Of things to come (for the yarnies)

Since I really have nothing much to show yet of all my ideas (and sometimes they stay ideas because I get a new one for the same yarn), MotherOwl suggested that I just share some of my design ideas. Today, then, will be yarn. Another day perhaps something more painterly? And some plants are brewing…

So here’s a collection of things that you could get to see more of in the coming months, or a look into my brain. It may seem like a lot, but in fact it’s just a fraction of what I’ve planned and there is no deadline, things may get erased or changed along the way. I have a tendency to just write down my ideas rather than draw them, but if you find it interesting I may be persuaded to change that habit actually, because I think it would be a good practice. Perhaps working more on each project idea will help me weed some out?

Covering the halfdone warp on my large frame in the hope that the kittens don’t find it…loom06

I’m planning to make a small bag with this handspun yarn practising a specific tapestry technique for joins. Homemade bobbins! I just hope there’s enough yarn for the strap too, I’ve calculated and calculated, but since this is a new thing for me, you can’t really be sure to get it right.yarn09

Semi-solid skeins are to be dyed to go with each of these two snow dyed yarns. A dark red/rust (or a dark green – I’ll have to sample) for the one on the left and blue/marine for the right. The third skein I gave to a friend of mine who knitted herself an awesome hat and mitts!snowdye13

ingergarn

Making an inner hat from a soft yarn, then trying to decide which of my oldest handspuns will be the bulky outer hat.yarn01

Drachenwolle sock yarn. Houndstooth weave? Huge cowl/scarf/shawl? I’m not really a sock knitter.yarn03

Trying to make a fun design for the yarn below. Actually I’m not going to use the model shown, but I couldn’t find the other sketches. Still debating the basket weave however, to break up the stripes I’d get if I knitted the yarn. Possibly I’d get really horrible pooling instead. And in fact, after some sampling, this yarn frays way too much to be woven, it’s no good as warp at any rate, very sticky. So now I’m contemplating a linen stitch on large needles, alternating 2 skeins every other row, which is doable even if you work flat. I don’t like to knit the body in the round, then the yoke flat, because that makes the rows half as long = twice as wide when it comes to the width of the stripes = no look good. (imho) Or I could double the strands and mix it with a heavier solid, but I don’t want stripes at all, I also don’t want to have to do stranded colourwork, because then I’ll never finish. In fact this could have been a blog post all on its own…
yarn04 yarn08

Fiber I mean to spin fairly soon:yarn07

yarn05 yarn06

Audience

On Thursday I asked what you would like to see on my blog, mostly in terms of images. The response was underwhelming in numbers of actual commenters (thanks to those of you who do, I always enjoy your replies), so it doesn’t represent any kind of average (or perhaps silence is agreement), but it raised a question for me:

What do you do if you have an audience and they want something different than you do?

The snarky reply would of course be that there will be a new audience for a different content, but blogging for me is all about communication and not so much marketing myself as being “interesting”. Otoh I want to be me, I can’t see myself getting excited about the things some people expect or like if they’re not on my own list of interesting. I like to take pretty pictures, daily snapshots don’t really give me a kick unless they describe something in the text (not even then – but sometimes you need them). Such as documenting my dinner or the view from the car window – nah.

There’s the subject of being the only one who thinks what you write is interesting, I guess there would probably be instant feedback on that one, so we don’t go there. 😉

I’m still in the process of finding out what I’m doing with this and whether to weed certain things out. Do I want many+short or few+long? (ok, you there at the back shouting few+short, zip it!)

There’s no denying this blog is a “project”, I’m exploring various things about me, you, on and off the record. It’s not just a coffee club where we chat about the latest celebrity gossip. (there might be cake – if I can figure how to make one that is gluten free, non-fattening and still tastes GOOD. Because we do like cake. Alas I don’t have any pictures of it.)

everyday01

An everyday image. This is how I heat my office! And a small rock collection. Incidentally the one in the middle could be a weaving pattern, I have just the plant dyed yarns to match. Office chair anyone?

We removed the electrical heater in the kitchen to give me a safe outlet for the computer. The fuse for the kitchen goes if we use too much machinery in the garage! (well, one specific piece actually)

yarno2

Next week I’ll be contradicting myself entirely and document some of the things I’m thinking about doing, as per request. Useless sketches and all. In one or more installments. How long to you want them? 😉