arrived in village, nothing, nobody around. Others caught up with us "have you eaten yet?" No, eaten what?!
Then old chap emerges from small, rustic building and proceeds to put some tables and benches out on the grass, then he goes inside and lights a fire with twigs in the rustic ovens inside the building.
Conflab with friends, agree that food is at least 30 to 45 mins away, feeling a little chilled, and possibly we will be cycling back when sun is much lower and it's a lot cooler. Decide to forgo any food and say cheerio to the French people we know. Danielle gets a map out to show us way back (I have map and know the area well but keep quiet). Says, "You must go this way, not along the main road as it's too dangerous and it's longer anyway." Annette and I have cycled along the main road on other occasions, traffic low, especially on a Sunday, recently resurfaced and wonderfully smooth. And it's shorter distance" Say bye and go back to Le Perrier via the main road, it takes 30 minutes.

We arrived at the bar and had beer and delicious bread and cheese. Superb, the sky was clear blue and we sat in the sun with our friends, "See what you'll be missing!" said Annette. Just so.

Eighty-eight and counting things about me

1 I am half German on my Dad’s side.

2 I don’t speak German.

3 I love summer.

4 I love puddings.

5 I have to watch my weight.

6 I learnt to spin because I had an alpaca.

7 I have low irritation tolerance.

8 I love cycle camping although it’s 10 years since I last did it and I’d probably miss my bed now.

9 I started cycling with a purpose in mind (other than just to get to school or my friends house) when started reading an Ordinance Survey Map; 1 Mile to 1″ of the area I lived in and wanted to explore.

10 I love maps, I could sit and read one for hours.

11 I’m not a serious cyclist but I take my cycling seriously (somebody else said that and it sums up how I feel).

12 After 58 years I’m beginning to know myself a little better.

13 I’ve been deluding myself for years.

14 I’m short but don’t feel it.

15 I’m a qualified nurse.

16 I hate Bed & Breakfast unless they leave me alone.

17 I didn’t know what fear was until I had children.

18 I hate the control commerce has over the world, I believe we are drugged by consumerism.

19 I like buying stuff.

20 When I was young, I wanted to have a pony, I never had one, or rode regularly, so I lived vicariously through my daughters and they both learnt, and Bec kept a lovely dun called Spice for a few years.

21 I wanted to learn to type because I was fascinated by it, so I learnt touch typing at night school.

22 I love computers.

23 I cycled from Land’s End to John O’ Groats in my 50th year, I carried all of my own gear, except for a few days when E carried them (by car) on my first day, the middle weekend, and the last 4 days when he joined me in Scotland. I didn’t want it to end.

24 I love the smell of TVO (tractor vaporising oil) and fresh hay. Must be from my days as a child on my Grandparents farm.

25 I went to school in Glastonbury, Somerset, cool place.

26 I wish I wish there had been a Trinny and Suzanna when I was young.

27 Is my favourite number.

28 I usually take a very long time to make up my mind about something, I like to research, if I make a snap decision, or I’m forced into one, I usually regret it later.

29 I live in France, but I want to go home to England, soon, this year, please.

30 I’m lazy.

31 I hate the dark, grey and cold of winter.

32 I’m very bad at keeping in contact with people, but I often think of them.

33 I like Chinese, Indian, Mexican, Italian and all sorts of food.

34 I wish people would place as much value on the food they eat and feed their children, as they do their cars.

35 I believe strongly that animals are sentient beings and are far more intelligent than we like to think.

36 I like my own company.

37 I don’t tolerate fools, unless they’re very funny.

38 The last time I giggled uncontrollably was when my husband and I rode my little scooter together.

39 As I get older I feel more anxious, I worry a lot about things falling down, our buildings in particular. Weird.

40 It really annoys me to see people trying to get to the front of the queue, in airports, the ferry terminal, etc, but I feel dead chuffed if I beat them, so I’m just as bad, I just try to be a little more subtle.

41 I swear I will never knit entrelac.

42 I can remember 3 things I learnt as a child which had an impact on me, seeing the war graves in Europe, learning of the slave trade and the holocaust.

43 One year I want to attend the Remembrance Day parade at the Cenotaph in London.

44 I would like to take a felting course.

45 If I could change one thing about my body I would love beautiful nails. I have horrible fingernails and lousy toe nails.

