DIY Ombre Dyed Yarn – Part 2

When we stumbled upon the DIY Ombre Dyed Yarn tutorial by Xandy Peters we were inspired! That weekend we went to our local craft store for yarn and grocery store for Kool-Aid to have a little dyeing party. We also experimented with yarns we had around that we knew were wool, the results were amazing. Not only was this project super easy, the combinations are endless!

We used black cherry, watermelon-cherry, pink lemon-aid, lemon-lime and ice blue punch to come up deep reds, corals, bright blues and minty greens. The first task was to wind the balls of yarn which was the most time consuming task. The yarns we ended up dying were 100% Fisherman’s Wool in Natural, Stitch Nation ‘Full O Sheep’ in Honeycomb and some other hand-me-down wool yarns.

We took Xandy’s tip and used spoons and tongs to maneuver the yarn balls in the dye bath. Once they had boiled the two rounds in their dye baths, the tongs were lifesavers as we rinsed the yarn balls in the cold water. These suckers get super hot!! Half way through dyeing the yarn we came up with the idea of creating a 2-tone ombre by dyeing the yarn – rinsing it / letting it cool, unwinding, rewinding with the new color in the center and re-dying. What we created was a Christmas-Italian-Watermelon inspired colored yarn. I can’t wait to see how this knits up.  Each one took the dye in a unique way, the most interesting was Stitch Nation yarn. Since it was already Honeycomb we weren’t sure if it would take color but it took the Black Cherry Kool-Aid wonderfully, creating a fiery color combo.

Mary and I highly recommend trying this out. As they say “if we can do it, so can you!” It was a lot of fun and we plan on sharing some finished projects soon!

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Handmade Holiday Gift Recap

We all do it.  Sometime in the summer we declare:  “I am going to make all my Christmas gifts this year!”

I think we all know how this sad story usually turns out.  However, Brandy and I did pull it together in the very end, and I am proud to present to you…

The Festival of Handmade and Somewhat Appreciated Gifts!  

I can tell you that the first item, a fantastic crocheted Hello Kitty scarf for my sister, wins, hands down.  Theresa, my sister, loves Hello Kitty.  She is also a FANATICAL University of Washington sports fan (hence the purple and gold).  I really thought she was going to cry when she opened this up.  Made by Brandy, with her mad crochet skillz, of course.  Hello Kitty diagram can be found here.

(She’s sporting some toasty fingerless gloves I made as well…)

Continuing on the University of Washington theme, I made my sis a striped phone cozy, and a warm and a toasty basket weave border hat.  I wrote the pattern down somewhere for the hat, if you are interested let me know.  I held two strands together for both the cuff and the body of the hat.

I slaved over this slouchy beanie concoction from Caron for Brandy.  I used Lion Brand Amazing yarn in Pink Sands.  This was a nail biter, down to the wire.  But it turned out really cute and she loves it! (at least she says she does!)

Brandy came up with a great idea for two of her male friends who are from Viking heritage.  She found this awesome pattern and knocked out these two crocheted Viking Hats.

Brandy made me the most beautiful ripple patterned crochet cowl!  I have worn it pretty much every day.  I have asked her to make me another one immediately!  🙂  I forgot to take a photo of it – my bad!

We also made a slew of other items – see the photo montage below – crocheted cowls, knit beanies, bow headbands, and more.

Now that the holidays are over, it’s back to knitting and crocheting for ourselves – Brandy is working on a bobble bunny hat.  She is now talking about bobbles non-stop.   I finally finished my Twinkle Printmaker’s Pullover, which I had mentioned awhile back.   It looks great on my dress form, but I haven’t gotten around to wearing it yet.  And I just started designing a dress/tunic inspired by the shape of this Pinterest find.  I am doing a top down, circular construction.

So for all you gift knitters and crocheters, our hats (no pun intented) are off to you!  Did you finish in time?  What is your next craft adventure?

Until next time!

