This curious couple greeted me as I walked from my neighbor Lesley's house this morning. She is an award-winner and designer of the SOMOS anthology that I edit - and she just happens to conveniently live at the beginning of my dirt road, making our design meetings eminently convenient for both of us. Since last year when we last worked together she's added these two friendly goats to her family. They live a privileged goat life in a cozy barn area and I often see them picturesquely sitting in a sunny spot in their open doorway as I drive past. Since I was on foot this time they came to the fence to see me off, bleating their wavery greetings. They share their protected-from-coyotes area with colorful roosters and hens. How perfect is nature!
I'd love to have a yarn palette with their colors. Will have to talk to friend Joan who has begun hand-dying her own wool. She has a bold vision and might like the challenge. Meanwhile, she showed me some
beginning! results using Kool Aid and food coloring.
Years ago I dyed sock yarns in a crockpot using Kool Aid. It was easy, not very exciting (too pastel-y), but the resulting knitted socks thrilled their recipients. Before they were gone, my granddaughter noticed that the socks smelled of their flavors so she put tags on each pair that read "sniff me". And once, with a few other women, I spent a breezy summer day outdoors dyeing. We used indigo (expensive), cochineal (bugs!), onion skins (no prob), yarrow (for ochre), other naturals. We drove out in a caravan to the mesa home/studio of a master-dyer mutual acquaintance and spent the day stirring colorful bubbling
cauldrons pots. I remember that time as one of the small major pleasures of my life. I loved bringing my very own skeins home to hang up to dry while anticipating the way I would use them in projects.
As much as I liked the whole episode, I haven't been compelled to do it again. As I've noted before re spinning, I just don't want to add another obsession to my already over-
obsessive scheduled life! Although... I am tempted to try the crockpot thing again using some of the new vivid food colorings Joan told me about...
