Ask the Yarnista
Friday, May 13, 2011 at 1:13PM Today is Friday the 13th.
That means it's Ask the Yarnista day.
Why? I don't know. It just is.
It is because I decided it should be about 30 seconds ago.
I used to do a monthly feature called The Yarnista Answers Your Questions, and I'm in the mood to start again.
Leave a question in the comments here, and I'll do my best to answer it.
Here's one to start us off:
Hi Sharon,
I have a question, and I'm hoping you can help me. My wife loves your yarn, and has a large collection of it. I want to get her a little something for her birthday coming up, but don't know which color to choose. Can you make any recommendations based on my wife's order history? She wears a lot of black, but I don't know how that translates into yarn.
Thanks for the help.
P.S. Thanks to you, terms like "merino" "kettle dyed" and "yarnista" are regular topics of conversation at our house. Just thought you'd like to know.
And here's my response. I've removed any name hints so the sender's wife can be truly surprised.
Hello,
Thanks for your email. I know and love your wife, and can certainly steer you to some colorway options she might enjoy.
I then inserted colorway/yarn information here. No hints, I don't want to spoil the surprise.
I'm sorry you have to talk about yarn at dinner all the time.
Wait, I'm not sorry.
Talking about kettle dyeing is perhaps bit fluffy, but there are far worse conversations one could have over a meal. The dog is sick, for example, or my crazy relative is coming to live with us indefinitely. Honey, I've gambled my retirement money away, or I keep forgetting to tell you, but the basement has a foot of standing water. I accidentally broke all your fishing rods, or the very nice IRS agent stopped by and said the house looks like we've done a lot of work on it.
All in all, merino wool is a fairly innocuous, mildly pleasant topic in a frenetic world fraught with peril. As for conversations regarding yarnistas, I'm afraid I am of little assistance in that regard.
Let me know if you need anything else.
Sharon
Your turn! What's weighing on your mind? It certainly does not have to be knitting/yarn related (although it can be). If you're wondering why Oreo cookies are so delicious, for example, I might be able to help you there.
If I don't get to your question today, I'll try and answer it in a future installment.
P.S. Doing a bunch of Carpe Yarnem stockings this weekend. Check here regularly for updates.
Reader Comments (31)
Nicole, it's really hard to balance life and work, especially when you're the business owner. The only way I make it work is with a lot of help. And sometimes I really do have to tell myself, "Even though everything is not 100% complete, it's time to step away and go home." I'm a task finisher, so it can be hard to leave work undone. But I'm working on it. :)
I'm hoping to get to Chicago this fall -- are you up for a road trip?
Heather, you have to apply when we have an opening, and go through the normal job application process. :) Playing with dye all day is incredibly hard work that requires a lot of physical stamina -- we don't have any Oompa Loompas, sadly. (Or perhaps I should say fortunately. I'm not sure I would want orange-skinned, green-haired workers who sing moral-of-the-story songs all day.)
Leah, my advice for a novice dyer would be this: start small. Don't spend a lot of money until you see if you really like doing it and are willing to live with the mess. Try working with Kool-Aid or food coloring to decide if you want to invest in separate utensils. Shop thrift stores and yard sales for things like stockpots and crockpots. Record everything you do in case it turns out beautifully and you want to try to recreate it. We do sell a tutorial (you can find it on our website under the Learn to Dye tab), but you might also check out the book Yarn to Dye For.
Richelle, I may very well need some help! I really appreciate the offer. I will email you with my schedule!
The giant horsedog gets fed Iams. And bones from the butcher shop. And any other grub she can wantonly rustle off of someone's plate.
Sandy, hmm. Iodine -- I'm not sure what that smells like. Is it metallic smelling?
I would try soaking the garment in a mixing bowl filled with tepid water. I would add one tablespoon of hair conditioner, swish well, and add the knitted piece. Let is soak for 15 minutes and then squeeze the water out. If you lay it outside in the sun to dry, that would be perfect, otherwise, let it dry flat on a towel in a well-ventilated area.
I hope that helps!
Kristi, my favorite knitting bag at present is my Monroe bag by Namaste. I have the Hollywood Pink color, and it's definitely pretty enough to carry as a purse/knitting bag.
Heather S, our club colorways are exclusive to current club members. But you can always use the Coordinating Hand Dyed solid option under Colorways on our site and request a really vibrant chlorophyll green. I can't make that exact colorway, but I'll get something with a similar feel. You can also stalk the For Sale threads on our Ravelry message boards -- you may find someone willing to part with theirs.
I love green. Sigh.
Jaime, I lived in West Germany as a little girl because my dad was in the Air Force. I wasn't born there, but my sister was.
I used to speak German much better than I do now. If you don't use it, you lose it, unfortunately.
Sharon-
I'll be at Sock Summit also. So if you need another helper, let me know. I'm free at least part of each day.
As for Ask the Yarnista, do you ever need sample knitters?
Thank you, Jess! I appreciate it. I do need sample knitters periodically -- could you email me your contact info, and I'll put you on the list of knitters?
Yarnista, for you I'll make SURE I'm up for a road trip. Otherwise you'll just have to crash at my house and make sure my yarn room is up to snuff. ;)
And I tend to be a task finisher too. Stress myself to bits leaving things undone. I'll work better on learning when to walk away for awhile.