Topic Day 7:
There’s one love that we all share: yarn. Blog about a particular yarn you have used in the past or own in your stash, or perhaps one that you covet from afar. If it is a yarn you have used you could show the project that you used it for, perhaps writing a mini ‘review’. Perhaps, instead, you pine for the feel of the almost mythical qiviut? You could explore and research the raw material and manufacturing process if you were feeling investigative. (Tag:knitcroblo7)
I can't believe we are at the last day of this blogging adventure. I sure have enjoyed participating in it. I hope you've enjoyed what I've written.
! am a hand painted/hand dyed sock yarn addict. I admit it. When we bought a new tractor last winter I was grieving because I didn't think I'd be able to buy any for awhile. I am relieved that I was wrong about that.
There are several independent dyers that I have bought from, and raved about here on the blog, Today's post is about Knitivity.
I 'met' Ray, owner, operator and dyer for Knitivity on Ravelry in one of the forum groups I inhabit there. After a bit of time I found out he was a dyer of yarn and had to check it out. Shouldn't have done that. He has scrumptious stuff. Not only does he have sock yarn, but he does lace, sport,and worsted too. His yarn bases are of good quality.
He has a unique way of mixing his colors that I find I like a lot. I think, sometimes, that it may be the male perspective because he's the only indy dyer I buy from who is male. More than likely, he's just got a talent for mixing colors.
Ray likes to create colorways based on photographs. Mostly nature like beautiful scenery and whatnot. All of them beautiful. I don't have pics of them myself,so I will direct you to his web site to just a few. Click on the following links to see what I'm talking about.
One of the things that 'attracted' me to Rays yarns is the fact that he will custom dye them to match your pet. So many of us think of our pets as family members. What a cool way to make a remembrance of them. In my case, I decided to order a skein of sock yarn for my daughter that would match her cat, my grand kitty, Lindy. I was, and still am, very pleased with the results.
He did a pretty good job of matching her.
My daughter loves his yarns. She has already knit up 2 skeins that I bought her last month.
Fingerless Mitts using the Leather Journal colorway.
Rich shades of leathery brown and taupe with just a dab of grays.
This is the leftovers from a pair of fingerless gloves she made for her sister. It's the Easter Parade colorway.
Bright spots of color on a white background.
She also owns the Chocolate Covered Cherries colorway.
Rich deep chocolate brown with reds and pinks. It looks good enough to eat.
These remaining ones are mine.
Rose Quartz is shades of pink with speckles and spots of gray.
This one is Channel Islands. Blue waters and gray rocks.
I plan to use this one to make a pair of socks for my son-in-law.
It's the Patina colorway and it features tans, grays, and a bit of minty green.
This one is named Indian Corn.
The rich shades of deep purple, reds, and golds that you would find in corn.
These next two are extra special because they are blog reader specials. Ray dyes yarns by special order. Someone tells him what they want, he aims to please. Once in awhile he makes mistakes.
Other times he has leftover bits of dye and uses it up just for fun. All of these yarns are one-of-a-kind-never-to-be-done-again yarns. He doesn't throw out the mistakes, or the leftover dyes. He creates Blog Reader Specials with them. People who read his blog get to know about these gems. He posts them once a week, on average.
That's what these last 2 skeins are.
If I remember correctly he had intended for this one to be paler with a bit more gray. I love all the minty goodness.
He had some leftover dyes and made this deep green semisolid.
Looking at this yarn brings me the peace and tranquility I get when I'm in an old growth forest.
As I said earlier, he also dyes lace weight, sport, and worsted weight yarns in all his fabulous colors, or custom as ordered. I haven't bought any of them - yet. But it's on my list of things to do.
Rays customer service is outstanding. If, due to unforeseen circumstances, your order is going to be delayed he sends an email to let you know. He has always sent me an email letting me know my order has been shipped.
Knitivity Yarns. You won't be disappointed.
Have a yarny day.
