Dead Dragon

Well, it's official.  The cotton blend dragon sweater is dead.  Small and dead.  I think I'll throw it in the garbage today.  I don't want any further reminder of it...I don't even want to do other projects that I have 'on the runway' that are made with the same yarn.  So, the cotton dragon is dead.  Long live the Casade 220 Superwash dragon!  That's right...I stopped in at Unraveled in Monrovia on my way home from the spinning guild meeting (what fun it always is to see those pals!) and bought more yarn.  I said I would knit from stash until I'd worked it down, but there was nothing there for an appropriate dragon.  The munchkin has been promised, and he has been patient.

I initially didn't want wool due to our toasty climate, but in the end, it seemed like the best choice. And it's washable -- what a bonus!  I knit and steamed a swatch and gave it to munchkin for the softness test.  It passed!  So, I've cast on this morning (larger size of course!) and away we go.  Also, I did more intense web surfing and came up with this freebee...  Munchkin approves and requests it in red (good thing I bought a skein!)  The sweater will be dark gray...we'll see what embellishments it needs later! 

Thank you guild friends who suggested cross stitch...Theresa, I think that was you!  It looks so doable now, I might even try intarsia (Secret Pal Jen, any advice?)

Can I just interject here that I am so glad I joined the Greater Los Angeles Spinning Guild!  I don't care for the politics that seems to have been prevalent this year, but that's a small price to pay for meeting such interesting people who share of themselves and their expertise so freely.  At yesterday's meeting I got lots of encouragement with their approval of my cashemere/tussah skein.  My first laceweight!  I am so proud now that I know it cuts the mustard!  After the meeting a little group of us went to Down Beat Cafe for a wonderful lunch and chatting.  MellowTrouble sure knows herearea!  So great to see round and round, Fluffbuff, and Threads!  The four of you make the meetings for me! And I love that F. calls me on the carpet for being AWOL on my blog!  Thanks friend!

Beyond the dragon saga, I've been busy, busy, busy.  I started a 4 part natural dye workshop offered through Stick and Stone and we spend last Saturday applying the mordants to silk, cotton, and wool.  Also, Margarete (the instructor) had prepared avacodo pits and rinds for future dye use.  It looks disgusting! Okay, to be fair, the rind extract is nothing to get excited about, but the pits...well, they are the pits! Don't you want to just dig in? 

We are using extracts from Earthhues on future meetings, and I'm looking forward to handpainting as well.  The class includes 13 different natural dyes (we get to do cotton and wool with those), plus we have a couple of silk caps to dye or paint, and hankies.  We might also have some plant fiber bath mitts to add to pots...I'm thinking great Christmas gifts for friends!  I am hoping to walk away from this course with a better understanding of natural dyes, dying in general, and most of all, confidence to break out my stuff at home and start experimenting!

The realization is setting in that Christmas is coming soon and I'm not going to be giving only knitted gifts this year.  Maybe I just need to think smaller?

Comments

[Francesca]

Wow, you did all that after I saw you yesterday? You are getting a lot of stuff done, even though you did break the pledge to knit from stash. ;)
Your cashmere/silk skein is wonderful and I am truly impressed. It seems yesterday that you started to spin.

Your post reminded me that Christmas is just around the corner and I also want to make small things as presents this year. I always say that and never manage to do it, but maybe you'll help me remember?

[Rose]

I think that that dragon will be perfect. As always, it was wonderful to see you. Keep posting about how the dye class is going!

[Jen]

If you're doing the dragon in only red, I'd jump into intarsia. I think you'll like the result better than duplicate stitch, which can be bulky. Of course, I'm not very good at duplicate stitch, and my background always seems to show through. But the bottom line is do something you're comfortable doing; if you don't, the project will be torture.

I'm glad you posted today!

[andrea]

great dragon ;) and here's that online chart generator link i promised you: http://www.microrevolt.org/knitPro

so fun meeting up at the cafe yesterday ~ and see you on saturday, yay!