I AM A TOTAL SLACKER

September...the last time I posted...dear lord; I just hope I never have to do anything with a great deal of consistency because, well, because look at this blog. mmmrrrrrmmmm

So, last time retirement was in the my thoughts....still there.  We have wandered back to the East Coast however. Everything costs a crapload of money-moving would eat up savings, so we're pretty much stuck with finding  a place in the Southeast. OK by me-I love it here, as any good Southern girl would, born and raised in the South.  I want the mountains though..mountains it has to be even if only in North Georgia (short haul move).

Recently on a shawl knitting jag, started out with Citron and could not stop. Next up was Saroyan. I've made a few more, and at present, have two that need finishing on the needles.  One is lace and beaded. Pretty, pretty!  The other, a heavier one, is giving me fits with the stitch count.  It's pretty as well, handsome is a better word, a handsome shawl-making it for my sister Pat, who lives in the Frozen North and will serve her well.  I've got the pleated part done and the hard as hell braid section that defies all left handed knitters (I had to watch the Youtube tutorial at least twice) is also done, but then I am baffled as to what happened to my stitches.  Frogging will ensue. sigh

This is the Dreambird Shawl.....yum!

Today I found a skein of silk that I had spun. About 215 yards of off white silky, lace gorgeousness.  So, I went on Ravelry and found a scarf that is rather simple to knit, it has a few beads for bling and I'll be able to use all of the yarn.  Hope to start that one just as soon as I get these others done.  I'm saving one project shawl for when I have some serious quiet learning time-perhaps during Spring Break. I have the yarn for a Dreambird shawl-they're so, so exquisite-but it's a learning curve with German short rows, etc.  Quite the large discussion on Ravelry about it but I seriously think I can knit it and would love to have it in my own collection...I WILL NOT GIVE IT AWAY TO ANYONE...IT IS MINE!!

IT'S NEVER TOO SOON

Tom and I are thinking about retirement...well, I'm thinking about it, Tom has already done the deed! (lucky him).  I, on the other hand have one year to go before I think I'll be ready. It's a big step and I'll be 62 years old when I do it...frightening, but in a way, it will be a relief! I've just about had it with the workplace ethics (or lack thereof by coworkers).
At first, we thought about Canada. Tom is a Canadian citizen, we could live there. It has the sort of climate and weather we like and perhaps we could find a nice retirement community.  We looked around and we found one, only to realize when we started adding it all up that my getting into the country, the move there, and all the incidental expenses would leave us totally broke. That's not the way it's supposed to work. Canada is out and that was a bit of a letdown. We were looking forward to it.
Plan B...stay in the USA but find a place that will allow us to have a decent lifestyle-not fancy, no big trips or going overboard on shopping, etc.  We will probably be entitled to subsidized housing as our pensions are pretty small, so, to find a location that won't relegate us to the ghetto and eating cat food. We've looked on the East Coast and the outlook is dismal at best. Public Housing in most areas=roach infested apartments in inner cities. No thanks! We don't like hot weather, so the ever popular idea of the old folks moving to Florida is out as well.  I think we'd both be tired of that in two shakes of a lambs tail even though my kids and grandkids live in FLA.  So, last week Tom was surfing for different locations and he found a very nice solution to the problem and hopefully it will work out for us.  At first I was hardly enthusiastic because I had been so disappointed with the Canada fiasco. Just protecting myself. I think Tom was too so we're still both a little wary and trying not to be upset if this doesn't follow through.  However, it seems to be something that could work if we've started the process soon enough.
Here's the BIG PLAN as it stands ~drumroll~Friday Harbor, San Juan Island, Washington.  It's a small village with ferry service and air service for medical emergencies, everything within walking distance but quiet. It has a knit shop and local wool available, plenty of picturesque places for Tom to paint, galleries, a market if we want to sell (something we could not do in Canada was sell things/have a job) some of our handiwork. The Ferry goes to mainland several times a day if we want to go to Seattle, etc.  There are two Sr's only apartments there (condos) that are subsidized by the gov't and I think we will qualify, utilities are included and the cost is more than reasonable. They look like they're nice and well kept. It would leave us money to live comfortably without worry about making ends meet.  I never thought that we'd be able to afford a nice place in a nice area. The views are picturesque and I've never been to the West Coast-I do believe I would love it and grow quickly to call it home.  I am almost afraid to get my hopes up, but it would be so wonderful to know that I could retire at 62 and we'd get to spend a few years together without a lot of stress on us.
If it falls through, I don't know what we'll do.  I'd very much like to have a nice retirement with Tom.








