I spent an hour or so on the weekend dyeing some of my new Abuelita 8 ply wool with Kool-Aid.

There is a fab tutorial on the subject on Knitty.com.

L to R: Pink Lemonade, Cherry (2 packets), Cherry (3 packets)

The darker skein on the right used 3 packets of Kool-Aid per 100g skein. Basically, the darker the colour that you desire, the more Kool-Aid you will need.

My favourite is the pale pink Lemonade on the left!

I am going to do some handpainted skeins this weekend on my Abuelita worsted undyed so will post pics when these are done.

I am also offering a small workshop on Kool-Aid Dyeing on the 5th March. For $55, everything is included in the 2 hour workshop – please call – 07 3851 2608 if you’d like to book into that one – hope you can make it!

Gabrielle

Sandy at Ravelry.com has produced a fabulously useful list of crochet tips this week.  Some I knew, but most I hadn’t even thought of!  Well done and very helpful!

Welcome to the Corner!

You smart crocheters!…..there are no questions this week. So this gives me a perfect opportunity to share some crochet tips to help make your work go a little easier or look better.

1. Use stitch markers to count long foundation chains. If you have to make a long chain to start your project, put a marker every 10 stitches…..it will make counting much easier. Do the same with your rows when needed.
2. Draw a simple chart for problem patterns. If you get stuck on pattern instructions, make a drawing of what you are reading. Sometimes seeing a representation of the text makes it easier to understand the directions.
3. Split your yarn for a more even Russian Join. Sometimes a yarn is so thick that a Russian Join can be noticed in a project. If this occurs, split the yarn in half and only use half the plies for the join. Weave the other 2 sets of plies into the work.
4. Slip a stitch marker in your loop when you take a break from your project….it will prevent stitches from unraveling.
5. When starting a project with a large, joined ring of chains, substitute a foundation row. This will eliminate a twisted chain when joining.
6. You can add beads to a project without having to string them onto your yarn first. Use a hook small enough to go through the hole in the bead to pull your yarn loop through and then make your stitch. Or if a hook is too large to put through the bead or too small to pull the yarn through, try using a loop of thin wire. Catch your yarn loop and then thread the wire through the bead hole and pull the yarn loop through.
7. If you use a box to keep your pins in for blocking, purchase a flat magnet (like the kind used to put on the back of business cards), cut it to fit the bottom of your box, tape it inside and you wont have a problem with spilled pins.
8. Use a metal tape measure to measure your gauge swatches….tape measures made from material can stretch over time and give an inaccurate measurement.
9. If you are making a long foundation chain (200 or more chains), use one end of the yarn for the chain, and the other end to make your first row. If you miscounted, you can add more chains or subtract them without frogging the row.
10. If you want to see how a project will look before you seam it, use those tiny hair clips to create a faux seam.

I would soooo live here!

I have a TV to watch in the shop and usually I can’t get Channel 10 ‘coz the reception is so crap here, but yesterday managed to see something decent which is good ‘coz the only other channel I can get is Seven and watching tennis for me, is akin to watching paint dry!

Anyhoo….was watching 9 am with David and Kim and saw this really cool guy doing acrobatics with a giant hula hoop!

The troup is called Les 7 doigts de la main – The 7 fingers – and they are currently touring Australia:

Hula Hoop Acrobatics

For all those non-Aussie readers out there, ‘Have a Yarn’ means to have a talk or chat with someone and that’s exactly what I’ll be doing in this blog.

You can read all the latest news from the world of yarn, both here and overseas.  I’ll also have new and cool knitting and crochet products from around the globe.  I have lots of yarn-related links and news on knitting and crochet events from around the world.

Enjoy reading my blog. 

Gabrielle