So, I have all this really ugly fiber that has been sitting in a hamper for about two years. It's Ugly Batt fiber and it really is ugly because I've spun all the pretty parts of it already. What I am left with is just butt ugly...sorry, it is! Since money is tight these days...boy! is it ever...I'm not getting any new fiber for spinning, that's for sure! We don't even have enough money for a birthday gift for me, that's how tight things are. Not complaining, but it sucks to be poor. Just hoping next year will be better. But, I digress....the ugly stuff. Anyway, I decide I want to dye some of it just to see...you know, no biggy, not looking to become a wizard with this stuff, but I could just give it a try. I pull out the Kool Aid-that's safe, non-toxic and won't make the house smell like poo. All good things! I spin a couple of hanks and tentatively query someone at one of the dyeing forums on Ravelry...I so love ravelry for all fiber related stuff, you can find out everything there!!! They say, give the red family a try. I have koolaid going to waste, so to speak, in my kitchen drawer so I pull out a pack of Cherry and two packs of Orange. Soak the handspun yarn in some vinegar water for about 1/2 hour then mix up the beverage with some water and more vinegar. I figure you can't have too much vinegar and I sure want this color to set, not fade away. Well, I guess I did it my way, but it worked so that was good. I packed the wet yarn into a Pyrex bowl with the beverage water, stuck it in the microwave and zapped it for 2 minutes. Let it sit for another 2 minutes and then zapped it again for 2 minutes. Long enough I figure.
I figured right...OMG, what a gorgeous shade of reddy-orange tweedy yarney goodness! It was amazing..it was stupendous...it was wayyyyyyyyy prettier than I ever thought it would be!!! I had to do more!!! Let's see, I thought to myself, I have some grape and some pink lemonade and some more cherry!! I'll dye the ugly gray/navy/vomiity yarn!! What did I get???? MERLOT!!! GORGEOUS, SHINY, TWEEDY PERFECTION!!! This is too good. I am thinking about my stash of natural good stuff-stuff I have paid high prices for! I have Merino Roving, I have Angora, I have Corriedale all to be spun and it can be dyed!! I remember that I have a kit of Jacquard dyes I bought when I thought I was going to take up silk painting (I didn't)!!! I can use that-the sky is the limit and I am a color chemistry whiz...really, color is my thing. I know how to mix to get what I want! I am on my way to the kitchen ladies and gentlemen, to whip up some moss green for a butt ugly yarn that wants to be used in my hooked rug! Life is good!
