Sheep Shots

Or explanation, or something.

Rabbitch and I were "talking" early this morning as we often do (she being a late-night person and me being an early-morning person, living on opposite coasts) and I commented on a discussion that's been going on on one of the lists I read. Hop on over to her blog. You'll see the gist of the conversation without me re-typing it.

I will readily admit, in the face of undeniable evidence, that some people's children (mine and Janice's included) did or do know how to behave in public. They can be taken into stores and restaurants and conduct themselves with some decorum. (And other patrons, and nuns even, will comment on how well-behaved they are. So there!)

My objection (aside from being censored and having my reply returned by a "listmom," who feared the erruption of a flame war, twice, once on this subject and then on a blatant copyright violation, but hey, if I want to post what I want without censorship, I'll blog, did I digress again?) was that the list only heard one side of the story.

Were Vermin Child's hands clean? I don't know about you, but I'd really rather not pay full price for yarn or an expensive knitting book that has the leavings of a popsicle or jelly donut. Just sayin'. And how was VC behaving?

Shop owners have the right to protect their inventory. And shoppers who don't like it can shop elsewhere.

I've seen too many out-of-control kids in stores lately. I was shopping at the bottom of the heap yesterday (the Dollar Tree, if anyone cares) and there were more than a couple small children running amok and one small screamer riding in a cart. Okay, it's not Macy's, but still. Even for a buck, I don't want stuff that's been kicked around the store. Or thrown, either. Nor do I want to leave with a pounding headache because of the noise level.

And I know it's not just kids doing it.

Janice sings the praises of a local (to her) fiber shop. It sounds like a lovely place and again, their shop, their rules. I had a similar shop (long gone) when my kids were little (long gone). There were things that the kids loved to look at and I would sometimes buy for them (plastic canvas in shapes and bright colored yarn to work the shapes into "stuff" like coasters). They were welcome, but they were also well behaved (and had clean hands).

I am the first to admit that not everyone is cut out for retail. Maybe that was the case in this instance. But without hearing the other side, we'll never know.

Eye Candy:

What better way to spend a cold afternoon than rescuing unfortunately dyed yarn?




Some time back, I bought a lot (like at least 5 sweaters' worth??) of Gjestal Naturgarn No. 1, a lovely Lopi-type bulky wool in many colors.

I made two sweaters from it so far and have a lot left and I'm thinking Dulaan!

One of the colors (what in the hell was I thinking?) was this one [eyes left] that they called "Almond."

Um, er, ick.

Nine skeins. Why?





Enter The Cheap Stuff.

It was on sale (still is) at the grocery store: 7/$1.

There's a reason!

For one thing, it clumps (good thing I have a wire wisk and know how to use it).

For another, it took 20 packs to dye 600 grams of yarn.

I'm thinking that Kool-Aid would have done the same job for the same price. And I would have had a better choice of colors. Live and learn.



Here it is, cooking up in a pan.

Dye's all exhausted and the color is wimpy.

I put it in for a second dyebath.









And here's the result.

Three skeins (the raspberry-pinky ones) were dyed with Wilton paste--purple. I will eventually get the hang of how much paste it takes. This was a better run than the last one (the one that ran and ran and ran).

The rest is dyed with Cheap Powdered Drink Mix (tm). I'll wait for a sale on The Good Stuff.

Labels: dye stuff