Saturday, January 05, 2008

Hare Raising


Have you ever frogged angora? It's fun...you should try it. That's how I spent a few hours out of my day today. One of our local thrift stores had a 50% off coupon last week and lucky me I had two of them. On my second trip I spied a perfectly useless half sweater made out of the most gorgeous white fluffy 100% French angora I had ever seen. With visions of Ed Wood dancing in my head I decided why not, I'll at least try frogging and recycling the yarn. Here is the end result, I figure that I got about 250 to 300 yards and a few smaller bits that I can use for trim. I looked up what worsted weight angora would cost me, by my calculations I saved about $100 by frogging my own. Definitely worth the hassle.

Speaking of saving a buck or two, I thought that I would try Knit Picks "Bare" superwash fingering weight yarn for socks. I dyed it using the stove top method with Kool-aid and got a pretty good result. I started with the purple color and then swirled in some blue. I like the way the dye took randomly giving it a "real" hand painted look. Can't beat it at $5.99 a hank.

Well I finally broke down and saw one of our doc's for some antibiotics. So I am on day two of taking Zithromax and feeling better. Hopefully this will be the end of it. I really REALLY hate taking medication and I really hate going to the doctor but this has been going on quite long enough.

Luckily I have the weekend off + Monday so I can have a little time to recoup and get some things done around the house that have been sliding by. Mom Larj had her second cataract done and sailed through it. I finished the Irish Hiking Scarf and it is blocking in the basement at present. Great pattern if you have yet to try cables. Pics to come soon.

Everyone have a great week...

13 comments:

2paw said...

What an angora bargain- all for a big bit of patience!! Nice dyeing, really nice!!
Hope you are feeling better soon, even if you have to take drugs. Personally, I am all about the drugs now!!
Glad Mom Larj is doing well too!!
Hope you have a great weekend too...

Diane said...

Zithromax is good! That should get you well soon.

That angora is beautiful! Love thrift store shopping. I have yet to recycle yarn from a sweater.

schrodinger said...

I bow down to your patience, unravelling that sweater! Looks like it was really worth it though.

Batty said...

Zithromax is a happy thing. You only take it for 5 days, and it makes you feel better quickly.

I like the purpley/fuchsia-y sock yarn! That's just so pretty. And now I know there's a reason I'm allergic to angora. Somewhere, someone wants to save me the pain of frogging it.

Knittinreed said...

Great find on the Angora. My, you are a patient one! Whew! Glad to hear you are on the mend. Sometimes drugs are a necessary evil... Also glad to hear your Mom came thru great.

How is Mr. Greenjeans coming? LOVE, LOVE, LOVE your koolaid sock yarn! Wowee! I might have to try the dying thing now.

You have a good week too :-)

Crazy Knitting Fool said...

I can never find bargains like that at our thrift stores! The sock yarn is beautiful!

Mauren Mureaux said...

Mmm,love the Z-Pack. Z-Pack good!

Your dyed yarn is gorgeous!!!

Nice fond on the recycled angora, wow!

Leeann said...

I'm jealous of your thrift store find! I need to start checking such places for knitting-related stuff -- I know there are good deals out there...

The dyed yarn looks awesome, too, and I hope the medication helps!

Hasbu said...

What a bargain on the angora! I love angora, but can't wear it, I just keep sneezing!

And your dyed yarn looks awesome.

amanda j said...

Ditto what everyone else has said! Especially regarding the dyeing. Those colours look absolutely gorgeous! What do you have planned for the yarn?

Anonymous said...

Cool yarn - dying my own is on my list for trying - what technique did you use?

Hoping you feel better soon!

zippiknits...sometimes said...

Very beautiful dyeing Marj, that's really beautiful space dyeing with kool aid. And hope you are better now that you are getting a little bit of help with the bug. Sometimes you just have to drag yourself to the doc before something worse drags you out the door. What a great snag on the re-cycled angora. I'll bet you smile everytime you look at it.

Tina said...

I have never frogged angora, but I am sure it wasn't easy, and I picture you looking like that little animal when you were done. It looks like a fabulous find. I wish I had the patients to seek out deals at the thrift stores. Maybe someday I will give it a try.