I have been afraid to touch it, but I just went for it, today! I got the idea in my head to dye it today with cochineal after looking through my Master Spinner Level 1 workbook at my dye samples. Cochineal was among them, and I was always fond of the rich, deep colour you can acheive with such a small amount of dye. I went for it, and photographed each step to the best of my ability. The steps (aside from the mortar/pestle step) can be applied to any natural dye with great results except for indigo, which requires a few more procedures than this. Natural dyes and mordants only work on protein fibres. That means, fibre that comes from an animal, like wool, camelid fibre and silk.

I recommend you wear rubber gloves for the length of the process, and a mask as people have been known to react to the dust produced by even natural dyes. Have ventilation, and use caution. Click “Read Post” on the right to see how I did it!

This is an example of a page from my sample book. I recommend that those interested in dyeing start one to keep track of their results. I find mine indispensable for remembering which plants give which colours with which mordants and afterbaths.

For those new to natural dyeing, a mordant is a chemical used to help dye adhere to yarn, from the latin word ‘mordere‘, which means ‘to bite’. I used alum acquired from Maiwa but it should be available at drugstores under the name pickling alum. For the after-bath, I used ferrous sulphate, also available from Maiwa. The after-bath saddens the color of the yarn after dyeing, adding a different cast to the yarn (in this case, it made the bright scarlet and pink turn to purple and mauve).

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To begin, we will treat the yarn with the mordant. You can do this step at any time, set the yarn aside to dry and it will remain altered by the alum when it’s ready to dye. Either way, yarn should be soaked prior to dyeing to help dye penetrate the fibres.

Fill a sink with hot water enough to cover the yarn, drop in about a teaspoon and a half of Alum, then add the yarn. Mine was a large skein, you may require less. At this point, I left the yarn in the sink for about an hour and began preparing the cochineal.

About the size of a peppercorn, I used two tablespoons worth of cochineal and was left with a lot of dye to exhaust on other yarns. Use less, unless you have a fair bit of yarn or fabric to dye. Some people have dedicated coffee grinders to pulverize the cochineal, I use a mortar and pestle. Take care, if you do too, to not create too much dust. I use a grinding motion rather than pounding to help with this.

Tada!

Prepare your dye pot. Use a dedicated pot for dyeing, always (we don’t want bugs in the spaghetti sauce). Add the dye powder to the water, and a few glugs of white vinegar to help with colourfastness. Heat the water, but do not boil.

Transfer the hot yarn, after removing excess alum water to the dye pot. The way I acheived the colour variation in my yarn is by leaving a part of the skein out of the pot. Watch when you do this, as the yarn hanging over the side tends to wick moisture onto your stove if left unattended.

Get your after-bath ready! This is kind of a scary part for me. Fill your sink with hot water, as close to the same temperature as the dye pot as possible. We don’t want to shock the yarn with a temperature change. Drop in a half teaspoon of iron (ferrous sulphate), and watch the colour turn!

Lift the yarn out of the pot after 15 minutes or so with a chopstick (I used a paintbrush) to check the colour of the yarn in the pot. If you’re happy with it, give the rest of the yarn a heave into the pot and watch until the lightest bits are the colour you want. After letting much of the water dribble out of the skein, transfer it to a dedicated bowl and walk it over to the bath. Dunk in only the part of the yarn you’d like the colour to change, and watch it shift. Once you’ve reached the desired changed, pull the yarn out. Do not leave the yarn in the after-bath and walk away. The iron will make your yarn stiff, rough and brownish. Bathe the yarn in the iron/water for the least amount of time required for your desired shade, but bear in mind that the change will be subtle.

Dunk it in a rinse bath of water, just as hot.You may need to repeatedly rinse to ensure all excess dye is out and the yarn will not bleed. I find that adding a small amount of vinegar to my final rinse helps with this.

Enjoy your pretty new ombre-dyed yarn!

]]> http://kaitlinmacinnis.com/blog/index.php/archives/136/feed 4 http://kaitlinmacinnis.com/blog/index.php/archives/130 http://kaitlinmacinnis.com/blog/index.php/archives/130#comments Sat, 13 Feb 2010 07:50:42 +0000 admin http://kaitlinmacinnis.com/blog/?p=130 So it begins! In my most favourite province, British Columbia, a mere ferry ride from where I spent my formative years, the Olympics had their opening ceremonies tonight. I didn’t get to see it as I was working, but I’m excited to start streaming it through my old laptop into the TV.

Traditionally, Ravelympics is when a knitter chooses (with great care) a project to be cast on during the opening ceremonies, and bound off before (or during) the closing. Seventeen days. Seventeen days of scrambling, cursing, stringy fun to be had by all. I missed out during the summer olympics, but I’d like to use this time to motivate myself to knit this sweater for Alex during these 2010 winter events. Technically, yes, I have already begun, but I figure my head start is compensation for working an average of forty – fifty hours per week. As of this posting I have 8.5″ finished of the back piece, I hope to have the back and one front piece finished. An ambitious goal for me, but I think I can do it, or at least come close if I stay motivated. Here are some photos!