This is Friday Harbor, WA

Loom Has Arrived

As of yesterday, I am making my entry into the world of weaving tapestry. Ordered my Mirrix Zach...see previous post...and three days later, voila! (or viola, as we used to say when we were kids) said loom arrived at my door via FedEx. Thank you FedEx man! Tom helped me get it together-very easy and fast-and I warped the puppy...not very fast, but it was easy. I decided I would experiment with hand spun yarn. What works, what doesn't and I chose the largest heddle I had 8 epi, so as not to make things too difficult for myself-or take two days to warp. I warped with linen yarn-strong, but definitely, now that I've woven for a few hours, not something I would choose again for a first warp...just saying! I found a few yarns that I've spun that work. Especially nice is the silk/bamboo in the pretty aqua color. Looks great, even weaving and it covers the warp as it should.

Of course, in my mind I am thinking I will be making these awesome tapestries in no time. I have tons of photos picked out and designs of my own in mind, I am set! Whoa! Wait a minute! It's not quite that easy. Tapestry weaving is slow and I don't have all the things I need to make a good tapestry, even if I miraculously became a 60 year old prodigy. I need A. Practice. B.Tapestry Yarn-the real thing. C.Miscellaneous tools. D. A lesson or two. I am thinking it will be like when I taught myself to knit and crochet and spin...it's not quite like that at all. That said, I love it!!! I truly do. I love that I can possibly create artwork with fiber. That is a lifelong goal. That was my dream when I was 18. I can have that dream-40 years later, but I can have it!

So, it's back to "school" for me. Learn the ins and outs of tapestry weaving and one day, maybe sooner than later, I will be able to weave something outstanding. Meanwhile, this is what I have managed to weave so far...Not too bad for a rookie!

JUST AN OBSERVATION

I know it's just me, but I find it really annoying to have hair weaving (which really isn't weaving at all as far as I'm concerned) come up every time I Google weaving...the real sort of weaving. I find it especially annoying when I look at images because there are those ugly headless/faceless locks of hair just dangling there in mid air as if they belong in the weaving category or hanging from the belt of one of my Native American ancestors-fact o' life, some of them did that. It's hair-hairdressing, hair do's, hair styles, yes! Weaving, NO!

Nuff said.....

Zach Has Been Ordered

That sounded bossy, didn't it? I mean, my loom(a Mirrix Zach) has been ordered and I eagerly await it's arrival...meanwhile, I've window shopped for Perle Cotton in a host of colors...I want to weave with Perle Cotton, am I mad?...and have downloaded files of photos that can be manipulated in PS to make wonderful cartoons for weaving, and I am not through with that yet. The YouTube page has been fairly smoking from watching all the "Tapestry" and "Mirrix" videos. I am so spongelike when it comes to fiber! I think this is the most fun I've had in years...well, at least since I learned to spin.

Back to the colorful cotton...I don't know why that appeals to me...maybe it's low cost (comparatively) and outrageously huge variety of colors from which to choose? I can't say. I just know that I think I could surround myself with the whole line of DMC Perle Cotton and Embroidery Floss and just have a high old time at the loom with it! The color makes me giddy!

Perhaps my book will arrive today. I hope so!!! I only have a few more days of Spring Break, then it's back to work on Monday....I am sad, where did it go and why so quickly?...the bad side of working and having a holiday. I want to retire!!!!

So...for me it's off to get a cup of coffee and perhaps, while waiting for that book, pick up some wool and needles and knit up a pair of socks today.

I've Made Up My Mind

This is the loom I've chosen. A Mirrix Zach-22" of tapestry weaving lovliness! I can hardly wait until tomorrow to order it!!!

