Happy Monday!

I should know better than to point my head in a particular direction when I’m about to dye the week’s collection of Blog Reader Specials — almost invariably, I get my yarns ready, get the week’s dyes ready, and then BOOM! The yarns, the dyes, the water, the steamer…. they all conspire against me to do what they want. Most of you know that I am not the dyer for week-in/week-out consistency. I tried that for a while, but without matching color consistency and computer-controlled water quality and other factors, I quit beating myself up for not  being perfect. I quite writing down color recipes and learned instead to just “go with the (dye) flow”, doing things my own way instead of trying to be like other dyers.

So, anyway, I set out yesterday to try something, but then didn’t like what I saw lying there on my work space. So, I tried to ‘correct’ it, then wrapped it in the pouch and went on to the next Twinset to dye. The result is that I discovered how to create the look that I’d been aiming for several years ago — a soft, multi-color layered effect that works for mottled color socks, but also good for lacework because of how the individual colors visually move in and out of focus. I have attempted it several times over the years, with only moderate success.   I just need to use smaller blips of colors for an even better effect.

So, what I thought was a mistake yesterday turned out to be a happy surprise, and I learned something to add to my arsenal. Or repertoire. Or whatever it is called … my range of techniques.

Now that I have figured out how to get this particular result, I will do it again next week with different colors.  The technique involves applying 3 or 4 distinct dyes, and then “washing” them in a way that those original colors drift into each other and create still more colors by the blending.  Because it is both art and science, each Twinset is unique and part of it is not easily duplicated.  I can mimic the application of dye, but then leave it to physics to produce the end result.  But then, that’s pretty much my specialty.  🙂

There are no single-dye solids in this week’s collection; that is, I didn’t use dye from just one jar of dye powder or one single jar of prepared dye solution.  A few look like solids because the blended dyes work well together.  Even Twinset #253-254 is a blend of purple with some red, done as a dip-dye.  Twinset #273-274 is a blend of spruce, teal, and navy.

These are all on Phydlbitz Sock (75/25 Superwash Corriedale/Nylon, 430 yards) and are normally $27.50.  If you claim your favorites today (Monday) you can have any of this week’s collection (BRS23 – #253 – 276) for just $25.50 (i.e., $2.00 off each skein).

To claim the ones you want, send me an email request noting your numbered selections.  I’ll mark requests off from the Available Yarns tally chart below so other can see which yarns remain available at the time of their visit.

Available Yarns
Rack 1 – 253, 254, 255, 256, 257, 258, 259, 260, 261, 262, 263, 264
Rack 2 – 265, 266, 267, 268, 269, 270, 271, 272, 273, 274, 275, 276

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