“Improvisational Potions” Class

I bought some Bare yarn from KnitPicks.com last year to experiment with Potions for Knitting, but I didn't have everything I thought I needed to do it -- warm sunny days, place to hang it outside, time, swift ... well for my birthday this year 'hubby' bought me a wooden swift to make winding yarn a breeze. So when we packed for vacation I made sure I remembered the Kool-Aid, the yarn, and my monster Swift!! (I got the biggest I could find so I wouldn't have to upgrade later).

Okay I didn't have any vinegar on vacation … I know, I know … how hard would it have been to go to the store? And if the little local store were rebuilt after the fire last year making it a total loss (thank goodness it didn't hit the gas tanks) I probably would have – I love little local stores – but I decided to do a bit of experimenting.

So I used the regular Kool-aid instructions I got from KnitPicks.com (they have a pdf here) but instead I added 2 T of Kosher salt to the soak water, 1 – 1½ tsp salt to the dye, and didn't let it cool completely before rinsing (only to the point where I could handle it) … I also didn't wash the superwash wool first …

I soaked the yarn for about 3-4 hours before use but because I only had a single container to cook it all in I kept the hanks not being dyed in the water until it was their turn.

So how did it turn out?

Here are the colors: single packet unless noted.

1. Lemonade (3 packets)
2. Orange
3. Pink Lemonade (2 packets)
4. Strawberry
5. Berry Blue
6. Grape
7. Black Cherry
8. Cherry
9. Lemonade (2 packets) & enough Berry Blue to make green
10. Soaring Strawberry Lemonade (1 packet) & rest of Berry Blue

Number 10 is a lovely Mauve and number 9 is what my son calls 'Froot Loops Green', I think it is more of an Aqua myself.

The Strawberry (#4) I thought was going to be a bright Pink and it turned into a wonderful Strawberry Red … not as red as the Cherry but a nice comfy red. The Blackberry (#7) is a deep red … not as deep as I thought it would be though, I was expecting it to be almost a maroon but it is just a deep red.

Most of the yarn is marled/splotchy colored but it would be okay… it should give some wonderful shading.

I kept the hanks very small so I could get a good sampling – I'm not sure what I can do with such small hanks, but it will be interesting to try it out and see.

Now they say that Super-washed wool isn't supposed to felt…but mine seemed to felt up a bit … maybe it's just the characteristics of wool in general to stick to itself – I've never dyed my own yarn before so I don't know.

This could be great fun to play with.

Confusion

I'm very confused right now -- according to the email I got from KnitPicks they shipped out my book order on July 21st, the website gave a tracking number but no list of service.

I had assumed that it was USPS since it was just books - makes sense, its cheaper -- so I tracked the package on their site.

But the USPS site said that they didn't get notice that a package was coming until yesterday.

I've run into this before with other companies though - so my guess is the problem (lagging reports) is coming from the USPS.

I was hoping I would have my books for vacation - so I can start finding patterns for my partner's socks .... I want a variety of patterns picked so when I learn my partner's house I can decide whichone would be best.

After all a pattern for Gryffindor red/gold would not look as nice in Ravenclaw blue/silver .... a pattern good from Slytherin emerald/silver would not be good for Hufflepuff yellow/black. (I've already had a Hufflepuff partner so I hope I get one of the other houses).
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Follow up: *11:37pm CDT

Okay checked the USPS site again tonight and now they say the package is already in the main distribution center and should be here probably tomorrow.

Had a feeling the issue was with the post office and not Knit Picks -- I've never had a problem with them.

So cool

Okay so I just heard back from Knit Picks on their policies concerning .pdf patterns for sale. I asked how many copies of a pattern I could print up from a purchased .pdf pattern -- after all I don't want to cause any issues with copyright.

The answer back was that I could print up as many as the program would let me as long as I did not make any money from them (they didn't not specify if this meant that I couldn't make up the item and sell it ... but then that isn't really going to be an issue for me).

But it would be nice if I buy one for my partner if I could keep one copy for myself just in case the package goes awry with the mail -- okay, I'll be honest .... I want to keep a copy for myself, because the one I'm thinking of if really really cute - but it will all depend on my partners tastes.

After all if she turns out to be a he it won't work ... or if she is 56 yrs old, it won't work for her either as it is really a rather 'young' pattern (although I'm not all that young, I know hubby would love them on me - I'm so naughty)

But like I said - its not a pattern for everyone so I will have to see.

I will probably get a pattern from KnitPicks though ... I like their instant download idea. I only wish that iPods could show .pdf files so I could take them with me. BUT like I said, I will have to see who my partner is.

Partner received!

Okay I got my partners name....Cliodna....I have no idea how to pronounce it! She's a HUFFLEPUFF! Well it was the one house I thought would offer the most challange for sock making...and I'm always up for a challenge.

I checked out her blog and see that she is from someplace that was rather rainy this summer...she made it sound like she expected to see a line of animals, 2x2, walking down the street so that much rain must be very unusual. Well that explains it...her profile says she's from Texas. I talked to Linda (old family friend on my hubby's side) and she said it is just terrible down there! We could have used part of it up here though....the corn is looking mighty shabby (it tasseled at only 4ft....they aren't going to be worth selling at that size...more to put up for winter I suppose...it just isn't going to help the kids pay for school expenses this year I guess)

She has poodles...I adore poodles. My dog, Trouble, was a poodle and I really miss him still even though its been 18 yrs since... I never did get the CDX on him, he just could not get the jump down...he kept "spiking" it. That is walk up to the back side then just jump straight up and over, then continue on to see me. I thought it looked cute, but my trainer said it was really bad form and he would be marked off for it. I shouldn't have listened, I should have tried it to see for myself---I still think it was really cure!

Anyways, I digress...like this is unusual? Back to my partner...LOL.

I need to ask her about her circumference measurements though....I'm not quite sure what she means by one of them.

She knows KnitPicks...she has them listed as her favorite needle...so I'm hoping this means that she will use a less expensive yarn (so many people are looking at yarns that cost like $12-25 that it scares me....I can't do that)...I like Knit Pick yarns too.

And smart, in the profile they have a "random" question to offer and she was very much correct...although spoons evolved from cups& bowls and were actually rather dissimular from forks until it became fashion to have place settings, and they actually developed about the same time from what I've read...I could be wrong, I'm no anthropologist.