Spinneret

Much to Report

or,

A Sock Heavy Posting

… and we’re back …

Picking up where we left off …

December was surprisingly packed, jammed. The end result was light on holiday decorating and not surprisingly light on holiday clean-up. Works for me. There was Dog painting
and dress making.

Both holidays had me in Times Square, getting out on New Years Eve as the police where drawing the barricades across the top of the Square. I have this theory … If where you are physically starts to look like any kind of war zone - with plywood over the windows, barricades and LOTS of police activity per square foot that is probably not where the fun is going to happen. Maybe it’s just instinct. A quiet delicious dinner unmolested and unarrested was a lovely substitute.

Back before winter really got it’s start a starling in my garden surprised me by landing by the rosemary bush, grabbing a fresh sprig and heading off to it’s nest. Very enterprising I thought. I wonder if rosemary has miticidal properties or if the birds were just freshening up the place?

A happy accident of not cutting and using all of the fennel I’d planted in the kitchen garden was the snow bruising the fennel and making the area smell sweet. Stepping out of the backdoor or coming up the steps the yard smelled very fancy for a few weeks.

There have been socks, both personal and as gifts. As someone had made chocolate covered cherries for my birthday last year, say 4 dozen of them (no the number is not significant of my age), I though I’d try to head her off at the pass with Chocolate Covered Cherry socks
.  The cherries are delicious.  Thanks Boo!

 A new pair for me in Austerman's Step.  The jojoba/wool combo makes a slippery sock.  As if one was wearing linen, really. 

Thirdly, a pair from the scraps of both with some other remainder yarn added in. Toe up, Jaywalking, Stash busting.

In other stash busting news I’ve been spinning nearly without cease. A buddy at work turned me on to the fact that the Southern Vampire series of books is on Audible, to which I have an account - but I can stop any time I want to. About the only way it is possible for me to sit still long enough to spin through a hunk of my fiber stash is by listening to something.
So the yarns are sort of serial as well. All sorts of things, Silk/Yak, Cashmere/Merino, Merino, Guanaco (The resultant mittens will get their own post), Angora combed in to wool and silk. Such goings on.

Some of the yarns went out as presents to various knitting friends. The knitting group I’m in here at home had worked up series scarves and they turned out
beautifully. 

Another sock in the news is a coffee sock.
 No more paper filters. Washable and reusable. I’m experimenting. Usually there’s only time for one cup in the morning so that is produced Melitta solo. Yep, that is retro formica.

Locally through my handspinners guild we are barnstorming a new project. More as that develops.

Mutual of Omaha is running amok in the back yard. A bird feeder was installed and there is some light bird-geeking going on. A friend just dropped off a suet feeder, can't wait to see who that brings in. The next assignment is Song birds. The previous painting has moved to Yale’s Environmental Science Center with the rest of the Birds of Prey exhibit. In a welcome bit of free advertising my image of the Golden Eagle with rat is being used to represent the installation of Bird’s of Prey at Yale’s Environmental Science Center.

It has started off as an odd year. I will be working about 6 1/2 weeks of the 4 available in February but will have had a week off in the middle. There’s some sort of continuum involved in these shenanigans but it’s working out and I’m not going to look at it very closely. If it’s a worm hole I let you know from the other side.

Offending the Zinnias

So it's um … er … snowing. On October 15th. snowing. Like it usually does … some time after Thanksgiving, if anybody is counting. The zinnias are ferklempt, the snapdragons don't seem to mind much, but the cannas - the cannas look like debutantes at the end of the evening when the lights go back on. Poor things. They need to be put to bed.

I'm blaming the snow on the martians who landed on the mountain on Sunday.
As you can see the trees have made very few arrangements for their usual gig. Monday morning there was the smallest amount of frost, Tuesday a touch more, Wednesday was cool, brief sun, and today it is sloppy clumpy snow. Almost as if someone threw a switch and jammed the weather rheostat all the way up

There may have been a little yarn crawling on Monday. maybe. some. a little.
In support of the local economy. This roving is merino from Seaport Yarns, under the owners own label - Jefferson Yarns. This may be what I will be spinning when I demonstrate Sunday morning with the Ulster County Handspinners Guild at Rhinebeck (39 A&B if you plan on stopping by). The nice folks at Seaport gave me a few 5% discount cards for folks who want to stop at their booth during the weekend. Just sayin'. The early bird and all that.

It's still snowing

In other news: The Birds of Prey exhibit is still running at Highstead Arboretum - through November 10th (we've been extended a bit). That exhibit will move to the Environmental Science Center at Yale in January for a 6 month run.

Over the last few weekends there was also the kick-off and brief installation of the Beacon Open Studios weekend. This was a complete blast. A group of us shared an amazing space in the old Bulldog Studios - now Beacon Studios. Scroll down the BOS site for more of that.

For those of you playing along - The snow is starting to stick in the back yard.

