Saturday, September 16, 2017

knitting and dyeing




Butterflies were everywhere today, it was so cool. You sort of can't feel too bad about anything when there are dozens of butterflies fluttering around you. On flowers, in the grass, everywhere, some even brushed ever so lightly by my hair.

I am knitting more lately and if I'm not knitting I'm thinking about knitting...a little bag being worked with five needles...and more hexipuffs worked with three needles to someday be assembled into the beekeeper quilt. I feel like I've gently slipped into a groove where knitting comes easy so I'm going to ride it out as long as it lasts.

The Japanese indigo has been maturing for some time and I knew I couldn't delay much longer before the leaves would be unusable. It was perfect timing, the leaves were not only supple and abundant, their color held strong as well. I tried some simple shibori techniques that came out a little wonky but still...it was a glorious day and I am so happy with the outcome. I just wish I had been better prepared with a few skeins of naked yarn to dye.

I love these darker days with cooler nights and getting to wear a sweater again. I am rearranging tabletops all over the house with stones and candles and seed pods and acorns and whatever else I find. The other day when I was out walking Talula, a man in the neighborhood gave me a plastic grocery bagful of acorns he'd just picked off his lawn. I'd never seen so many acorns from one oak tree, it must have been the perfect year for them, unusual for here.

Thanks for visiting and happy weekending. I will either be knitting or thinking about it.

xx

6 comments:

  1. Oh my, my, my! So many beauties in every basket and pot. and OH THAT INDIGO !!!
    Lovely lovely...I love the cooler weather too though no butterflies yet here in NYC and it's actually kind of warmish. Still LOVE every minute.

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  2. Oh lovely fall! Love that indigo...great results! Glad to see your knittings again :) The little fox is so precious. Always a treat to come here!

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  3. Beautiful blues & butterflies! I bought some butterfly stamps yesterday because they were so cheery. It certainly is the beginning of knitting season, and I'm intrigued by that knitting pattern, trying to imagine how it begins? Off to look at the pattern...

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  4. 'it was a glorious day' and we can feel it/see it in your glorious pix. I love the season of sweater-donning, too. The blankets are back out on the couches! Your indigo cloth came out beautifully!

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  5. what a beautiful blue, you achieved!

    would the abundance of acorns, portend a heavy winter, i wonder?

    luna crone

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  6. Heartfelt thanks to you all for your lovely comments. Even though we had snow and freezing temperatures earlier in the week, there were still a few Painted Lady butterflies on my walk this morning. I read that it was a massive migration, the swath was apparently 70 miles wide in some places, I had never seen anything like this before, it was wonderful.

    I'm about to wash all the indigo-dyed cloth before these pieces find either new homes or another purpose in life! :) xoxo

    Luna, I wonder that too -- about the acorns and a heavy winter...stay tuned!

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