New find

I finally found something I enjoy doing in the way of exercise.  Hiking. I can take Isis and not worry about other people or dogs or cars. She likes to pull sometimes and I usually spend most of my walk stopping to correct her. But when we go to Gold Bug Park, I can just let her off of her leash and let her run.  There my biggest worry is the thought that she would run into a porcupine or skunk or get her harness caught and I would have to dive into the under brush after her.

I had to buy a pretty new pink harness because the last one was getting too small (My grandmother forgets how many treats she gives out.)

We usually take a trail that leads up to a mine shaft, but today I wanted a change of scenery.

We found what I can only guess as the beginning of a mine. Isis loved the smells in the carved out alcove.

The sun hit the trail just right.

This looks like it goes further back than this, but I could see the back wall.  Good spot to take cover if you got caught out in the rain.

We found that this "new" trail met up with the one we normally take. The whole experience have me a sense of accomplishment.

A Dye Day

So far my favorite part of the whole process of making yarn is dying. I can't draw, let alone paint a picture like my grandmother. But hand painting a skein makes me think of painting in water color. 

I usually soak my fiber in a container of water with about a cup of vinegar untill the fibers are soaked completly. This makes it easier for the dye to get to every fiber.  

I thought about going to the dollar store and buying squeeze bottles for ketchup and mustard, but I found that reusing water bottles would work just as well.

Unfortunately my green came out a little washed out, but I don't think I put enough dye in the bottle. Oh well, that's what this is, a learning experience. But I think I am going to focus on green the next time I dye.

A rainbow sausage! I pop it in the microwave and run it for 5 min on high then let it cool for 5. I repeat this process till the liquid is clear. 

Once it the rainbow sausage has completely cooled, I cut it out of the plastic and rinse it in the hottest tap water and Dawn dish soap till the water runs clear. Then hang dry.

Time to get back to work. Oh and if you are interseted in buying some of the yarn I will be posting a lot on Craftywitchcorner