46 I’m quite a good cook.

47 I can only stick about 2 hours visiting cathedrals; galleries; monuments and the ilk; I much prefer just to sit in them and just ‘be’.

48 I have two brothers, both younger than I.

49 I like driving cars, I love big powerful engines, going fast, and rock music playing loudly.

50 My favorite film is ‘Local Hero’, for the scenery, music and story.

51 I don’t like housework but I don’t like a dirty house either

52 I think I’m a typical, libra.

53 I broke my right collar bone when I was 17 and I fell off a horse. It was great, it got me off the geriatric wards.

54 I had my hair permed when I was 17 after I’d broken my collar bone as I was anxious I wouldn’t be able to do my hair, (in the days of rollers) it went wrong and left me with a friz when everyone else had Vidal Sassoon sleek jobs.

55 I had two natural births. I didn’t plan them that way, it’s just how it worked out.

56 I’m right handed but always hankered after being a ’southpaw’, I can use my left hand for many things if it’s more convenient.

57 I love jewellery, but I rarely wear what I’ve got, things hanging on me irritate me. So don’t waste your money buying me any.

58 I don’t like anything close fitting around my neck.

59 I save things for ‘best’.

60 Consequently I’m not a smart dresser.

61 I admire people who dress brightly, but if I venture too I feel like a prize idiot.

62 I think there is a bright, artistic person well hidden inside of me.

63 I have this feeling I may end up as a bag lady.

64 I’m usually very good at finding things, it might take me a bit of time but I find ‘em, even things other people (my OH) have lost.

65 However, sometimes I really lose stuff and it never ever turns up, not even when we move house.

66 I don’t like being asked questions.

67 I’ve been divorced once.

68 ..and married twice.

69 I don’t think I’m cut out to be married.

70 I can be secretive, that’s not a good thing is it?

71 I love to grow things, I get a real kick out of seeds germinating and plants propagating.

72 I love gardens and plants, I would spend a fortune on plants if I could.

73 I would rather have my garden landscaped than my house decorated.

74 I’ve never knowingly met anyone famous.

75 My default setting is to like people.

76 My hair was brunette; is now ‘pepper and salt’ , it has a natural wave, I wouldn’t mind if I went completely silver. But it won’t, so I tint it.

77 I really really really ht al ths txt wrtin an usin i insted of I.

78 I cry easily.

79 I suffer from depression sometimes, had treatment for it once as I couldn’t function at work. Usually I just have to wait until it passes, which it does.

80 My thumbs and my big toes turn up at the end.

81 I like photography

82 My Myers Briggs profile is INFJ, I think.

83 I’m an introvert

84 I worry about the environment, in fact I worried about the environment long before it became popular, worrying about the environment I mean.

85 Just once, I would like to have an expensive holiday in the Maldives or somewhere like that. That means flying of course which is bad, but, as I rarely fly, I think I could justify it just this once.

86 My favourite wine is Lehman's, Barrossa Valley Shiraz.

87 I love stationary, I would buy and fountain pen and notebook every week.

88 As a child, one of my best day-dreams was being shut up in WH Smiths overnight so that I got to read all the books, play the records and use loads of paints, pens and paper.

89

Loose Lattice Scarf, and a Mrs Beeton

Blue Scarf
Originally uploaded by Alpagalaine.

I finished this scarf a couple of weeks ago and then decided to do some Mrs Beetons to go with it. I'm very happy with the scarf, it was an easy pattern to memorise and knit, but I don't like the wrist warmers. Firstly, once I'd cast on I knit to many rows before I should have decreased, secondly, I didn't have the required sets of double pointed 4.5mm needles so they are on 3.75mm and 4.0mm and the fabric is a bit too firm. I do have some circular needles but they have the most horrible stiff cords - bought many years ago before I discovered Addi Turbos and I hate the way everything is such a fight with them. And, I didn't have any beads to add! So, I am being very patient and I've ordered some beads from Regal Crafts in the UK, and some Brittany Birch double pointed needles from Angel Yarns. The beads arrived last week and I've played knitting with them and like the effect very much. I'm waiting on the Brittany's which I ordered later, they are on their way. In the meantime I'm alternating with making a felted cat bed from my copious stash of brown, uninteresting wool I spun when I was first learning the craft. I will add some orange for interest - can't have cats in a boring bed. I found a couple of large hanks of Margo's fibre I'd also spun up several years ago which is quite fine and should suit the Lacey Shrug from Knitty. I decided a shrug would be useful and we went out for dinner one evening with friends and I was a little chilly in my light, browny, orangey blouse and had to wear a fawn lightweight cotton ribbed cardigan. Not the sexiest. Not that I do sexy very often, but I'm trying to be less of a frump.