M and B

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Holiday Trend Forcast: The Ugly Sweater (Party)

There is so much fugly great Christmas sweater inspiration out there it was hard to decide on just one to focus on for color and trend inspiration. Much like my research on the Cosby Sweater, the more I dug into the history of the Ugly Christmas Sweater the more I became lost in a sea of images, blogs and books paying tribute to this fashion atrocity. The growing trend during this holiday time is to have an Ugly Christmas Sweater party (Google it, I promise you won’t be disappointed). There’s even a trio of dudes calling themselves “Ugly Christmas Sweater” (Team Ugly for short) who literally wrote the book on it. It looks like so much fun that Mary and I have decided next year we are hosting one of these parties!

image via Google search (can’t find source)

The first collection is by far the most popular choice when choosing to “don your gay apparel”. Bright color, crazy images and the more appliques and Bedazzled goodness the better. You wear one of these fine specimens you are sure to be the ugliest belle at the ball!

1) BROOKLYN : 100% superwash merino worsted / Cake Walk Yarns via Etsy  (go to Tangled Happy for a discount code and giveaway!)

2) GOLD : acyrlic & metallic polyester mix / Vanna’s Glamour via Lion Brand Yarns

3) FLECKY SWEATER YARN : recycled yarn from actual Christmas Sweater! / SmartMonkey via Etsy

4) CHRISTMAS TREE : silk, wool & glitz rayon mix – art yarn / Scales and Fins Yarn via Etsy

5) CHRISTMAS GREEN : 100% Peruvian highland wool / via Purl Soho

image via Google (again not sure of the source)

The second collection is inspired by those that choose to attend an Ugly Sweater Party with no intention on actually participating BUT the price of admission is one Christmas sweater SO these party goers cheat the system by wearing a traditional and now chic holiday sweater. (aka killjoys)

1) NATURAL : 100% pure virgin wool / Fisherman’s Wool via Lion Brand Yarns

2) CANDY CANE : silk, wool & glitz rayon mix – art yarn / Scales and Fins Yarn via Etsy

3) STERLING : acrylic & polyester blend with sequins / Sequin via Bernat Yarns

4) DEEP SEA : 100% acrylic / Vanna’s Colors via Lion Brand Yarns

5) MIDNIGHT HEATHER : 100% pure new wool / via Purl Soho

image via Craft Stylish • click the photo for upcycled dog sweater pattern

The third collection is what you do after the party… after your hangover is cured and you realize you are now the proud owner of an Ugly Christmas Sweater. Some hipsters may continue to wear it into the new year (making others scratch their heads) but you know better and it’s either figure out something to do with it or it’s off to the Good Will.

1) HOLIDAY YARN : 100% merino wool with beads – art yarn / Wool Wench via Etsy

2) ECRU : 80% wool & 20% silk / Elsebeth Lavold Silky Wool XL via Webs

3) TOPAZ : acyrlic & metallic polyester mix / Vanna’s Glamour via Lion Brand Yarns

4) ESTES : superwash merino, cashmere & nylon / Cake Walk Yarns via Etsy  (go to Tangled Happy for a discount code and giveaway!)

5) GREEN : 100% cashmere recycled yarn from actual Christmas Sweater! / Sentimental Valu via Etsy

Matt Damon via The Today Show (check out more fun celebs & their sweaters here)

Happy Holidays from Rewind Knits & Crochet. Mary and I will be “away” for the rest of the year, busy cranking out our Christmas presents! After the first of the year we’ll be posting all about our handmade holiday gifts along with a giveaway of a Eugenie prize pack.

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Post Halloween, Pre-Turkey Day Update

While Halloween at Brandy’s house wasn’t as busy with kiddos as in years past, we definitely had more time to focus on a few new projects.  The weather has turned here in the PNW, and the last few weeks I have been focused on gloves and mittens.  One, their quick, two, sizing really isn’t too much of an issue, three, I’m thinking holiday gifts.  I came up with two easy options that are NOT knit on DPNs.

The first ones are some cute cable wristlets, with the thumb added after you sew them up.  I wore them for about a week before I decided to add the thumbs,  so you can go either way.  Pattern will be posted next week.  This is some super soft bamboo hand spun yarn I got off of Etsy over a year ago, and I was happy with the results.

The second ones I think I will call my Dishcloth Candy Cane Wristlets.  These are the easiest things ever.  I came up with these for a friend of mine (who shall remain nameless) who is convinced the only thing she can knit is dishcloths.  Again, knit on regular needles and then sewn up after the fact.  You could even do these in school colors (my sis is getting some Purple and Gold ones for Christmas in honor of our U of W Huskies!).  I used Vanna’s Choice yarn.  I am going to get the pattern written up for you next week on these as well.