This is the pattern – Reece:

My version has modified measurements, and I’ve omitted the subtle striping (achieved not by a self-striping yarn, no, oh no, but by single row stripes of something like 5 different colours – I was not having that). My version is a nice brown, instead. Take a look, Virtue was a very cooperative model until she re-discovered how fun yarn is – yes, that is actually how long it’s been since I’ve knit anything.

Wish me luck!

]]> http://kaitlinmacinnis.com/blog/index.php/archives/130/feed 0 http://kaitlinmacinnis.com/blog/index.php/archives/121 http://kaitlinmacinnis.com/blog/index.php/archives/121#comments Thu, 11 Feb 2010 01:16:09 +0000 admin http://kaitlinmacinnis.com/blog/?p=121 I must confess something. Since my Owls Sweater that I knit after returning from Olds in August, those many months ago, I have not had a finished object. I have begun many projects since then, but none have been finished, or even really finished more than half of any one thing. It’s not helped by the fact I have two jobs now (full time and part time, totaling to nearly 50 hours a week) and a music project in its infancy that I am most excited about.

I want to knit, though. I have the bug again. I added my link in the top right of my blog for the free pattern of the Japanese Rising Sun design, for downloading the PDF. I want to knit, and I want to dye yarn and design something new, so in order to jumpstart this, I’m going to do something crazy. Bass-ackward. Seemingly unproductive.

I am going to FROG. EVERYTHING. (exceptAlex’ssweaterwhichIpromisedhimandwillfinish).

The Frog Pond.

There’s a shawl, the beginnings of three sweaters and a portion of a hat in there. It’s like a graveyard for knitting. How heartbreaking, and how freeing! No unfinished projects for me, no, no! I’m going to be a monogamous, one project kind of gal. Let’s see how long this lasts. I’m hoping these drastic measures will inspire me to press on with this soul sucking sweater for my husband (who more than deserves it).

I am frightened and appalled at my deviant behaviour, perhaps my lapse in sanity can be researched among the books I got from the thrift store. I stopped by yesterday looking for records for my new, beautiful player. While unsuccessful in that arena, I found two university textbooks – Sociology and Psychology, along with Girlfriend in a Coma by Douglas Coupland, Candide by Voltaire in French and a book from the seventies full of song lyrics about the Earth by groups like CCR, the Beatles and others. I got these books, in addition to a Polaroid camera I’m not sure will work and a small stand for my record player for $8.25. Pretty good, I’d say!

]]> http://kaitlinmacinnis.com/blog/index.php/archives/121/feed 0 http://kaitlinmacinnis.com/blog/index.php/archives/86 http://kaitlinmacinnis.com/blog/index.php/archives/86#comments Thu, 04 Feb 2010 18:44:26 +0000 admin http://kaitlinmacinnis.com/blog/?p=86 I’m planning a trip to Victoria in April to visit with my mother. Since announcing it, one of my dearest friends (the tiny lady who lives in my iPhone most of the time, with whom I am in constant conversation) and I have decided to revive our musical project and make attempts to record during my stay. I am over the moon about this! We wrote often together over the last few years for our own pleasure and never really entertained the idea of bringing it to fruition, so this is just wonderful.

I’m so excited! Even to just have a record of our collaborations, it’ll be so great. We have 8-9 songs completed and 2-3 more in early development :)

I want to begin designing knitwear and knitting again, as I feel like I might have a bit better handle on my work schedule, now. I’m slowly plugging away at that Reece sweater for Alex. It’s been a long, long time coming, and there’s still a long way to go. I wish very much I could knit faster, I think he’s lost all hope of getting it at all!

I’ve combed out my dreads completely now, oh how strange it is to have brushable hair!

Lately I’ve been overwhelmed with how happy I’ve been lately. I have a home that fits (most of) my few worldly possessions, I have a husband who loves me, makes me laugh and works hard, and two cats who love me very much. I have my many hobbies (drawing, painting, knitting, spinning, dyeing, analyzing music at length and then writing about it), and I have two jobs that I love. I make banners and copy write/edit for television and radio station websites in the area, and I work full time at a music store with the best boss I’ve ever had. I’m also constantly making lists and looking forward to what I’m going to do next to further myself in this or that arena.

Life is pretty good for me lately, because I try to make the days better for myself. Winter is dreary and we all know that, so today I’m wearing a dress and some lipstick while I bounce around the house doing laundry and working. Simple pleasures, I think, are the key to being happy in whatever circumstance you’re in.

As for you lovely LSG folk, I’m thankful for all that you do, for helping me personally and for raising over $45,000 (at the time of this posting) for disaster relief in Haiti. I’m amazed and heartened by such a great movement of hearts and resources toward the tragedy.

