Hand Dyed

New Piece: Vineyard Under a Clear Blue Sky Infinity Scarf

Vineyard Under a Clear Blue Sky | Webster Fiber Arts
| Annie

Hi folks,

In doing all of flood clean up, I’ve come across a bunch of yarn to dye, but we are still living in chaos house, and introducing a bunch of wet yarn and dye to the mix seems like a bad idea. Soon, soon. For now, I am satisfied with showing you some yarn I dyed previously. This is the Vineyard Under a Clear Blue Sky Handmade Infinity Scarf:

Vineyard Under a Clear Blue Sky | Webster Fiber Arts | Etsy

I used the “broken” dyeing process on this one, much like my Squid Ink Wrap. This time, I used one of Wilton’s blue-ishcolors (I don’t remember which one—I really need to keep better notes). The reds separated out and left these purple areas that remind me of grapes.

You can see more pictures and purchase this infinity scarf on Etsy.

Until next time,
Annie

New Piece: Maroon & Gray Neck Warmer

Maroon & Gray Neck Warmer | Webster Fiber Arts
| Annie

Hi folks,

I have a new hand dyed piece to share with you today. This is the Maroon & Gray Neck Warmer:

Maroon & Gray Handmade Neck Warmer | Webster Fiber Arts | Etsy

I used Wilton icing coloring for this one. When applied to dry yarn, the individual colors in the premixed maroon paste color bind to the yarn at different speeds, so the color breaks into its components—a pinky red with a bit of black are most visible here.

By contrast, if the yarn is wet when the color is applied, there is a more mottled, all over color to the yarn. You can see that on my Strumming Teal Scarf.

See more photos and purchase here. If you click through, you’ll notice that this piece is posted on Etsy. I’m trying to spread my work out a little to get it in front of more people, so I have posted about half of my handmade pieces on Etsy. I made a pretty simple rule for what would be for sale on Etsy and what would be for sale on Webster Fiber Arts: if the piece connects into an “O” shape, it goes on Etsy; if the piece has tails, it goes on Webster Fiber Arts. Basically, cowls and infinity scarves are on Etsy and scarves and shawls are on Webster Fiber Arts. There’s still a page for everything on this site, so if you’ve pinned or bookmarked a piece, the link should still work!

Until next time,
Annie

A Couple of New Things

Kool-Aid Cowl | Webster Fiber Arts
| Annie

Hi folks,

I have a couple of new pieces to show you today! First up is a surface pattern design. A little while back, I shared my Ninja Stars Take a Backseat pattern design with you. Today, those ninja stars are front and center. You can read more about Ninja Stars at Annie C Designs.

My other new piece today is the Kool-Aid Cowl:

Kool-Aid Handmade Cowl | Webster Fiber Arts | Etsy

I crocheted this cowl from yarn I dyed with Kool-Aid. It is a really fun way to dye yarn, and can yield some pretty great results. I love the bright colors in this one.

See more photos and purchase on Etsy.

Until next time,
Annie

New Piece: Caramel Apple Cowl

Caramel Apple Cowl | Webster Fiber Arts
| Annie

Hi folks,

How are things going where you are? It is a busy day for me. I have a few pieces that I am blocking, I’m crocheting on a couple others, I’m getting files together for some surface pattern designs, and I’m trying to remember to do a bit of laundry here and there. I also put a new crocheted piece in my online shop today. This is the Caramel Apple Cowl:

Caramel Apple Handmade Cowl | Webster Fiber Arts | Etsy

I dyed this yarn with Kool-Aid! How cool is that? It is a pretty easy process, yet can create some gorgeous yarn. I used cherry and lime Kool-Aid for this yarn. When complimentary colors (like red and green) come together, they make brown. In this case, the bits of brown reminded me of caramel, and the red and green reminded me of apples. Caramel Apple. Voila!

See more photos and purchase on Etsy.

Until next time,
Annie

A Scarf for Me: Forever Summer

Forever Summer Scarf | Webster Fiber Arts
| Annie

Hi folks,

Let us take a trip back in time, to August of last year, when I started working on this brightly colored scarf:

WIP: A Brightly Colored Scarf | Webster Fiber Arts

I dyed all of this bright yarn for my donation for the Mandalas for Marinke Project.

#MandalasforMarinke Piece | Webster Fiber Arts

I finished the scarf sometime in early September, and wrapped it around the dress form I use for photos (her name is Bea, by the way). I was putting off blocking this piece because blocking is not super fun, and I put off blocking most of my pieces. So this scarf sat around Bea’s neck for a while, and it made me happy to look at it each day. These colors are just so…me. It didn’t take me very long to decide that this scarf was going to be living with me.

