Happy Sunday!

Last week I tried an experiment with doing a collection of DumpDyes.  This week I tried a different experiment in which I prepared dyes by mixing dye powders into the jars to create new colors, or new variations of colors, like mixing Peacock Blue with Sea Spray, or blending Espresso with Teddy Bear Brown.  Some of the blends turned out as expected, while others did not.

For example, I blended 1 full measure of Sunflower Yellow with 1/4 measure Navy.  These were thoroughly mixed in the jar and I used hot water to ensure all the dye powders dissolved.  The Sunflower Yellow on its own usually comes out a slightly brown-ish yellow, so I expected some shade of olive green because of the portion of Navy.   On Twinset #467-468 I poured the mixed dye directly onto the center of the hanks side by side and tried to smoosh the dye to the ends, anticipating an olive green fade. Apparently the Sunflower Yellow and the Navy strike in different ways, so that pretty much just the Navy faded out to the ends.  I doubt the colors would have separated if I had just left it alone.   Ahh well, live and learn, right?

Nearly all of yesterday’s dyes were created by blending in the jar, except for the Black which I ended up not using at all, and the leftover green from last week.

The last Twinset, #475-476 is the only actual DumpDye, done by dumping the last bits of most of  my colors onto the yarn in the resting bowl.  I personally think this would make an amazing lace shawl, as would Twinsets #453-454, 459-460 and #469-470.    Some of the others would work up into some amazing self-striping Spiral Stripe socks or a lightweight hat.

One of my challenges as a dyer is trying to figure out what my regular customers want in the way of colorways or dye techniques.  What do you make with my yarns, and what sort of colorways or dye techniques feed your creative energies?  It’s not always easy to look at a finished skein and know how it was dyed; that’s why I like to show the yarns drying on the racks fresh from the wash so you can see all the colors on each skein, as well as determine the proportions and sequences of the different colors.

I dye sock yarns as Twinsets partly for my own convenience but also so you can have enough yarn for larger-than-socks projects, like shawls, cowls, hats, baby blankets. etc.   For each Twinset I rotate one skein around, and then turn the bottoms of each skein to give a full idea of what each skein or Twinset is.  Twinsets are dyed side-by-side and are as identical as I can make them, but I do recommend alternating skeins every 2 or 3 rows to avoid pooling and to avoid the obvious color shift that happens when you finish one skein before starting a new one, if you are using both skeins in a project.  But there is no obligation to take both skeins of a pair if you only want one.

All of these week’s yarns are Phydlbitz Sock (75/25 Superwash Corriedale/Nylon, 430 yards) and are normally $27.50 per skein.  For Sunday and Monday, you may take each of this new collection (BRS23 – #453 – 476) for $25.50.

All of my yarns are one-of-a-kind dye jobs, and are available first-come first-served.  Having probably done thousands of yarns over the last 16+ years, it is impossible for me to come up with new colorway names, so they are all numbered in sequence through the year.

To claim the ones you want, send me an email with your numbered requests.  I will mark them off on the Available Yarns tally chart below and then send you a PayPal invoice. It is fine if you don’t have  a PayPal account — they will process your credit/debit card just fine.

I expect to have this week’s collection dried, reskeined, labeled and ready to ship on or about Wednesday.

Available Yarns
Rack 1 – 453, 454, 455, 456, 457, 458, 459, 460, 461, 462, 463, 464
Rack 2 – 465, 466, 467, 468, 469, 470, 471, 472, 473, 474, 475, 476

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