Aren't they pretty? Each color shown was dyed over Patons Classic Merino in Winter White on the left, and Natural Mix on the right. My second try at the green - this time remembering to add the acid! - was a great success. The colors were (from left to right and all Wilton Icing Dyes) Pink, Delphinium Blue, and Leaf Green. My favorite is the D. Blue over the Natural Mix. The yarn came out subtley variegated with purples and blues.
I don't know if that was just a happy coincidence or if it was because I stirred it without first wiping the pink off my spoon - but I don't think enough of the pink would've been still on the spoon to cause such variation. It's wonderful though and I hope I can replicate it when I do it on a larger - 6 skein - scale. This is the only one I've swatched so far. I think this would make a nice Oblique, but I might make a vest instead. Decisions, decisions.
Ms. Purplejeans, as she is known on Ravelry, is ready for her ribbed edging. I'm disappointed in myself for not trying to match dyelots. I knew that two of my skeins were of a different dye lot - heck, I could even see the difference - but I went ahead. It's pretty obvious. The photo above was taken without the flash and it's harder to tell, but with the flash, it is glaring.
I think I'll pack it up and take it to Michael's tomorrow and try to get another ball to match better. As it is, I don't think I have enough for the edging - at least not of the same dyelot. I'd like to be able to do it as a continuous piece and not have to join a new ball.
I've enjoyed making this sweater so far. The pattern is straightforward and easy to follow and it was super easy to do the cables without a cable needle. I don't think the dyelot issue will deter me from wearing it, but I have a backup plan should I find it too irritating to look at. I have enough of each dyelot leftover to run some overdye tests. If I have to, I'll see if I can't overdye them to be reasonably consistent. It's already so dark though that I don't want to do too much to it. We'll cross that bridge if/when we come to it.
As I ponder the fate of the 6 balls of yarn next to me, I've decided I need a niddy noddy. I'd love a swift, but at the moment, a niddy noddy is of a more pressing need. I usually wind my yarn into skeins over one end of my kitchen island, but that's starting to wear on my nerves. Plus, let's face it, I want to be one of the cool kids and niddy noddies are cool! I have some money floating around in Paypal after my recent sales and could definitely treat myself, however I just found some instructions for making a PVC niddy noddy. This could accomplish several things.
First, it's cheap. Second, it's immediate. Third, it's doggone resourceful....and fourth, the cold weather killed my van's battery yesterday and I need a good excuse to take a short drive to help build up the charge. B. has rounded the corner of his cold so perhaps after he's had his daily Wii fix, we'll go for a little drive.
In the meantime, I'd better quit daydreaming about yarn and get back to work!
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