The Antlers – Hospice
Self-Released March 3rd, 2009

Opening with the otherworldly, grainy keyboard and delicately raised voices Hospice quickly narrows into a dreamy, quietly whispered confession. Coming into the full grit of the album – the dynamics will shock you awake and surround you with the heaven I’m sure the angels who lent their voices to Silberman strive to convey in his falsetto. Released March 3rd, 2009, having taken nearly  two years to come to fruition, Hospice has been well worth its long gestation. The deeply personal nature of the material hints that perhaps the recording process had more to it than just getting it out in as few takes as possible.

Lachrymose and heavy-hearted, yet always pressing onward, the lyrics are meaty and hard to swallow. While blogging about the process of writing the album, Peter Silberman posted drawings and photographs of Sylvia Plath. Upon further reading, the songs “Sylvia” and “Atrophy” go further in depth about her two attempts at suicide from the point of view of a bystander reaching out to her, perhaps her husband Ted Hughes, before they separated a year before she died.

Puncturing to the heart of our feelings about death, sacrifice and letting go, the themes transcend all circumstances, lending themselves to each individual. Each glorious, epic outpouring of devotion and each hushed admittance of guilt carry you along on the way, preparing you for the build and release of the next track.

Mournful, ghostly wails and paired with compelling progressions and dusty static bust beyond the bereavement and lullaby-like lamentation into the exhilarating, heartening splendour of the full band and the acceptance that comes with grief. A well-balanced, beautiful release, Hospice is one not to be missed.

A video from my personal favourite track on the album, “Two”.

New Years’ has always been my favourite holiday of them all, and I can’t wait for this one.

Merry Christmas, folks.

In an effort to get some exercise, because he works from home, he has taken up walking in the mornings, just after six am. His route takes him past my house, down the road on the side of the middle school grounds to the neighborhood on the other side. He arrives back home before school begins. Today a man belonging to the maintenance staff at the school told him that people think he’s crazy because they see him walking every day past the school, in the cold, with shorts and a long coat on. Like a pedophile.

I want to say, that on behalf of my friend, I’m absolutely disgusted at the fact a wonderful father to two beautiful little children can be accused of being a pedophile because he walks the same route every day in the cold, wearing whatever feels comfortable to him.

I’m appalled to live in a place where grown men minding their own business walking down the street now have to completely avoid routes near schools to prevent these thoughtless and demeaning assumptions from being made. I hate that we as a community are alienating each other because of fear like this.

Since I last posted, I got a new job to supplement the income from my current job. I’m doing banners and simple graphics, as well as site updates to seven radio station and two television stations in the area. The work is easy, fun, and I can do it from my little..

CLOSET OFFICE CLUBHOUSE HIDEY-HOLE(tm)

That’s right folks. What used to be a large fibre storage closet now has lowered shelves for small tables (one for computering, one forwriting/drawing) – but do not fret! The fibre is all safe and sound and organized and packed neatly away. The closet walls are now covered with my favourite sketches I’ve done, special tissue paper, letters, books and pictures that I love. It’s perfect. It could use more colour, though, I know, but we rent and are therefore unable to paint the walls – otherwise, I’d choose a bright aqua colour, buy a bright red chair and paint the shelf-tables a happy yellow.

I’ve had a birthday! December 3rd I turned 22 years old. It was relatively uneventful, and just a sweet day. For my birthday I received a cookbook of suppers (I love trying new suppers – tonight we had baked chili with a cornbread biscuit crust which was amaaaazing), the Friday Night Knitting Club book, some chocolates, a bread machine which is going to make us fatties and spoil us on any store bought bread for the rest of our lives and a Kindle! The Kindle was kind of an impulse purchase on behalf of my husband who saw them online a week before my birthday and was completely at a loss of what else to get me. I do not fault him for his decision! :P I love it, it’s handy, and fun and easy to read from and load books onto and I adore it.

So lately I’ve been busy learning my new awesome job, continuing to work sporadically at my old movie store job, and playing with my new toys.

Until.. DISASTER STRUCK.

In the last week my laptop had taken a rapid decline, was shutting off, making grinding noises, getting hung up, just all around being a angsty old machine. It was unreliable, a pain in the ass to type on, and just a piece of crap. I backed up all my information on my external hard drive and poised myself for the worst.

My inlaws, without my knowledge went out and bought me a new laptop, better than anything I’ve ever used before, and perfect for what I need to do, and would like to continue doing in the future. Christmas came early for me this year, and booooy did it come in en force! I’m really excited about all the things I can do with a fancy slick machine like this. I’ve never been so spoiled in my life!

As for knitting, I’m plugging along on a sweater for Alex, my only Christmas knitting this year. It’s slow going in plain stockinette, in plain DK weight, in plain brown. Did I mention it was kind of plain? It’ll look dashingly handsome on him, I know, I just wish we’d chosen a yarn that had some kind of subtle variegation to add a little bit of interest, like a kettle dyed effect of some sort. I can’t wait until it’s finished. I’ve modified the pattern to make it fit him just ’so’ – I hope it all works out.

My list is coming along very slowly. I’ve quite nearly succeeded in cooking only vegan food in the last month, aside from my comfort food of rice+mushroom soup. I need to catch up with my weekly album goal by a couple, but that shouldn’t be hard. :)