silk-dyed egg sampler

The first days of Spring.....

Last Spring's silk-dyed eggs faded a bit but a once-over with olive oil revived them. They weren't boiled or blown, yet are still intact with no smell. (Correction: They were cooked from the dyeing process.) Some of the eggs find their own perfect resting positions, depending on the placement and weight of the yolk inside, which is sort of funny. I've read that eventually the yolk will dry out leaving each one as light as a blown egg. I'm thinking about a little sampler of some sort using the leftover silks -- just playing around with it at this point though.

A purple February lady sweater inspired by Elizabeth Zimmerman's February baby sweater is my next big (for me) knitting project. I'm swatching the Rowan linen/cotton now but there's no rush -- because along with hundreds of lady sweaters on Ravelry and the internet are dozens of tips on making and measuring the sweater and I want to read them all. I think it should be called the i-hope sweater because every time I think about it, I find myself saying I hope it fits, I hope I make the right size, I hope the yarn isn't difficult, I hope.....over and over.

The little felteds are sweet reminders of a time with friends needle-poking wool and fingers. And there's the broccoli protected with chicken wire from dog and rabbit but no chicken.

Thanks for coming by. And Happy Spring-time/Autumn-time! xx

minty moonday

 

Since it's time to think about what to grow this year, I needed to taste-test the dried chocolate mint, Mentha piperita, to see if it's a go or not. It's too bad it sat so long in the cupboard. I think I thought I was saving it for something special. 

 

That's a Celestial Seasoning Mint Magic teabag in cup 1, dried chocolate mint in cup 2, and both in cup 3. I brought the kettle to a boil and let it sit off-heat for 10-15 seconds because mints don't like boiling water. Mints also turn bitter if steeped too long -- 4 minutes was stretching it but I like my herbal teas strong.

 



The color of the chocolate mint is much lighter and looks to be weaker but oh boy don't ever go by that alone. What I decided is that chocolate mint is most definitely worth growing, and more of it.  I like it best as a simple -- that means one herb only -- even a small amount overpowered the Mint Magic, which is a blend. And, my old favorite, Mint Magic, will continue to be just that.

 

This dandelion clump is going into a salad today. The before and after of the felted nest follows. It felted up nicely and I think it'll be a good thread holder.

 

Today is a waxing moonday in the sign of Gemini, just two days from equal light and dark. Waxing moons favor growth so our time is well-spent nurturing, enriching, fertilizing, building, and strengthening plants, soil, projects and intentions. Airy Gemini days are great for making changes, moving from one thing to another easily, and chatty get-togethers. The shoulders, arms and hands are most affected by Gemini.

 

Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday with the moon in the sign of moist and fruitful Cancer will be ideal days for sowing seeds in the garden. It's a little early for us here in Colorado but if the weather holds, I have potatoes and onion sets to plant.

 

To growing! And mint tea.....



felted nest





What you see is the unfelted nest. Felting it is probably going to take a while because I'll be doing it by hand -- my energy-saving washing machine doesn't agitate so it can't be used for felting. Next time we need a new washer I'll be looking for one with the biggest agitating fins on the market!

 

The eucalyptus-dyed cotton blouse has been sunk into the oak leaf/lightning water dye-pot in the garden. First I bundled it inside out with red onion skins sprinkled all over and then whispered a few encouraging words. I have high hopes, I tell you.

 

I refilled the suet feeder with nesting materials today, all taken out of the wastebasket in the sewing room, it hadn't been emptied for a while.

 

The wheel of the year turns on. For some reason, maybe L-tryptophan, I am adjusting to the daylight savings business better than usual this year. We've had lovely sunny days lately so the snow is nearly all melted into the earth, and it feels soft and cushy. The honeybees just went through yet another jar of sugar nectar -- I feel that they are hungry for more than what I can give them. Hopefully the silver maple trees will bloom soon and all worries will be vanquished. Here in Colorado the silver maples are usually the first species to bloom, but until we had the bees I didn't realize they even bloomed at all.

 

And happy weekending to you and thanks for visiting. xxx 



calendar cloth moon

Another wonky house under a calendar cloth moon for February's moon art. A wonky eye, too -- this was so fun to make.

