Dyeing not dead.
You know it’s been a long time since you reared your head and blogged, tweeted or really did anything resembling communication when, you start getting emails asking if you’re dead or alive. I am alive and kicking and thanks for asking. I am just crazy busy, the kind of busy that makes you feel every once in awhile like you’re one of those spinning tops you had as a kid. Remember those bright metal tops with the pretty colours and the handle on the top, that you push and push and push, until the top is spinning and whistling. Yeah that’s me. Unfortunately, I’m the pusher and the spinner. I can’t whistle worth a damn though.
Because some dumb ass (that would be me) scheduled the Gourmet Retreat the same weekend as Black Sheep Gathering, we’ve been prepping for two shows, not one. I know, right? It’s quite a miracle really, that the marvelous, talented, beautiful, generous and….(the list goes on and on) women who work here with me, have not left me to fend for myself.
I can’t tell you how thankful I am that they have not.
And speaking of those women, guess what? Our Paula is back with us. Sometimes things do not quite work out the way we plan or hope they do. This was true for Paula and Tom so they read the writing on the wall, took the hint and are back in their beloved Oregon to stay. We are thrilled!
We also have Becky back, who was out for a couple of months recovering from hand surgery. Ouch!
Our new design coordinator, Deb Accuardi stepped up to fill Becky’s shoes as best as she could and we are forever grateful to her for the wonderful job she did. Thank you Deb!
Lots of comings and goings leading to a few ups and downs and now settling back into some semblance of what we know as normal around here.
We’ve put in a Blue Moon community garden and a dye garden, although, I swear, if we don’t get some sun soon, it will all seem for naught. We built a chicken coop that is a bit of a palace and filled it with the loveliest group of chickens. I can’t tell you how delightful it is to walk out the door to go to the barn and be met by a bunch of funny fowl.
I’ve been busy making new colourways and designing new yarns. The colourways will be up this weekend and they yarn will hopefully follow in a month or so. I’m so excited about these yarns. I’ve been working on a few of these for quite awhile so, that we are this close, is beyond satisfying. We have a couple of cashmere blends coming, a heathered yarn and my beloved polwarth. Just typing the words makes me a little short of breathe thinking of all the knit possibilities.
We are putting on some pretty hot new summer colourways this week. Since it is still cold and wet here we’re trying to find heat anywhere we can so lot’s of hot brights and richness in our summertime hues, it’s either that or some pretty heavy summertime blues.
One of our new colours, is created specifically, for RavelryTeam Blue Moon.
Here it is and it needs a name and Team Blue Moon on rav is holding a naming ceremony. If you want to play along you can put your name idea here as a comment to this blog post or you can go here and vote. You have until July 10th so, plenty of time. On July 10th I get to pick my favorite.
We think it is a Prince of a hue.
And if that weren’t enough?
Carol Feller has designed her hundredth pattern, Ravi. A really sexy summer cardigan and we are thrilled she has used our Socks that Rock mediumweight sock yarn for. Carol has a KAL where you get 4 installations, one at a time. As you can see from Carol’s pattern page we are offering a discount coupon until July first for everyone who wants to join the fun. It looks like a good summertime fun knit to us. Tammy, Jen, Deb and I are joining the fun. I believe they’ve all started and I, as usual, am waiting for my yarn to dry. I’m always the last on the knit train. Hell I’ve just added the second colour to my colour affection shawl. They’re are not enough hours in the day and these days mine are spent either dyeing or typing.
We’re still playing with colours for shawls and have a few new patterns of our own coming out: Acute Angle by Sam Roshak and Counter Balance by Deb Barnhill.
ohh and speaking of shawls… have you hear about Sivia Harding’s Mezzaluna Club? it’s pretty cool. She’s doing a shawl club based on the crescent shape. I am intrigued by this concept of Sivia’s. Sivia’s design work is very creative and she is an excellent teacher, a good combination for running a club. I am making a colourway on one of my yarn bases for her first shipment. I’m honoured to be working with Siva.
There is a bit more but I am running out of steam and time. If you have not yet joined the Rockin’ Sock Club for the year and want to this week is your last chance we are shutting down sign ups on Monday the 25th. We kept it open way longer then we ever have for those of you who requested a little longer time to gather funds.
If you are in Eugene Oregon this weekend for the fabulous Black Sheep Gathering be sure to drop by and say hi to Deb, Jen and Paula. Oh and go pet a sheep, there are sheep, lots and lots of sheep!
