Grizelda’s sweater turned her into a… well… sweater.
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Ok, this last minute thing is getting out of hand, eh? Oh well, better late than never!
Grizelda’s sweater turned her into a… well… sweater.
…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….
Ok, this last minute thing is getting out of hand, eh? Oh well, better late than never!
Cats can knit themselves into a sweater if they play hard enough.
Something super quick for this week. I’d like to be able to say that my cat gets herself into these adorable predicaments, but unfortunately she’s much too smart and snooty to play with a ball of yarn…I’ve tried many a times..although she did get her head stuck on a plastic bag handle one time in which we learned that our cat can fly from one end of the room to another in 2 seconds flat!
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“If you’re a dog, and your owner suggests you wear a sweater, suggest that he wear a tail!”
_Fran Lebowitz
Want to try dyeing things but don’t know where to start?
A reader wrote me recently asking for help.
Where to start, what to read?
The easiest kind of dyeing to start with is food dye on animal fibers. I love this because you can do it in the kitchen with grocery-store items, the results are super-satisfying, and the kids can join in.
What are animal fibers? Wool, silk, cashmere, you get the idea
Wool and Cashmere:
You can do some beautiful things with Kool-Aid and wool, and IT WILL NEVER WASH OUT.
Kool-Aid (or Easter egg dye) and wool yarn is a perfect starter project, especially if you knit. You can dye it with a rainbow of colors, using your microwave. Check out this article for details. Lion Brand makes an undyed 100% wool yarn called Fisherman’s Yarn that is very reasonably priced. I used to buy it at Hobby Lobby, but it may also be available at Michael’s and other craft stores. Knitpicks also sells undyed yarn, in a wider variety of weights and variations. Their prices are very reasonable also, but you do have to order it. Also try dharmatrading.
You can dye pieces of old wool or cashmere sweaters in a similar way, but it’s a little tricky—-you should be prepared for uneven results. Here’s a project of mine with Easter egg dye on cashmere. I would recommend starting with a light-colored sweater and dyeing smaller pieces (an arm or less) at a time, as a sweater acts like a sponge to the dye, absorbing the color before it gets the chance to circulate around the fabric.
The process is similar to the yarn-dyeing project, but use a larger amount of dye and a larger container, on the stove instead of the microwave. I used my big soup pot. The same process should work for wool and cashmere wovens, though I’ve never tried it.
Silk:
Kool-Aid, Easter egg dye, or food coloring also works well on silk. I’ve used it to make playsilks, with the directions here. I’ve also dip-dyed silk scarves, which you can see here. After heat-setting, these dyes are not quite as colorfast as in wool and cashmere, so I would recommend hand-washing, but the bleeding is very little. Also, dry out of direct sunlight.
With any dyeing project, there’s a certain amount of risk involved. You never know exactly what your finished project is going to look like, and for me, that’s part of the thrill. Be prepared for that uncertainty, because even if your project turns out beautifully, chances are it won’t be exactly as you envisioned.
More about other kinds of dyeing soon.
I had the most fabulous weekend at my friend Kara’s place, complete with chickens, a new puppy, home-cooked meals (including homemade pasta and shortbread), silly romantic comedies and lots and lots of outside time. I returned home content but feeling rather under the weather, however. I’m still a little foggy in the brain but it’s been a while since I posted and I want to share a couple things with you.
Kara and I went to the infamous Alameda Flea Market on Sunday. It is HUGE. Almost too big in my opinion as it was a bit overwhelming. About halfway through the booths (we were bent on walking down every aisle), I looked down the center towards the remaining booths and said “Are you kidding me?” (Actually, I also used an expletive or two. What can I say, my feet were killing me!) That being said, Kara totally scored some house stuff that she needed and I got a few things as well.
The Anthropologie-esque bird and dogwood plate (above) only set me back $1! Isn’t it pretty? I’m sure the vendor regretted quoting me the low price since my response was to gasp and then whip out my wallet.
This is not the greatest picture of an adorable granny sweater I also found there. The color is a little more turquoise-y than in the photo. Vintage sweaters never fit me but this one does surprisingly. Plus I’ve been on the lookout for a wool lace cardigan so I had to get it! I also picked up some silver-plated teaspoons (all with different patterns, naturally) since my husband and I always run out of those first, and a silver-plated cake server that I’ve been “needing” for a while.
Anyway I’m still drinking lots of tea today, trying to take it easy and enjoying the gloom while I get back into work. I hope you all have a lovely Wednesday!
Absolutely adorable. I love this
Love the play on words AND the beautiful drawing!
ha! I just posted mine at beyond the last minute! I like yours much better than mine… you always come up with fun ideas.
Too cute and funny as usual aina?
It’s silly and I love it.
Been there . . .
Love that tongue and expression! Great “sweater” Linda! You rocked the topic…..again!!!
What a really great sketch and such a fantastic idea!! Love it!!
I love this illustration! Great job!
Hahaha what is it about giraffes and sweaters Love this…the sketchy style is beautiful!