 

Last week I collected a beautiful clump of moss that ended up in a tuna can on top of the terrarium in the sewing room. Come to think of it, maybe it felt so good to stitch the moon cloth because of the plants that are steadily populating the sewing room lately.

 

That's a felted nest started from the book Knitalong -- the details are on my Ravelry page -- just set up a link on my sidebar if you'd like to take a peek. It's still in process though.

 

We just used the last of the garden tomatoes in a big batch of soup -- found a package of lamb's quarters from 2011 hidden in the freezer and it was just fine. I'm ready to start planting. So ready.

  

Today is a new moonday in Pisces. Sensitive Pisces magnifies our yearnings, feelings of empathy, emotions, intuition, imagination -- and any issues around our feet, our under-standing. A new moon is when to plant seeds for new beginnings, new projects, new habits, thinking, reactions, and so on. And to energize our desires by making new moon wishes.

This is one of the best days of the whole year to plant garden seeds, Pisces being one of three fruitful water signs in the zodiac. For me that means sowing seeds of cayenne pepper, woad, and madder into 6-packs today.

And my wish for this week is for greater understanding between all of us. xo


more full moon art:
*) See Kathy's February quilt block here. Plus, in keeping with the Pisces feet vibe, see her photos of shoe-themed quilts!

Please share your full moon art, too! Just leave a link or email me a file to be posted on the drawing down the moon page on the sidebar.

eco-dyed cotton blouse

One thing I've learned is that a cotton blouse can stand after a soy milk pre-mordant soak. It was stiff as cardboard! I've also learned that I don't really care for the color (on me) this variety of eucalyptus produced -- I was hoping for colors more like Deanna's blouse here. It's cured for almost two months now and if anything has gotten brighter -- or that could be my imagination.

Now I'm thinking about rolling it up and soaking it in the oak leaf/lightning water dye-pot outside. There's one bundle in it already that looks hopeful. Or.....has anyone figured out a post-mordant or another over-dyeing process for eucalyptus? I've looked in India Flint's Eco Colour to no avail, but I might have missed it.

The honeybees are active on warm days. They take their cleansing flights, clean house by pushing out the dead bodies, and drink and drink the sugar water and essential oil mixture I make them. Their house still has its cozy on -- a big roofing bag filled with insulation under a space blanket -- with bags of leaves stacked around. It's a good thing, too, because we've got a winter storm watch in effect tonight and tomorrow.

Thanks for coming by and for any advice about the dyeing dilemma. And happy weekending! xo

enchanted by the unexpected houseplant

A book has enchanted me. It was a library book and after I read a few pages, I closed it. I could go no further with the library's copy, I had to have it, it had to be my own. So I called the bookstore, reserved a copy, and picked it up a few days ago. There have been other books about houseplants, I know, but this one is special. A kind of plant obsession has taken over me now. I'm closing my eyes and wishing for a greenhouse about ten times a day.

 

The gaptastic cowl scarf is finished. It may be the first thing I've made for myself that I truly like. It's very long and that's how I'll wear it, rather than wrapped around the neck over and over. (Like the bottom pose on the pattern.)

 

When I bought the 1941 classic bird book, I didn't notice the bird stamps in it. They are so cool.



 

Today is a waning half moonday in Sagittarius. Waning moon energy helps us to bring things to completion rather than begin new projects. It is when to sit back and plan. And organize and enjoy our treasures.

 

A beautiful week to all. xx

 

 

the sound of cloth

The snowy hopsacking remnant, a linen/rayon bend, is to be the back side of the kantha pillow cover. I hope to leave its beautiful selvedge exposed on the edges as a sort of trim. Sometimes a selvedge is better than the cloth attached to it. I love the sound of this piece of cloth when I shake it -- it rumbles. That made me experiment a bit -- a length of linen also rumbles, but not so for cotton. The sounds of cloth.

February was a snowy month here so my full moon art cloth is a snowed-in house under a rising moon. This cloth is making itself, really -- I seem to have very little say.

All together now, 1-2-3-4. All four of the amaryllis buds are open today! The bulb, I think Red Knight, is at least five years old, all the more reason to celebrate its full bloom.

And a happy weekend to all. I'm off to visit the garden store. xo