I've just about finished sorting out the stash and re-arranging the studio. Moving the knitting things to the other room-I'll be doing my painting in there too. I guess I'll have two studios! this studio will be dedicated to spinning and weaving.

Last night I found a couple of websites that have tapestry yarns! Oh!!! The colors!!!! I have to start stashing some of this stuff for weaving. I'd love one in every color, please! A big Lotto win would help. I could easily spend several thousand on just yarn!

Tom also ordered me a "How To" book from Amazon the other day. Hopefully it will be here today or tomorrow so that I can do some reading up on how to become a tapestry artist. Called "Tapestry Weaving: A Comprehensive Study Guide". I know, that sound pretty boring to most people, but, to me, that is the kind of book that I'd have given my right arm for back when I was 18 and wanting so much to go to art school. Well, it took me 40+ years to get there, but, here I am and I'm going to learn how to do this! Exciting stuff!!

I need a cup of coffee!

A Girl Can Change Her Mind, Can't She?

Yeah, well, I did. Instead of a Rigid Heddle loom, it's going to be a tapestry loom. The windfall refund won't arrive until next month, so I've done a ton more research and my ideas for weaving fall more into the tapestry category instead of the weaving category. It's like painting with fiber-so what could be better than that? Nothing, I say! Nothing.

Ordering a book to get me started called Tapestry Weaving: A Comprehensive Study Guide by Nancy Harvey. It's going to be a used one....jaysus! the new ones are over $100. Way out of my budget, but a used one is about $35, so I think I can swing that and who cares if the cover is a little bent and faded...not me. It's the insides that are gold! All of my lovely digital paintings are waiting to be transformed into tapestries...perhaps some will be good enough (one day) to exhibit and/or sell.

Meanwhile...whilst waiting for that lovely windfall to arrive...next week is Spring Break and I am so looking forward to that!! I have a couple of baby things to make for the ladies at school who are expecting. It's like a dang epidemic there...so glad that I am grandma age and safe from all of that!!! Happy for them though. (glad it's them, not me)

I woke up way too early today...it's time for another cup of coffee....

For days now I've been seriously thinking about what I am going to do when I retire in a couple of years. I can't see me sitting at home every single day, but I have to have something creative to do and in my imaginings, I'm going to be doing something fibery...spinning, perhaps or, and this is what I have been thinking of, weaving.

It all stems from not getting to follow my dream as a young person. I wanted to go to art school and become a textile designer, but my parents had a hissy fit and said I couldn't do that-it wasn't a "fitting" career for a girl. (??????????) I still question that in my mind after all these 40+ years. I won't even go there now, because that is just pointless. However, I will go with the idea of being a textile designer in my retirement years! Tom and I discussed it and today, after we learned that we're getting a honking big tax refund, I decided I would begin that foray into weaving by deciding to purchase an Ashford Heddle Loom 32" (with stand, mind you). I am excited beyond words and can't wait for said honking refund to make it to my checking account so I can order the loom!!! Well, you know I'll love it because I took to spinning and knitting and crochet like a duck to water and this is all a part of that kind of stuff. I'm just crazy about fiber and fabric and threads and stuff. I love it...I love color.

I also took a look at my digital artwork again and I still want to weave the teal and orange, but there is also one that would be excellent for weaving, once I get the hang of it. Until then, scarves, rugs, curtains, etc...maybe.

Went to the library and checked out all the good weaving books they have...research, research, research. Watching YouTube and next week I want to inventory the hand spun and store bought yarn I have that I can use for weaving projects.

These may be the best years of my life!

Sweaters and Scarves and Knits Oh My!

I've been a busy girl since the beginning of 2012 as far as knitting goes. I finished Tom's second sweater on New Year's Eve and it looks great! Also doing some scarf knitting and I'm liking how quick they work up! I've made Multnomah and the Holden Shawlette recently. They also turned out well. This week I got really frustrated not being able to use up all the hand spun yarn I've made over the years-just bits and pieces of this and that and no projects to use them in. I wonder if anyone else who spins has that problem? I took five skeins of lace yarn that I spun-gradient sorted-and am knitting another Multnomah with it. It's turning out nicely too. All the yarns, from light to dark have great haloes to them. They are, in order, cream colored Merino/Angora, silver Corriedale, medium gray Shetland, charcoal Mohair and black Alpaca.

