Friday evening, my husband was out with friends and I decided to take advantage of the peace and quiet at home to make a mess of things by Kool-Aid dying some yarn. I had three skeins of Patons Classic Wool to dye and when it came time for rinsing and ringing out, it was too much of a job for my kitchen sink.
It was a little after midnight when I took three dripping wet skeins of newly dyed wool out in to my front yard. I had heard that one of our neighbors had had a truck vandalized Thursday night, which is extremely unusual as I neighborhood is known for peace and quite and basic lack of nonsense, but I was not concerned.
I'm sure you already know this but I am very enthusiastic about dying yarn with Kool-Aid (as with many yarn related things.) The Kool-Aid trick, though, is like magic to me. I am fascinated and I feel the need to tell everyone about it. Also, I am absolutely a night owl and the later it gets, the cheerier I feel.
When I first went outside, there were two police cars driving down the street very slowly with their lights out. I didn't think much of it, and went about my business. Apparently they don't see a lot of this sort of thing in our town late at night because as they came back up the street, one of the police officers got out of his car and, shining his flashlight in my direction, came over to see what I was up to.
We said hello and then he asked what I was doing so I explained to him that I was dying yarn with Kool-aid and before I could stop myself, I said, "See? Smell it - it smells all fruity like Kool-aid!" Apparently yarn dying is too much excitement for me because I just burst out with things like that to the nice police officer!
He smiled, a smile that I imagine is usually reserved for lunatics. Then he said, "Umm, ma'am? Do you frequently dye yarn in your front yard in the middle of the night?" And I answered, of course, "Not nearly as often as I'd like to."
I hear myself talking and my inner voice is saying "SHUT UP!" but my mouth just keeps going.
Eventually, I guess, he determined that I was harmless (maybe nuts, but harmless) so he walked back to the other officer's car and I heard him say, "She's dying yarn. With Kool-Aid" (Pause) "No seriously."
On the left, 5 packets of lime kool-aid and one packet of grape. On the right, my first attempted at multi-color dying. 3 packets each of lemonade, orange, strawberry and black cherry. The third skein went on to its new home before I had a chance to photograph it.
SOCK IT TO ME
In sock news, thank you all so so much for your input. I decided to start over on the Size 1 needles, with different yarn (Austermann Step that I overdyed to make it more murky) and 88 stitches. I've ditched the ribbing (I know, I am a wuss) and I am about 4 inches along on the leg. This is much better. At first it seemed really big but I am trusting the math. I think it is going to be right this time. (I am eternally hopefully.)
BREAKING NEWS:
Edited to Add: It has come to my attention that our town has a new yarn store. It is about 1/2 mile from my house. Apparently it has been there about a month. I am so excited I can hardly stand it. And I'm also appalled that I am so late in receiving this news. From the description the informant gave me, I have past it a minimum of 20 times in the last month. Obviously my skills of observation are rusty.
This is a hectic week but I am oh so very hopeful that I will be able to get over there tomorrow evening, as I'm told that Wednesday evenings from 7-9 is "Open House". Wish me luck. I'll keep you posted.
Today's Quote:
“There is so much good in the worst of us, And so much bad in the best of us, That it ill behooves any of us, To find fault with the rest of us.” -Author Unknown
