Thursday, February 18, 2010

Thankful for Thursday!


I try not to leave the house on Thursdays, except to walk Barker on the golf course! I woke up raring to get started this morning, with plans to begin dyeing silk for two more shawls. While the silks were lounging in their respective dye baths, I played around with a new technique I had read about on Kelli Nina Perkins' blog: Alcohol Dyed Interfacing. I will tell you more about the top picture in a minute, but first I want to show you how the alcohol inks look when you add them to a small bowl with just a little bit of alcohol.

Isn't that cool? Kelli says to use nonfusible interfacing (makes sense) and to scrunch it up and add it to the bowl of alcohol and inks....wearing gloves, of course! Then, when you're happy with how the interfacing is looking, you heat set the inks by ironing them between two sheets of newspaper. Well, I happened to have some already semi used newsprint paper, so I used it...and actually I liked the results on that better than on the interfacing! That is what the top shot is. Below is the interfacing. Who knows what I'll use it for, but I'm thinking I'll probably embellish it with some metallic threads and make some notecards.

Well, hope springs eternal, I guess! Look what I saw on the fence on my way out to the dye studio this afternoon

My brave Clematis is actually preparing to leaf out....even in this unseasonably cold weather!

Yesterday was knitting day. I missed it last week because I had to take my Mom for an Eye Dr appointment. So, it was great to sit and knit and catch up with my buddies yesterday. Keith, the only guy in the group, dropped by for a few minutes to show us some of the things he has been working on lately. Since he has a real job, he doesn't get to join us too often. Here's my buddy Dr Sock modeling the gorgeous shawl that Keith has just completed

here's a detail shot:
He's only been knitting for a few years, and actually learned while appearing in a play...all of the college girls were knitting back stage during rehearsals and he decided to give it a try, so that he could teach his daughter. Well, he has taken the ball and run with it, don't you think?!!! Such an inspiration for us all! Great work Keith!!!

PEACE

7 comments:

Jeannie said...

What a gorgeous shawl! Wow!!! I love the newsprint. Time to make some journals with it?

Caroline said...

Both paper and fabric are so interesting. I think they will prove to be useful. The shawl is lovely. I want to knit a lace shawl; did Keith mention the name of the pattern? If so, would you share it with us?

We had a sunny, warm day today and some of the snow melted. I saw the ground in spots! Not quite the excitement of seeing an emerging clematis, but surely a harbinger of spring!

Eva said...

How adorable! The dyeing method must be such fun! I like it in the bowl, too, it reminds me of old Chinese dragons. And what chances it opens! I can't wait to see more.

Carol said...

The alcohol ink dyeing looks very interesting, lovely effect on the newsprint. And wow! Keith sure is a knitter, that's a really lovely shawl. Hope the brave clematis is a good sign for you and the days start to warm up. XXOO

Karoda said...

That shawl is fabulous! Its beautiful pieces like this that make me regret not knitting. Seeing the signs of spring and your dye results in the last post gives me hope!

Joyce said...

The new dyeing method looks interesting and i love the results. Gorgeous shawl.

Molly said...

That's the Keith I met while he was knitting socks, right? I'm totally in awe of the shawl. Tell him he rules!