So that's about the size of it...or that's what is going on now. More later on....

Sweaters and

IT'S THE ARAN AGAIN

Tom has been after me to 'wash' THE SWEATER and as a reminder, he placed it on the sofa in my studio. I ceremoniously carted it to the bathroom this afternoon and plunged it in the tub with appropriate sweater washing detergent. Careful not to swish...gods forbid...I let it soak, then rinsed, then rinsed again, all in cold water. I hope it is clean-it should be. Lots of little bits of vm came out to the surface, which is a good thing, so I think I did it right! And so, it now lies all spead out on the rest of my clean towels...a half dozen are now in the wash after becoming sponges. I hope it turns out ok 72 hour wait time ...

STAYCATION HAS BEGUN

I am so pleased that I have about a month off to just relax before school starts again! I'm not making any plans other than to walk every day, watch the Tour de France and do some knitting and spinning!

July will bring my 60th birthday. I am not sure that I am happy about that...I'm not thinking about it. boooo...major birthday downer.

On a fun note-I'm crafting this summer too. I've made rolled flowers and little notebooks of paint chip paper and if I had a sewing machine, I would be making little fabric birds and things to sell. Sadly, no sewing machine. : (

This is a great photo and sentiment! ^

Summer Time and the Livin' Ain't Easy

Just a word....hurry up July so I can have 3 weeks of peace~

On a sweet note...Here's my adorable grandson, Sam.

HAPPY FATHER'S DAY DADDY-I MISS YOU~

New Blog Look

Quelle Suprise! I hated the look of my old blog so I spent quite a while last night fiddling around with backgrounds and colors and such...I am, of course, still not "DONE" with it. I changed the name too. It's not overly catchey, but, what the hey...

So, it has been a year since I posted, right? Does that mean I have been busy? I choose to think so ...grabs flour and poufs face...
I really have only been about regular business like work and stuff at home and of course spinning and knitting. Ahhh, spinning and knitting-well, mostly knitting, a little spinning. Nothing is finished though. I do have some nearly's and some just started's. No, wait, I did finish the ARAN SWEATER FOR TOMMY!!!!!!!

Sweet, eh?

I've now cast on another for my Man-he's gotten so spoiled-first kilt hose, now sweaters!! This one is much simpler (Thank the gods) It's DROPS Pattern #59-1, and it is quite pretty as the color is one of my favorites-kind of a taupey/mushroomey color. Pretty, pretty!!

I've gotten about 75% up to the armholes. A way to go yet, but will work on it over my Summer Break (next month) and here's hoping that it won't take another 3 frickin' years to complete! (I get bored easily) For Pat, my sweet sister, I spun-oh yeah-and knit a Holden Shawl from the roving she picked out at SAFF last October. It's very pretty. No pic yet as I have not blocked it-but will soon. It's quite chocolatey-the colorway is Brown Eyed Girl. I have another 4 ounces of it that I will spin and knit something else for her-maybe hat and scarf. (one of these days)

You know, I was going to talk politics, but I just need to have a nice day today. Suffice to say, Can we please, please get rid of this loony bin in the White House? JHC, what an idiot! ...there, I feel better....

I came across this really cute website the other day, I'm sure everyone knows about it, well, except me, of course, that has the cutest Kitty pictures! ICanHasCheezburger.com. I spent an hour just looking at and laughing at those photos. One of my favorite was the I'm A Little Teapot cat. It just tickled me so much I laughed out loud, and I don't do that often enough!