Baa, Baa…
Here is the list of new colourways. We’re still working on getting them up on the site. It takes time and I needed to get this blog post up tonight while my brain was not too overloaded. They will all be there by Friday
List of new colourways:
Mulitcolourways
Freudian Slip
Pinapple Express
Tangerine Dreams
Marmalade Sky
StinkEYE
Oceana
Heirloomed
Rue De Pond Scum
Pixie Puke
the Kracken
Shaded Solid
Ray ( a drop of golden sun)
Comments are closed.
Ugh….let me pick myself up off the floor. There was so much awesome in this one post, that my inner goddess/knitter/yarn just fainted. (So did my bank account) There is not one thing that I don’t love.
So to be clear…what you’re saying is that I need to knit a sweater and two shawls during the olympics? Done – would you mind telling me boss I won’t be in until after the closing ceremonies…and I’m going to need a lot of coffee.
Can’t wait to see the new colours!
What a comeback post! I’m still catching my breath. Do we get pictures of the Poultry Palace? And I’m sure those funny chickens have names, which I’m sure will turn up on dye colors eventually.
Speaking of dye colors…StinkEYE, Rue De Pond Scum, Pixie Puke…can’t wait.
Glad you’re alive. And that Paula is back in the fold.
only ONE new shaded solid?
someone’s a little biased towards variegated yarn!
[when will the H.C. color way come out?
]
Talk about a post full of awesome! (Except for the bits about you being too busy …)
I keep thinking that I know what I’ll be doing for my—well, let’s call it “Ravelry Games” project—but then you go and tempt me with NEW colors, NEW patterns.
Do take care. And I also want photos of the Poultry Palace. (What a good name,Angela!)
oooh, a new yarn to name! how about “London Calling”?
How about “Inhale, Exhale” for the color? It’s such a calming color.
Hi Tina!
A year or so ago I remember reading someone’s comment on this blog that if you ever decided to come up with your own MCN or MCS yarn, they would just end up signing their bank account over to you and never need to buy yarn from anyone else ever again.
I get the distinct feeling that this will soon come to pass.
Also, you do realize this is going to create even more work for you, yes?
Also also, I’m echoing Angela and Sarah JS in requesting pictures of the Poultry Palace. I kinda miss having chickens around, even though we haven’t had any since I was seven years old.
Prince? purple? (rain?) “Let’s go crazy!” Love it! new color ways…new yarns…sweet!
As I posted on the Ravelry thread I love this color! A definite must have. I would name it Purpurite Power. For those interested, the gem prupurite
Mmmmm, looks like Grape Kool-Aid.
My Prince has Arrived! (Color name)
How about “Purple Rain”
My name offering is “plumthumb”. I would love cold and wet in lieu of the hot and humid of the northeast.
I’m not going to try to name the team color, although it’s really lovely.
But I would like to point out that, given “Marmalade Skies” and “Tangerine Dreams,” you will need to create a colorway called “Kaleidoscope Eyes.” Just saying.
I think this new Team Blue Moon should be called
UNDER THE PURPLE MOON
How about “Imperially empurpled” for the luscious new purple colourway?
And, I’m with the rest – just dyeing to see updates of your two-legged feathered friends and their abode.
Blessings of the knitterly kind,
xxoo Crystalbelle
My name offering is “Purple Gold”.
For the wonderful new purple colourway how about “Elizabeth Taylor’s Eyes”.
beautiful and poetic, I’ll come back for more…
My name is Henry XIII.
“Humperdinck”, of course
Purple rain Prince’s purple purple people eater.
“Black an the New Blue” I know, it just came to me (:
Champion Spirit!
I LOVE black & purple together, it reminds me of the Black Barlow columbine, this site has a nice pic so you can see.
http://www.velvetgreene.com/item.php?item_id=243&page=2&category_id=49
And I still giggle every time I see this post. One of the best post titles of the summer, dear Tina.
A new yarn for summer..I will name it “Sumple” for Summer Purple..haha
How about “Harold’s Crayon” of Harold and the Purple Crayon?
It’s a beautiful color!!
Team Blue Moon color names:
Purply
Purple Cloud
Purple Faerie
Purple Flibbertigibbet
Purple Fog
Purple Haze
Purple Kerfuffle
Purple Poppycock
Purple Purpose
Purple Reign
Born to Purple
Crimson Purple
Oi Purple!
Tyrian Purple
What can I say – I was inspired!
PlummyGrape! gotta get me some!!
I just met up with your rockin’ sock yarn in person at my Thursday knit group. One of our knitters is working on the Carol Feller KAL I wish I was! Now I need some. Off to order…
Sometimes I am such a dweeb. The yarn should be called Summer Storm…
Grapefully delicious