Forever Summer Scarf | Webster Fiber Arts

I will admit that when I went to block this piece, I discovered that the yellow dye was not staying in the yarn very well, so this scarf got a second bath in some vinegar and sat in the oven for a while. There was not nearly as much yellow run off when I rinsed it after this second attempt at setting the color, but it is still not as colorfast as my other hand dyed yarns. I must have left something out in the original dying process. No matter. It works for me.

Forever Summer Scarf Close-Up | Webster Fiber Arts

These colors remind me of the shelves of brightly colored plastic plates and cups you see at stores heading into the summer months. Since this scarf is something I would wear in the cold weather, I’m calling it “Forever Summer,” as a way to remember those summer shades when it is gray and cold outside.

Until next time,
Annie

New Piece: Meandering Moss Scarf

Meandering Moss Scarf | Webster Fiber Arts
| Annie

Hi folks,

The last week has been very itchy for me. Last Thursday, I worked in the yard, cleaning out flower pots and birdfeeder, planting mums, and collecting our various gnomes, birds, and gazing balls for winter storage. I had a couple of bug bites that started itching that night, but Friday morning I woke up to discover my chest and neck covered in bites. I tried to count them a couple times, but they were all swollen into each other, so I lost track. I’m guessing there were about 50 of them.

The itching was terrible. I went to the store Saturday and bought Benadryl and spent most of the day sleeping, which meant I wasn’t scratching myself, which is a good thing. I covered myself in Calamine lotion, but after a couple of days, my skin got very dry and even itchier—so annoying!

Things are much better today. My skin is still dry in spots, but the bites are no longer swollen. I just have little bursts of itchiness now and I am feeling like a much happier person. I’m feeling so good, I am even up to posting a new piece today. Yay!

This is the Meandering Moss Scarf:

Meandering Moss Handmade Scarf | Webster Fiber Arts | Etsy

This is yarn I dyed myself, then I crocheted it into this frilly little scarf. I love the look of these kind of swirly, coral-like pieces. There are just so many stitches crammed into the space. There are artists out there doing really cool things with hyperbolic crochet. Look at the photos in this Google Image Search for “crochet coral reef.” Amazing!

With all of the curls, this scarf can be worn in a number of ways. I like it wrapped a snug around the neck a couple of times to get a flouncy collar.

See more photos and purchase on Etsy.

Until next time,
Annie

On the Hook: Cherry Cola Scarf

Cherry Cola Scarf | Webster Fiber Arts
| Annie

Hi folks,

This is some yarn that I dyed recently. I was aiming for a something a bit greener in those brown areas, but I am really happy with the way it turned out. As I was winding it into a ball, I thought, “Oh, this looks like a cherry Icee. And this part looks like the cola flavor,” so “Cherry Cola” became the name of the yarn.

WIP: Cherry Cola Scarf | Webster Fiber Arts | Etsy

At this point, I’m working this in a bubbly bobble pattern, because Cherry Cokes have fizz.

Until next time,
Annie

New Piece: Electric Youth Wrap

Electric Youth Wrap | Webster Fiber Arts
| Annie

Hi folks,

When I was a kid, life was all about neon colors. I loved them! I remember having a couple of sweatshirts—one in neon green, one in neon orange—that I wore with these white shorts that had different neon colored shapes kind of splattered all over them. Stylin’!

I still have a soft spot for those colors, which is probably why I like the yarn in Toucan Cowl and Parakeet Button Cowl so much. For this piece, the Electric, I dyed the yarn myself, and then crocheted it into the Electric Youth Wrap.

Electric Youth Handmade Wrap | Webster Fiber Arts | Etsy

See more photos and purchase at Etsy.

Until next time,
Annie

New Piece: Picking Irises Cowl

Picking Irises Cowl | Webster Fiber Arts
| Annie

Hi folks,

I have a new cowl in the shop today—the Picking Irises Cowl.

Picking Irises Handmade Cowl | Webster Fiber Arts | Etsy

This is one of the rare non-one-of-a-kind pieces I’ve made. There are two of these cowls that are very similar: the one you see here, and the one that lives in my closet (and sometimes around my neck). I really love this yarn, and dyeing it was a bit of a process, so I didn’t want to let it all go!

The first time I wore my version of this cowl, Mike and I took a little drive to the Comanche Acres Iris Garden north of Kansas City. Comanche Acres has fields of irises to walk through. You take a clipboard and pencil with you, and you write down the names of the irises you want to buy. If you are like us, you want to buy all of them, but you try to exercise a little restraint. Then, you head into the shop and place your order. In August, your iris plants are ready to be picked up! It is an amazing place.

I decided to name this cowl after our iris outing. The “picking” in our instance was more of a “selecting,” but this cowl is completely appropriate for the plucking kind of flower picking, too.

See more photos and purchase at Etsy.

Until next time,
Annie