OH, OH, I forgot this....I have a new computer!!! My old PC was just a pile of sh-- and finally it bit the dust after I pulled up a site that was supposed to be one for dressing up Barbie Dolls for Shannen and it just went berserk and ate everything in my computer. Sadly, I lost photos and a few documents, but that's life. I'd been jonesing for a Mac ever since Tom and I got together. I love Mac's and all the cool features-it's a perfect computer for artists. So, we got back a slew of money from Income Tax this year and I got myself a Mac Mini! Jumpin' Jiminey!! It's awesome. I have so much storage space in it I will never use it up in my lifetime. The other good thing about it is, it is less likely to get viruses like the old PC did. It's wonderful. So, you'd think life would be peachey with this new Mac, right? There is a down side boys and girls... :(

My old camera is not compatible with it. I cannot take photos and download them to my computer. Another sad...I don't have another camera. Tom has to take pics for me and that isn't always do-able, time wise and I hate to bother him because he's busy working on his paintings. Just one of life's little glitches to work out.....

We've started summer hours at school, working 10 hour days, four days a week. It's not so bad if I ignore the fact that I have to be there at 6:30 AM and work until 4PM; I've had to move my office to the new building so they can renovate my old office and my boss' office is located halfway around the world so if she needs me we usually have to meet half way...nawww, just kidding. It isn't bad. I love having Friday's off...doin' the Snoopy Dance and loving being at home with my sweetie and my fiberey stuff!

Today is Father's Day. Wishing all the Dad's out there a happy day. Thanks for being Dad and thanks for loving and caring for your kids. Wish my Dad was here today. I love you and miss you a lot Daddy!

Cycling Through Summer Vacation

I just can't believe it's the end of July and that today, I went back to school for the beginning of the 2010-2011 school year! It was over so fast-what the heck happened to my holiday?
Well, I can't say that I don't know, I do. We had Shannen the first 2.5 weeks of the holiday. It was nice to have her here and for the most part, it went well and without incident...except for the infamous "SALAD INCIDENT" of which we do not speak!
I turned another year older-what else is new? More gray hair, feeling the twinges of old age creeping in...talk about what happened to the years!! We watched the Tour de France again this year-pulled for Schleck (such a cutie...if I were 40 years younger!!) and cheered for Armstrong, as always. What an athlete! I also did the Ravelry Tour de Fleece and spun some lovely yarns. That was fun. See photos. I wanted to finish Tom's sweater (begun this time of year in 2009-see blog)but never got around to it. I am having some kind of mental block with that and I think it's because I am afraid Tom will be critical of it-not in an intentional way to criticize me, but I'm such a sensitive person. I am also afraid the spinning will not be up to snuff and it will look all weird. Silly me, silly fears-I need to push on with it and complete it!
My yarn...I had some great spins this year. Mohair lace weight yarn turned out gorgeous. A small skein of silk and faux cashmere has potential of a bigger spin and perhaps dye job. Mohair locks...I found that blended with Merino makes an absolutely fabulous yarn-so pretty! Another spin that was great was my tweedy Ivy's Hen yarn. Looked like speckled chickens. Just lovely. I almost hate to use it for anything and it is a hodge podge of fibers of all sort.
My niece Beth got married last week. She's a girl after my own free-spirited heart! She wore a green tapestry bustier over her wedding gown and underneath-green high top tennis shoes! Way to go, Bethie!! Actually, it was just too cute. Hubbie looked spiffy in Kilt and Prince Charlie-always a grand look in my humble opinion!! You can't beat a guy in a kilt for good looks!
So, that was Summer for me. It's an early day tomorrow at school-schedules to sort out, classes to assign and the phone ringing off the hook...normalcy. sigh

STITCHES SOUTH PART B

OK...Part B of Stitches South...I think I can remember everything, althogh, it was a fiber induced delerium on that Saturday! OMG, I've never seen so much yarn and my wallet wasn't anywhere near prepared for what I wanted to spend. Thankfully, my sister was with me...Thanks Laney...and kept me in line!!! However, I did get some very nice yarn and a couple of braids of roving for spinning...also a pattern for the Swirl Shawl which I have coveted ever since I saw it on Ravelry. By Ravelry standards, which are pretty high it seems, my stash from Stitches is kind of small, but here is what I got:

1 skein of Bugga Tomato Frog(red, red, red) from Sanguine Gryffon-gorgeous and it is now knit into and almost finished a Multnomah Shawl-also very gorgeous!
2 cones of Silk and Cashmere laceweight yarn from Webs in Gray Teal...destined for something as yet undetermined, but I had to have it.
2 4oz braids of Green With Envy from Frabjous Fibers which is so very pretty and it's destined for laceweight singles which will also make something great but don't know what yet.
And of course, the pattern for the Swirl Shawl.

