I quickly remembered this weekend why I dislike nupps. I had cranked along pretty well with this swallowtail shawl a few weeks ago until I hit the nups and set her aside to work on a few other things.
This weekend, I figured it was time to sit with Cracklin Rosie again and work on those darn nupps. You see, I know that I could just omit them, but I remember how worth it they were the last time I made this shawl....but oy~vey, what a PIA they are! You can be sure this shawl is staying here this time.
To give myself and my fingers a break from the nupp frustrations periodically, I played with the dyepots in between knitting. Having a snowy weekend, gave me a good excuse to just stay in and play with fiber.
Every now and then I will accidentally create a color that really makes me smile. Not because I think other people will like it, but because I like it. I had a certain vision of what I was hoping to get, which of course was nothing like what I actually got......but that's the fun part about dyeing. Sometimes the accidents are your best finds.
I liked the colors so much that I quickly dyed up a few more skeins and some roving, just to see if I could recreate my faux pas again. I smiled even more when I saw that I could.
Now the roving may not be anyone else's cup of tea, but I can't wait to see how the browns and greens spin up. This goes on my big Lendrum tonight :-).
The funny thing is, before I played with the dyepots, I had been looking for something to spin on my big saxony wheel that I love. I just couldn't find the right roving here that this wheel deserves, so instead I sat down to my little Robin to spin on the Rhinebeck roving I have been spinning on for some time now......... I don't know if you can tell from the picture as it is a bit blurry, but the colors in this roving are almost the same as what came out of my dyepot accidentally.
Hmmmm..........what's up with that?















Oh, I love that colorway too..........it's like SPRING.......now, back to your nupps.
Posted by: christine | Wednesday, March 21, 2007 at 04:05 PM
I love that moss colorway -- is that laceweight or sock? The nupps look like a total pain, but they do look pretty.
Posted by: Kathy | Tuesday, March 20, 2007 at 09:08 PM
The wood moss colors are gorgeous! What a beautiful accident.
Posted by: Charleen | Tuesday, March 20, 2007 at 09:02 PM
What beautiful color work! Amazing conicidence that you came so close to that roving without trying or knowing it at the moment... Hey maybe those colors have become internalized ---we all do it. I know I've been known to pick the same colors over and over again not realizing:)
Posted by: Marisol | Tuesday, March 20, 2007 at 02:36 PM
Isn't it fun tho? You never know what you are going to get. And sometimes really fun surprises!!
Your shawl is coming along beautifully.
Posted by: Anne | Tuesday, March 20, 2007 at 09:49 AM
Nice colors! Being a new spinner and having only one wheel, I'm interested to know why you would want to save your saxony for something "worthy". Does it work the best on luxury fibers or is it just so special to you that you like to save it for the good stuff?
Posted by: Wool Winder | Tuesday, March 20, 2007 at 09:44 AM
The nupps suck but they really make a difference. Just plug along, they'll be done before you know it.
Love the new roving!
Posted by: Carole | Monday, March 19, 2007 at 08:13 PM
One could say it means you're in a color-rut. (See how it matches your blog colors?) Or it could just mean you've got a favorite color. And that you have good taste because I like it too. ;)
Posted by: Beth | Monday, March 19, 2007 at 07:15 PM
Hmmmm, perhaps you're predictable? Nice color way however. ;-) Nupps are a pain but they look so good.
Posted by: margene | Monday, March 19, 2007 at 06:40 PM
EEK nupps!
It is so nice to see you dye something that you really love!
:)
Posted by: Ruinwen | Monday, March 19, 2007 at 05:32 PM
Love the color of that rove. Very earthy.
Posted by: andi | Monday, March 19, 2007 at 05:27 PM
Okay, the nupps are enough to make me de-lurk and beg for any tips. I'm knitting the swallowtail shawl as my first "real" knitted lace and just got to the nupps. They are just scarin' the bejeezus out of me! I enjoy reading your blog even though I don't comment much.
Posted by: holly | Monday, March 19, 2007 at 05:21 PM