I may ask Helen about this.

9 - 5 On The Metameric Shift

Metamer [met-uh-mer]

“ A color that appears to the eye to be identical to another color but which in fact has a different spectral composition.”  Thank you dictionary.com

“Metamerism is a psychophysical phenomenon commonly defined as the situation when two samples match in color under one condition, but fail to match under another condition.  The underlying basis of metamerism is that visual color matches are possible between two samples even though the spectral reflectance factors of the two samples are different. Thus many color matches are conditional. Conversely, if two samples have identical spectral reflectance factors (yeah, buddy.  whatever. ed.)  they unconditionally match when viewed under the same conditions.

Does your brain hurt yet?  This is usually when we takes a lunch break - "What do you mean it doesn't MATCH?".

Observer metamerism occurs because of differences in color vision between observers. Often these differences have a biological source so that, for example, the ratio of long-wavelength-sensitive cones to medium-wavelength-sensitive cones may differ from one person to the next. Thus, two spectrally dissimilar surfaces may match for one observer when viewed under a certain light source but then fail to match when viewed by a second observer under the same light source”. Thank  you wikipedia.com.  Hey, it looked green to me. Maybe it's your eyes.

The dreaded metameric shift under different lighting conditions.  Same targhee sample skein on a 50% grey background photographed with different white balances;

White Balance preset using the yarn as “white”

Fine setting

Fluorescent setting

Cloudy setting

And that is why, in 23 years I have run in to two (2, count ‘em) designers with whom I have shared the same sense of color perception.  It is one heck of a ride to gleefully wing up to a designer with a sample swatch and say “Here, this is the color you want, right?” to then have them look at you as though your head self-clashes when that in fact is exactly what is happening - in their eyes.  Like playing with the white balance on your digital camera.  Except it’s coming straight down your optical nerve to your brain and is the only version of “correct’ you get to work with.  Unless you add rose colored glasses and oh, la, it's the 70's all over again.

There are also the initial descriptions to get around “Oh, I want something in a sort of pastel tangerine with a toasted almond over wash.”  Of course you do.  Here’s the Pantone® book, you pick 3 chips and I’ll do my damnedest to hit one of ‘em.

Truly my favorites are the presentation of a garment “This is really old and we need to add a  size (or 3) to it, so can you make this yardage match it … exactly?   Um, and we can’t wash it.  Ever.  The designer likes the aged effect.”  This is the stuff that makes my day.  I get an enormous kick out of recreating 80 year old patina on silk gazar.  Well, it matches in the shop.  Make nice with the lighting director and Bob's your uncle.

All of this being a great reason to buy (or dye) enough of the same dye lot of anything.  If that’s the sort of thing you want.

There are the tricks played upon you by your own rods and cones.  Bright sun light can reduce your sensitivity to color, one eye at a time (check each eye for color perception after waking up from a nap on the beach).

There is also retinal burn out.  Staring at a colored pattern then staring at a blank white space should show you a chromatic opposite of the original pattern.

Also contrast or context affect color perception.  Here;

same color  (#c7d167, check it out on your own monitor) in the middle of each square, flavored by it’s surroundings (you can also play the retina burn out game with this sample).

Maybe I’ve been lucky to run in to the 2 people who see color they way I do.  There are reptiles who see in infrared with which they sense heat, a fourth dimension of vision.  Imagine the trouble they have getting their shoes to match their party dresses.

“Thus many color matches are conditional.”   I shall embroider this on sets of tea towels, each letter a different color.  Because … dyeing is a science.

Tax $pinning

Nothing like doing your taxes and adding up your receipts to inspire a little “shock therapy”. Looks like I’ll be doing my ‘07 shopping UP THERE in the stash vault.

Perhaps a little spinning to sooth the rattled sense of responsibility.

It was pins and needles around here waiting to learn if the first cut for school includes or disincludes me. While encouraging, seems the program was awash in applicants -blah, blah, blah. Not like Rejection isn't a parlor game we play over here in show business. Second guessing their process is useless so will distract myself with chemistry homework and maybe some spinning.

Like the moody blues pictured here;

And the (for me) bright spring colors

(which will get plied with that French Blue merino/silk blend above. Sampled here).

The Step socks have been finished up.

I'll do a road test of these this weekend.

And the Bunny hop socks

(Have been drawn to those Oklahoma choices, don't know why). This stuff is so cushy soft and cozy. Woo. Ok. The color is a little alarming. 1 skein of 113 yards for each sock on 4's. Not bad. Comfort socks, they're the cheesiest.

Year of the Alpaca - an installation

A quick bit of enabling Public Service Announcement, a Saturday sky and I’m outta here.

Dawn on Saturday.

Trekking in for a drawing class and made it to Columbus Circle in time to catch the end of the sunrise.

Now for the PSA;

Fountain Gallery is the artists' outlet -paintings, prints, photography, sculpture - for

Fountain House, an organization working with people recovering from mental illness.