There’s one love that we all share: yarn. Blog about a particular yarn you have used in the past or own in your stash, or perhaps one that you covet from afar. If it is a yarn you have used you could show the project that you used it for, perhaps writing a mini ‘review’. Perhaps, instead, you pine for the feel of the almost mythical qiviut? You could explore and research the raw material and manufacturing process if you were feeling investigative. (Tag:knitcroblo7)
I can't believe we are at the last day of this blogging adventure. I sure have enjoyed participating in it. I hope you've enjoyed what I've written.
! am a hand painted/hand dyed sock yarn addict. I admit it. When we bought a new tractor last winter I was grieving because I didn't think I'd be able to buy any for awhile. I am relieved that I was wrong about that.
There are several independent dyers that I have bought from, and raved about here on the blog, Today's post is about Knitivity.
I 'met' Ray, owner, operator and dyer for Knitivity on Ravelry in one of the forum groups I inhabit there. After a bit of time I found out he was a dyer of yarn and had to check it out. Shouldn't have done that. He has scrumptious stuff. Not only does he have sock yarn, but he does lace, sport,and worsted too. His yarn bases are of good quality.
He has a unique way of mixing his colors that I find I like a lot. I think, sometimes, that it may be the male perspective because he's the only indy dyer I buy from who is male. More than likely, he's just got a talent for mixing colors.
Ray likes to create colorways based on photographs. Mostly nature like beautiful scenery and whatnot. All of them beautiful. I don't have pics of them myself,so I will direct you to his web site to just a few. Click on the following links to see what I'm talking about.
Equinox Blue Bonnets (scroll down) Lake Dawn
Hadrians Wall (yarn) Hadrians Wall photo
One of the things that 'attracted' me to Rays yarns is the fact that he will custom dye them to match your pet. So many of us think of our pets as family members. What a cool way to make a remembrance of them. In my case, I decided to order a skein of sock yarn for my daughter that would match her cat, my grand kitty, Lindy. I was, and still am, very pleased with the results.
Lindy
The Lindy yarn
He did a pretty good job of matching her.
My daughter loves his yarns. She has already knit up 2 skeins that I bought her last month.
Fingerless Mitts using the Leather Journal colorway.
Rich shades of leathery brown and taupe with just a dab of grays.
This is the leftovers from a pair of fingerless gloves she made for her sister. It's the Easter Parade colorway.
Bright spots of color on a white background.
She also owns the Chocolate Covered Cherries colorway.
Rich deep chocolate brown with reds and pinks. It looks good enough to eat.
These remaining ones are mine.
Rose Quartz is shades of pink with speckles and spots of gray.
This one is Channel Islands. Blue waters and gray rocks.
I plan to use this one to make a pair of socks for my son-in-law.
It's the Patina colorway and it features tans, grays, and a bit of minty green.
This one is named Indian Corn.
The rich shades of deep purple, reds, and golds that you would find in corn.
These next two are extra special because they are blog reader specials. Ray dyes yarns by special order. Someone tells him what they want, he aims to please. Once in awhile he makes mistakes.
Other times he has leftover bits of dye and uses it up just for fun. All of these yarns are one-of-a-kind-never-to-be-done-again yarns. He doesn't throw out the mistakes, or the leftover dyes. He creates Blog Reader Specials with them. People who read his blog get to know about these gems. He posts them once a week, on average.
That's what these last 2 skeins are.
If I remember correctly he had intended for this one to be paler with a bit more gray. I love all the minty goodness.
He had some leftover dyes and made this deep green semisolid.
Looking at this yarn brings me the peace and tranquility I get when I'm in an old growth forest.
As I said earlier, he also dyes lace weight, sport, and worsted weight yarns in all his fabulous colors, or custom as ordered. I haven't bought any of them - yet. But it's on my list of things to do.
Rays customer service is outstanding. If, due to unforeseen circumstances, your order is going to be delayed he sends an email to let you know. He has always sent me an email letting me know my order has been shipped.
Knitivity Yarns. You won't be disappointed.
Have a yarny day.
No. No. I refuse to go look at his website. No. I don't want to find that he doesn't ship internationally. Such lovely colors.
ReplyDeleteThanks, Linda Jo!
ReplyDeleteVivianne: yes, I do ship internationally. :-)
I love the Lindy yarn! The picture above it of Lindy looks like she could be a hank of yarn. So cute!
ReplyDelete