No more navel gazing..

It's time I stopped feeling so sorry for myself.

I opened the door this morning to let Poppy in who was doing her usual 'lets bark and show 'em who's boss around here' on the front door step. It was just dawn, enough light to see AND THE BIRDS WERE SINGING, they were tweeting and twittering and I know it's still early February but there is that hint of fresh softness in the air that promises so much.

I've just signed up for another Web-ring SpinKitties, not authorised yet so the links wont work just yet, but I'd better start posting some spinning and knitting pictures. I was looking at the membership list, (it's growing, get in quick!) and clicked on a few random ones as you do, and found this lovely poem by JR Tolkien posted by Katherine. I've never put 'reading poetry' as one of my pastimes, but, I do actually enjoy quite a lot, and find it moving and thought provoking. I enjoy the rhythm and sound of the words but I've never been able to remember and quote lines. Like many things, I remember the emotions, feelings, a general sense, an impression, rather than the actual words. Apart from Philip Larkin's "They f**k you up, your mum and dad.." that is.

Farm is up for sale

Well, we've done the deed and the farm will shortly be on the market. The estate agent thought it should sell by spring. I think that's agent-speak and very optimistic as they often are, I'm convinced it's going to be a long time and we will be in a sort of limbo for months. I am just in a very pessimistic mood. DH is much much happier now, he has been told by the agent that it's not worth spending more money and time on renovations so he's not, and having a well earned rest. I have very mixed feelings about it. I really want to be back in England but I feel overwhelmed by the whole prospect. We have so much to do beforehand, equipment to sell; loads of junk to sort and take to the decheterie (re-cycling and disposal) animals to sell or find homes for; downsizing from a farm to a tiny English home is going to be difficult. We are going to rent in the UK at first so that removes the anxiety of buying straight away. But, big decision last night, E asked if I wanted to keep any of the alpaca so we decided take the two young female alpaca, Bella (who should be pregnant), and Copper back home with us and find somewhere they can be liveried. But I don't understand me, I've been crying to myself every time I think of not having the alpaca around, they are just such magical animals, and I look out of my windows and can see them at any time. I should be very happy to think I will still have two, but I didn't feel that, I still feel worried and anxious about it all. I need to stop looking at the move as one whole gi-normous effort and break it down into manageable chunks. How do you eat an elephant? One bite at a time lol. There is one huge thing the house buying/selling French system has in it's favour. Once you have agreed a price with the purchaser, you exchange a binding contract within 10 days. In the UK sometimes this doesn't happen until the very end, it might even be the same day you have planned to complete the purchase, and it's not at all uncommon for things to go pear shaped and people withdraw at the last minute. So once we do finally have a buyer and contracts exchanged, we will have about 4 months to do the final preparations and move without the worry the vendors may change their minds.

My pre-occupation with all of this is not helping my 'healthy eating and exercise' plan. Our closest friends are coming over for a big Sunday lunch with us today - this is so we can tell them of our move - so, I'll start tomorrow.

I belong to Weight Loss Resources UK which enables you to log all of your food and exercise and so check you are eating the right amount of the right foods. It helped me lose 10bls last year which I've put on again. I now weigh exactly what I weighed 12 months ago, bum.

Next week I pledge to daily:

- use WLR and fill my diary in daily
- only eat while sitting down
- only eat with E
- get 1 hours exercise, walking or cycling
- drink 1.5 ltrs of water
- no alcohol for a week.

My strategies for achieving my goals

When ever I feel the urge to nibble - go and card some alpaca
Set a time for my exercise, don't think, just do it.
Plan and prepare our dinner just after lunch so that I can stay out of the kitchen when danger time approaches, early evening.
Just focus on one day at a time.