Vacation in Grand Tetons NP and Yellowstone NP

This is where I'll be in a couple of days! We're off for a vacation of hiking, rafting, driving, reading, eating, relaxing, and sightseeing. And I'll be taking several knitting projects along, so I can get back to knitting again and away from the dye studio (which is always calling my name when I'm at home).


I shipped off my order to woolgirl so Jen should be putting it up on her shop next week sometime.


I plan to knit Cookie A's Hedera socks in the Gunsmoke colorway! Hey, I guess it's fitting to knit with this while I'm out west. I'll be casting on while we're waiting for our flight to board. Can't wait!


And I'll be taking several books to read too. I think I'll start with The Outlander. Hmmm... haven't decided what other books to take along.

a fun weekend dyeing new colorways

Hi everyone, I had a fun weekend dreaming up new colorways. I love greens and have been working to get a rich, deep avocado plus I decided to pair it up with an awesome, mixed violet! I am so happy with how it turned out. Meet "Casablanca"!

The colors kept reminding me of North Africa, Moroccan colors so I decided to name it "Casablanca". Yum!

a tour of my dye studio

I thought you might be interested in a small tour of my dye studio which is in the basement of our home. This photo shows the dye area where I presoak the yarn, mix the dyes, and and dye the yarn. I have a view of a 80 foot white oak directly out my windows, thus the name White Oak Studio.



This photo shows how I dye the yarn in small batches.


I'll post more info and pictures about my dyeing soon!

Knitter's virtual vacation questionnaire

I grew up in Michigan, but I currently live in North Carolina, and the American West owns my heart!

1. If you could visit any state in the US, which would it be and why? Montana - I love the west and Montana is simply breath-taking.
2. If you could visit any country in the world, other than your own, which would it be and why? Greece. I've never been there and think the Greek islands look amazing.
3. Have you ever driven across several states/providence/countries? oh yes, many times, my family drove from Michigan to Washington every summer. We took different routes, even via Canada several times.
4. Have you ever visited someplace you consider exotic? Where was it? I visited Prague in 1986 while there was still an Iron Curtain ala the Soviet Union and it seemed very exotic at the time.
5. What was your favorite "travel" vacation? Why? There have been many but one amazing one was a 3 week trip from NC to Chicago via plane, from Chicago to Seattle via train with a stop in Glacier National Park, biking and camping from island to island in the San Juan islands, and then back to NC. During the trip we visited my brother in Chicago and my wonderful aunts and uncles in Washington, where my parents also flew in to visit. Quite a trip.
6. Have you ever played tourist in your own home city/state (if international, country)? Explain. When we first moved to NC we visited the entire state - the Outer Banks, drove down the Atlantic coast, and also went all over the NC mountains on the Blue Ridge parkway.
7. Are you a museum visitor, beach comer or an amusement seeker? definitely not amusement seeker. probably a bit more beachcomber than museum visitor but that is a close call, in general we are more outdoorsy than museum folks but we definitely do both.
8. What's your favorite type of yarn? right now it's sock yarn, any kind, although I have been wanting to try a cotton blend or a bamboo blend.
9. What's your least favorite type of yarn? not into mohair
10. What items do you like to knit/crochet? sleeveless tanks and socks
11. What do you pack, knit/crochet wise when you go on vacation? whatever I'm currently knitting
12. What other crafts do you do/would like to do other than Knit/Crochet? right now my other crafts are art quilting and oil painting
13. Are you allergic to anything? (Yarn wise or treat wise) nope.
14. What is your favorite color? Least Favorite? favorite is red. least is...pastels
15. Sweet or Savory (Treat not personality)? savory
16. Anything else we are forgetting to ask that you think your partner desperately needs to know? I love coffee! And I love to read.

woolgirl will be carrying my yarn!

I'm very excited to announce that woolgirl www.woolgirl.com will be carrying my yarn! Jen is running a contest related to my tvyarn on her blog http://woolgirl.typepad.com/woolgirl/2007/06/woolgirl_wants_.html so be sure to go over there and place your entry in the contest.

www.woolgirl.com has an amazing selection of hand-dyed yarn by indie dyers and I am flattered to be part of this gang. woolgirl also has a monthly newsletter - here is the newsletter for may http://www.woolgirl.net/Wooly%20Woolgirl%20Newsletter2.pdf

thanks secret pal!

My secret pal from sp10 sent me another awesome package! Look at all the goodies! thanks pal!