And here is what Halloween looked like at Brandy’s house.  We went with a funeral parlor/graveyard theme.  I was D. Eadly and she was D. Ceased.  Please note that we hijacked our store mannequin and planted her body parts in the lawn.  I was worried her leg was going to get stolen, but she is all back in one piece now.  We watched Anchorman, knit and crocheted between ‘customers’ and I tried to not eat all the Smarties out of the candy bucket. All in all a successful evening!

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Best of…

KNIT DECOR:

We are inspired to create wearable goodies for ourselves all the time, but how often do we knit (or crochet) goodies for our surroundings? For most of us it is not until the fall / winter months that we start to want to surround ourselves in these delux textures. Well… it’s that time of the year and here’s my list of knit decor must haves for the season. These are so fashionable that they can be used / on display around all year long.

Casamania Granny Knitted Lamp Shades recently featured on one of our favorite haunts, Daily Candy.

cb2 knitted pouf, simple yet stylish and super useful. Comes in the season’s color must haves. Personally I’m getting a bit tired of orange so the grey really appeals to me, a neutral good for year around.

Biscuit Scout’s hand knitted cream aran armchair slip cover is quite possibly the coolest twist on utilitarian object EVER! This beautifully crafted “chair sweater” is perfect for those chilly winter nights. This would be perfect in front of a fire place, with a book and draped in… you guessed it… a matching aran blanket! I have about 3 chairs I can think of that I’d love to cover but I’m not sure if I’d have the heart to sit on them.

The last but not least is this beautiful porcelian knit texture bowl from Annette Bugansky Design. We saw this trend blow up last season but it’s one that I personally hope never goes away. Check out the links for awesome options of these faux knit beauties.

What are your favorite knit decor items this season?

– Brandy

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January: Weathered Wood

Color Group: Fresh

We are into the new year, into the first week of the first month. The excitement brings a reinvigorated focus to better ourselves and negative things around us. What was old is new again, much like this month’s color inspiration: Weathered Wood. This Fresh color palette calls to mind the brisk January mornings… perhaps the same mornings many of us are out walking or running in order to reach our recent resolutions. We hope this cool yet inviting palette inspires you to whip up some warm projects this month.

The featured yarns are from Lion Brand’s Vanna’s Choice collection. Shown above in both solids and “mists”, Vanna’s Choice is the perfect for most projects because it is the perfect balance of budget friendly and acrylic softness.
1) White
2) Pearl Mist
3) Taupe Mist
4) Silver Grey
5) Espresso

Vanna’s Choice continues to branch out, recently releasing a Vanna’s GlamourTM collection, giving you even more options to create your own Fresh color story. Mary and I are anxiously waiting for Vanna to come out with a bulky yarn, fingers crossed!

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Color Story: Pop Posh

Color Group: Unique

I was compelled to make this week’s color inspiration bright and bold given we are in winter and for most that means a dark and dreary season. Emerging in the US in the later part of the 1950’s, the Pop Art movement turned tradition on its ear making way for contemporary culture . I love everything pop art represents. From it’s vibrant and daring use of primary colors to the unabashed way it stands apart from the crowd. The yarns chosen for this pairing do just that. Each fantastic in their own way and begging to be made into some sort of fashion statement.

1) Colors of Fabric 2 by tjt unraveled; this yarn’s bold primary palette really packs a punch. The variegated colors go from bright reds to dark brown/blacks much like the comic book inspired art of Roy Lichtenstein.

2) Soprano by marion; the perfect pop art palette that calls to mind Andy Warhol’s Marilyn Monroe in Hot Pink work of art. The blacks, reds, pinks and of course the yellows blondes.

3) Hello Kitty by zucchero filato; there’s something sweet and tactile about this art yarn. The exploration of color and texture makes you want to interact with it… much like the fantastic sculptures of Claes Oldenburg.

4)Koigu Yarn from betty’s loft; The quantity and intensity of the colors in this yarn made me instantly think of my favorite Pop Artist Jeff Koons. What’s my favorite piece you ask? Anything in his Celebration series especially Play-Doh.

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