By Robin OBrien

I’ve been knitting for some years now but have never, in all that time, used hand dyed yarn. Well, I finally decided to broaden my yarn experience and have completed my first project using a hand dyed fiber from Twisted Sisters Yarn.

Twisted Sisters Yarn has been around for more than ten years. I’d heard about them and even came across their hand dyed fibers at craft fairs and yarn stores but I’d never thought about using their yarns. However, all that changed when I got my hands on the Twisted Sisters Sock Workbook by Anne Vogel. The book was lent to me by my sister – who’s been knitting with hand-dyed yarns for years – and right away I was captivated by it, so much so, that I went out and bought my own copy.

Reading the sock workbook was a revelation to me. First off, I liked the way tone of it; they don’t lecture you – instead you learn about the enthusiasm and love the author has for hand dyed yarn. Page by page, you learn about dip-dyeing, pour-dyeing, and hand-painting yarns. The photographs and text show you just how easy hand dyeing can be. But the book goes even further. It shows explains to you about the different ways of spinning yarn and how this affects the look, feel and color of a yarn. The Sock Workbook should be on the book shelf of every knitter.

Anyhow, the book uses various sock patterns as a way of showing how hand dyed fibers can look on a finished garment. Again, the book explains the step by step process to make the perfect sock – actually the book has the best explanation of knitting the heel of a sock that I’ve ever read.

Well, I read the book cover to cover, so it only remained for me to knit a sock using a hand dyed yarn. Naturally I chose Twisted Sisters yarn. I could have chosen another brand of hand dyed yarn – I’ve since discovered others like Rio De La Plata Yarn and Artyarns Yarn, but I kind of felt it fitting to use Twisted Sisters yarn for my first venture into using hand dyed yarn.

The yarn I chose was Daktari yarn. It’s a cotton fiber, which makes it perfect for socks. Daktari fiber is a hand painted yarn of nearly solid hues (monochromatic variegates). Each color just seems to flow into its neighboring color. I simply fell in love with this yarn. Anyhow, I used 2 balls of 50g to make the socks using US size 8 needles.

I’d made socks before but I didn’t know the huge variety on types. In the end I went for a pattern with “afterthought heels”. I was pretty delighted with the way the socks turned out; they even fitted perfectly thanks to the advice I found in the book. They looked great and the Twisted Sisters yarn I chose was perfect – even if I say so myself.

I’ve since used other hand dyed yarns from companies like Rio De La Plata Yarn and Artyarns Yarn but I’ll never forget my first project using hand dyed fiber. I still have my socks and look forward to working with a Twisted Sister yarn again.

Follow the links for more information about Twisted Sisters Yarn and other hand dyed yarn like Artyarns Yarn.

Article Source: Robin OBrien / My First Sock Using Twisted Sisters Yarn

By Nancy Punter

Knitting slippers is one of the many crafts which I enjoy. The pattern which I use has been handed down through the family over the years. We have been wearing these long lasting, washable warm slippers since we were children. From time to time a store bought pair of slippers does make it home, but we have always seemed to prefer this comfortable warm home made slipper. Of course, the best thing is one can always knit up a new pair at any moment, even if the reason for the new pair is just for a different color.

These particular slippers are made with 2 strands of yarn which contributes to the warmth of the slippers. Using 2 strands of yarn at once also gives you the opportunity to a create a wide variety of color combinations. Occasionally I do use one color but I find it much more interesting to combine colors. Sometimes mixing the same color but using different shades of that color creates a beautiful combination. Other times using white then another color, be it pastel or a darker shade creates a great end result. The color combinations are endless!

Another great feature of knitted slippers is they are very easy to care for. When they need to be cleaned all you have to do is pop them in the washer then machine dry. They will come out looking like new! The slippers do have a little give to them and machine washing and drying them will return them to their original fit. How easy is that! Unlike most store bought slippers which are not all washable you will never have to worry about having clean slippers again! Homemade slippers are warm, comfortable, easy to clean and definitely offer a wide variety of color variations.

Since we all love these slippers it would be wonderful to share them with everyone. If you are interested in baby slippers or children’s slippers please visit www.purehealthchoices.com.

Written and Produced by Nancy Punter

Craft projects are something I have enjoyed throughout my life. Over the years I have done wood projects, crochet, knitting, macrame, and more recently tried my hand at creating dried flower pictures. I enjoy nature very much and the dried flower pictures have been a true pleasure to make. Being creative is something I will always enjoy. Recently I have expanded my craft projects by also making personal items for the home. In time I may consider offering some of the items I am currently working on for the others to purchase. Because I enjoy making things I try to always put as much quality into project as I possibly can.

Article Source: Nancy Punter ==> Hand-Knitted Slippers