Once a year the gallery exhibits the works from the FH Farm. What do they grow at the farm? Productivity, self esteem, Alpaca, confidence. Alpaca? You betcha, baby. This Tuesday is their Holiday Open House whereat they will be displaying and selling items from their Alpaca line, garments, bulky and DK weight yarns

(Yarns in an art gallery - I couldn’t be happier). The Open House for those of you around the midtown zone this Tuesday (the 5th) is at 425 W. 47th St. from 6:30 on. Music, food, artwork, and alpaca goods.

The Gallery is at 48th and 9th Ave. The alpaca goods will persist in the gallery through January 2nd. Yo, Peeps, this is a good place, doing good work. And the yarn is awesome. Greater glove hath no man ….

After The Fair

From this;

to this -

in only an hour! 
Okay maybe 4.  My wheel is not the E-Z Bake version.  I have plying ambitions in mind for this bit.  Looking in the stash for the right fiber.

In lieu of The Dime I’ve included a 10 lb bully for scale who thinks she carries some currency around here.  4 ounces of tussah/camel down meets 10 lbs of attitude.  You should see her 19 lb brother.  Both short staple, alas.

And the Targhee/Snow Yak blend is spun and plied. 

There’s about a pound of it, all told.  Maybe a shrug or something.  It desperately wants to be ribbing.  But won’t say if it wants to be a color.

Wiley Sock Yarn

I present the People's Evidence.

Unpacking this morning I pulled this out and left it in a heap while I took the laundry downstairs. Coordinated, no? A little more coordinated than appearances would lead one to think.

It’s the sock yarn. From Oklahoma. Wiley Post sock yarn. Flying sock yarn. “Let’s go flyin’, Double Points!” sock yarn.

Was leaving a comment for Alpaca Addict and experienced an epiphany. Sock yarn. Missing luggage. NEVER PUT YOUR SOCK YARN IN YOUR CHECKED LUGGAGE, that is if you want to meet your luggage at your destination. The sock yarns took my laundry on walkabout. The sock yarns have it in for us I tell you.

The cats were taking extreme notice of the bag when it was delivered by the airline. The bag had been somewhere. Seemingly on it’s own. But it was stuffed with sock yarns, see? Sock yarns with ambitions. The Bamboo yarn was even in there to slow them down and IT DIDN'T HELP. They’re getting stronger. Perhaps emboldened by the presence of the finished Trekking 100's. Poor Franklin is under attack in Chicago. Who knows what this stuff got up to in Bean Town? Any reports or sightings from Copley Square would be appreciated.

The game is - er… forgive me… afoot.

Spiking the Yarn

Probably not what you're thinking

Today was the Michelle O’Neill Foundation Volleyball game. All for a good cause. This section of the boardwalk was lined with flags all benefitting from those soothing ocean breezes.

Too humid for much of a shot at the sky as dusk slipped in behind the clean up crew and this fellow engaging in something I’d never seen before. Dragging himself over the surface of the ocean by means of a kite.

Kiteboarding. Note to self - get out more often.

There are several nearly finished projects that are whining immaturely in the corners (and that, my dears, is exactly why you can not come along. When you’re older…). I’m packing to leave for a week of study in acclaimed Norman, Oklahoma. The days will be busy but the nights, ah, the nights will be for all of those pieces calling out “Sooooooner, … sooner rather than later. “ Every one of them thinks they can fit in my carry on. Why pack socks when you can pack and finish those three bleeping pairs, get the needles clear and start some new ones, Blanche, since you have nothing to wear tomorrow? It’s not like you don’t have any sock yarn waiting, tapping it’s wee wannabe toes. Laundry and entertainment kit, multi -tasking and packing light all at the same time.

Hey, maybe I could try bundling up the sock yarn and flying that to Norman as a transportation device? Time/sock continuum? What is the full moon schedule?

Am I just baying at those balls of orange Buckwheat Bridge Mohair/Cormo? Could sock yarn be a renewable and clean energy source?

Nearby Oklahoma City seems to be a hotbed of activity. I Wonder what the yarn scene is in Norman?

1st Hot Chocolate of the Season

Gack and Feh! what weather.

From this vanatge point on a clear morning the sun hits the UN building which glows iridescent yellow on the horizon. Not Today. feh. It is however the First Hot Chocolate of The Season day. Dank, but not without it’s rewards.

And there is a little yarn pron to cheer.

Cotton Flash for some socks. I made a pair of socks from this last year. And made them too dense, they take about 3 days to dry. So, with that lesson learned maybe I’ll try a bigger needle. 7’s are recommended, We shall see what we shall see.

Art Yarns, I think I love you. Silk Rhapsody in color #130. jeez. If you are under 18 please get permission to handle this stuff. Just looking at it leads to strong emotions. I see something lacey and drapey. Knit vertically probably. And worn horizontally, if you know what I mean.