That's it and enough to get me through until SAFF in October!
As for Stitches South-it was the best and I can't wait until next year! I'm taking more money and I'm going to go more than one day I think. I don't know about taking a class thought, because I would be afraid I'd miss something good-but, we shall see. I saw some of the most gorgeous knitted items and it really was inspirational. I talked my sister into trying to learn to knit-its good when you can enable a relative, thereby having an accomplice and a co-enabler. It's good. I've never seen so much knitting stuff either-wowsers! I want one of everything!! I also tried out the new Kromski spinning wheel-what a nice wheel. I definitely have it on my want list.

When I get my computer, I'll post pics of my stash and whatever I've finished. Almost done with the Multnomah Shaw.

Stitches South

PART A:
I'm writing this pre-event, so I hope the enthusiasm I have for it will be continued in PART B, post-event.
I'm really looking forward to the Market, which is all I'm really going to get to do this year, although I have signed up for a mini class in Stranded Knitting. Since I only have Saturday, I want to spend most of my time shopping for fiber and the like. I have sort of a shopping list, but you know how it is when you get in a place that just overloads you with goodies that you like-well, who knows how that will go. Sometimes I get too much of a good thing and I get stymied. Then, again, if I'm in the groove and all the forces are working, I can spend like a woman out of control! Frankly, I'm aiming for something inbetween the two!!
Of course, spinning fiber is on the list, but if I happen to see yarn that is, as they say, "to die for", then I may add that to the list. I'd also like a spindle-a nice spindle, and maybe some stitch markers, and perhaps some glass needles, a book or two, some cute buttons would be nice and a shawl pin. I figure $200 will do me just fine~but just in case I'm in out of control mode, I'm taking the magic card....forget the rent! I'm in fiber paradise!!!!
Well...here's looking at PART B and the aftermath of Stitches South, Atlanta, GA.....

DISTAFF DAY

I didn't know there was such a thing as a whole day devoted to the Saint of Spinning-St. Distaff. Evidently there is and I am grateful to him for it!
Yesterday this wonderful day was celebrated by the lovely folks at the Peachtree Handspinners Guild and I was invited to attend. Attend I did and had a great time! I'll be joining The Peachtree Handspinners Guild at their very next meeting!

The reason I got interested in attending was from a discussion on Ravelry about Gulf Coast sheep. I love trying new types of fiber and I'd never heard of it before,so, long story short, a lovely lady named Rosemarie raises these sheep, is a member of the PHG and offered to give me a fleece...free!!! I jumped on that, of course...dollars being what they are these days in our household, free is the right price!

One of the ladies there, Gale Evans, had braids of fiber for sale...I succumbed to purchasing one braid to spin some socks, or something, for Shannen. She had gorgeous fiber! I want more, please!
The other awesome thing was the Gulf Coast wool I got from Rosemarie. Oh my! She gave me a whole trash bag full and is it ever gorgeous once it's washed and carded....yummy! Photo above with rolags is the washed and unwashed fiber. It's so squishy that all I want to do is squeeze it! Gulf Coast fiber is not quite as soft as Corriedale, or some of the other "next to skin" yarn, but it is, nonetheless, soft and will make nice gloves, hats and could possibly make a nice warm shawl-I do plan on knitting a bit of it into my All Sheep Shawl.

I went to the meeting, it isn't very far from where I live, which is great, and I met and sat and spun the whole day! What could have been better? The people were really nice and I think I am going to enjoy belonging to this group. They meet on Saturday's, which is great for me-no weekday meetings-and they do a lot of things as a group. I like that too.

Peachtree Handspinner's Guild...you have a new member!

I've Dyed and Gone to Fiber Heaven

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!