Dye day (first of several)

In a moment of insanity back in June, I volunteered to dye t-shirts for the American Romeldale/CVM Association booth at Oregon Flock and Fiber Festival later this month.

I had gotten the logo-printed shirts, ball caps and canvas totes a couple of months ago, but set them aside. However, with the deadline looming, and now that life had resumed a more normal attitude (see Polymath Chronicles), it was time.

I asked a friend if she wanted to come help, and Sue came this morning. I had already washed all the stuff, and set up the location for the dyeing. We were going to Ice dye them (see instructions here). I'd done a little of this one other time but this would be a larger scale project - 22 t-shirts, 6 ball caps and 4 tote bags.

After lunch (have to fortify yourself, you know!), we set to dyeing. I forgot to take pictures of the process, but we had soaked all of the shirts, etc. in soda ash water (the fixative for fiber reactive dyes) while eating. We pulled them out, squeezed them, and scrunched them up on the racks over the stock tanks (to catch the drips). Then we spread 60 lbs. of ice over the top of them, and sprinkled dye powder over them.

We ended up with a color spectrum from one end of the racks to the other - it was really cool. After the dye was applied, we covered it with plastic wrap, held down with rocks to keep the wind from removing it. I decided to invert my skirting table over top of the whole thing as additional insurance.

Since it's cooling down into the 40's at night, I'll leave it through the day tomorrow to set the dye. Then, I'll toss everything onto the skirting table and rinse with the hose until clear. Monday, I'll wash them and dry them, and they'll be done.

Then I can start on the dyeing I need to do for my own inventory! Should be fun - I have some new fiber to dye - it will be interesting to see how it turns out!

I did finish one thing, however!

Along with the aborted weaving project, I was working on something for me to wear. I had this yarn that I had dyed years and years ago, which seredipitously matched the dress I was wearing to the wedding. I had two large balls of it, and it's a 50/50 blend of wool and silk. I thought it would be great in lace. You may remember the attempt to make a mitered chart (here) for a triangular shawl. I used the same edging but straight, not mitered. More on the charts later (warning, rant ahead). When I blocked that sample, it was wonderfully crisp, but drapey.

I had originally decided to make a shawl, but part way through thought that I could make a tunic, if I knit two halves and grafted them at the shoulder. But, of course! So that's what I did.

I finished knitting the night before last. I grafted it last night, but was too tired and my eyes were shot from all the smoke in the air, so I blocked it today.

On the blocking table (love blocking wires...):

Though it looks like there's no place for my head, it's a boat/slit opening, and it's being blocked closed to make the lace the same.

A close up of the body lace:

And the edging:

Ok, here's the rant: Both of these charts are in Knitted Lace of Estonia, by Nancy Bush. I purchased this book because I love knitting lace, and cables, and... ok, I just love knitting. But this one had been highly touted, and I bought it. Later, when I tried to knit one of the patterns, it wouldn't work, despite many tries. I'm not a beginner knitter - I know how to balance decreased with yo's and to count stitches - these didn't line up. I looked online, and there was errata for almost half of the patterns in this book. In knitting this project, I found 1 glaring one, and one minor one. The glaring one is is the edging. On row 25, you can't have the double decrease and 4 r/l decreases with only 4 yo's. You're losing more stitches than you're making. I just left out two of the opposing r/l decreases, and it worked fine. When working the body, after having found the previous error, I was confused as to why there were 3 right-leaning decreases and only 1 left-leaning. I looked at the picture with the chart (on page 125, if you care). It's UPSIDE DOWN! Now how would a newbie know to turn the book over? They wouldn't.

Understand that I don't in any way, shape or form blame Nancy Bush for this. It's purely Interweave Press's fault. This is not the first time I've discovered errors in their knitting patterns. After several condescending emails about another, I finally reamed the person on the other end a new one. They don't realize what a disservice they're doing to their readers. If they intend to keep promoting knitting, weaving, spinning, etc., they'd better get their patterns right. Otherwise, people will think that it's them, and that they just can't knit lace, or weave placemats, or whatever.

End of Rant.

I'm really please with how this turned out. Of course, I still have to seam the sides, but I'll do that Friday when I'm in Reno, staying at Mim's. The wedding isn't until Saturday, so I have plenty of time.  Right...

There will be no completion before the wedding...

After I broke a warp thread adjusting the lease sticks (I haven't used them for years, and now I know why!!), and then broke the cords holding the rod to the warp beam, I gave up. Add to those things, the warp is a snarled mess, and there's 9 yards of it. I will fix my loom after I get home, and try again.

I may not use the valet, though I like the concept, I'm wondering if it just won't work for my 8/2 cotton - it's too fragile. With linen or wool, I'll give it a try.

Having made that decision has been enormously freeing - I was a basket case yesterday (mini-meltdowns all day long), because I had FAILED... Interesting that Laura's blog yesterday covered just this topic.

So. Deeply breathing (and trying not to cough in the smokey air), I'm getting other things done, and I'll be ready to leave on Thursday morning.

It's not the end of the world, it's an opportunity to try something else.