Fiber Raven Soiree

Remedies

I came home early from work after going by the doc's office for the usual "you are sick" diagnosis. I figured a good remedy would be to stop by Weaving Works on the way home.

While there, I met a lovely lady as we were both wandering through roving. She needed to be talked into buying the merino/tussah silk blend, and I needed to be pushed just a bit on the brown blue-faced leicester that ran like satin through my fingers. We both accomplished our tasks quite well. Here's the balm, a beautiful lot of shiny blue-faced roving:

Also, while at Caroline's house perusing the library at Lady Fiddletwist's Knitting Porch, I was convinced that Folk Vests should join the tomes in Mme Glitchbane's library. It leapt into my arms today. And then the Nancy Wiseman finishing techniques book caught my eye, so it came with me as well.

My newfound friend turns out to be a weaver and a spinner, and dyes a lot of her own fiber. After a great conversation, I picked up a little bag of dead animals to use in my own dyeing experiments (which I hope will be assisted by the Lady Lo). Oh all right, it is cochineal, but I didn't have a clue until today that cochineal are little tick-like varmints that cling to the side of cactus, did you? Along with the cochineal, I learned that I would need alum and cream of tartar.

Ermadine looked over my shoulder and told me I was spending too much money. She's right; I'm going to have to go on a spending diet. I'm also planning to recoup some of my recent expenditures by selling off some Stash. The Kaffe Fassett Spanish Combs kit and the Kaffe Fassett Leopard Skin Jacket kit, both with totally original Rowan yarns, will either be sold to someone who offers me a great price (hint, hint), or will go on eBay very soon. I love those designs, but practically speaking will never get around to knitting them. I'll be lucky to get Long Leaf Coat done, but it will get done at some point.

Someone asked me at MS&W about the Coat. She said that's why she read my blog, because of the coat. Well, didn't I feel like a heel! But frankly, so many negative things happened in my life around the time I was knitting the Coat, I needed to put it away until I can knit on it happily, the way it was meant to be. I'm getting there, but it's still not time. I'm going to keep monkeying around with other stuff first.

Here's the winning swatch for the Dancing Leaf handpainted yarn.

Ginger approves.