Merry Christmas and Happy New Year

I hope your holiday was as joyous and special as mine and that the New Year brings you Peace, Happiness and Prosperity.
Still time to sign up for a Two Day Workshop on Dyeing ! I will be teaching a basic 2 day workshop on dyeing in Greenfield, MA January 22-23 2011, at 278 Main Street Suite 307. Tuition is $200. A non-refundable $50 fee is required at sign up. Contact me by email at kangaroodyer@comcast.net for more information and to signup.

Sign up for the next Sock Club. First mailing will be @ January 15, 2011.

So little time, so much to do........

The third Sock Club mailing is complete. 'Marine' is on its way! Be sure to sign up for the January Club . The first yarn will be in the mail on January 15, 2011. This is a great stocking stuffer!

Gail Callahan Announces

Kangaroo Dyer Basic Workshop
January 22-23 2011: 9-3
278 Main Street Suite 307
Greenfield, Mass 01301

Course Content

Fibers
What to expect from Protein fibers.

The elements that affect dye color.
Preparing Fiber for Dyeing

Skeining

Scouring

Soaking

Dyes

Safety

Types

Mixing

Stock Solution

Storing Dyes
Color

Study the color grid and discuss the components of successful composition.

Mixing colors using the pure primaries: red, yellow and blue.
Tuition
$200 - $50 is required at registration and is non-refundable. Materials list will be supplied as well as homework requirements. All details will be available mid December 2010 by contacting me at kangaroodyer@comcast.net.

Sock Club

I have opened up the sign ups for the January 2011 Sock club today because of popular demand. In my defense, I can categorically state that at least I waited till after Thanksgiving to become enmeshed in the Holiday Frenzy! I will not, however, let Black Friday spoil my view of what Thanksgiving and the upcoming Christmas Season means and I shall continue to practice random acts of kindness and delight in the responses of my fellow travellers in this realm we occupy.
I hope yesterday brought you all a sense of comfort and thanksgiving for the many blessings afforded each of us. Whether you celebrated quietly or in a large gathering, I hope you found the tranquility and inner peace that you needed.
The best is yet to come......
Best, Gail

HAPPY THANKSGIVING !!! I hope you all have time for yourselves to think about all the wonderful blessings you've received this past year and in your own way to give thanks for them. For anyone who thinks it wasn't such a great year - remember you can always be thankful that things weren't worse.

WOW !!!

I received a link to Amazon’s “Best Books of 2010: Crafts:” http://tinyurl.com/3xrbw93 I was delighted to learn that my book Hand Dyeing Yarn and Fleece was selected third in Best of Books of 2010: Crafts Top 10 by the editors of Amazon. You can read their comments and see the other recipients by following the link. None of this would have happened if my editor Gwen Steege had not encouraged me to write about Dyeing and Storey Publishing hadn’t provided me with an excellent support group including photographer John Polak, art director Mary Velgos and photo stylist Lisa Newman. Thanks also go the contributors and friends at Webs, America’s Yarn Store.

RANDOM MUSINGS

In order to make my Silk Yardage more available, I have priced it per yard for the individual who wishes to make smaller pieces or accessories. Multi-yard orders will have a 20% discount returned to them through PayPal.

This past year, I introduced two new yarn lines to provide you with a greater fiber choice – Poet Seat Yarns and New England Yarns. The Poet Seat Yarn Line started with a 50/50 blend of Superwash Merino and Silk, then 75/25 Superwash Merino and Nylon, and added a DK weight 50/50 and most recently Superwash Merino, Cashmere and Nylon (80/10/10) and finally Baby Alpaca, Silk and Cashmere (70/20/10). The New England Yarns are my entry into the heavier weight fibers – BFL/Alpaca 50/50 and 100% BFL. Your response to these entries has been very gratifying.

I will continue with the other fibers as they become available in a reliable fashion and I hope to experiment with plant fibers as time allows.

I am always interested in hearing about your ideas for colorways, combinations, names and what inspired them. That helps to keep me from getting into a color rut! What's your FANCY!

Gail

Hand Dyeing Silks

Hand dyeing is not just for yarn and fleece, despite the fact that is the name of my book. If you have any protein fiber, one which comes from animals, you can dye it with the formulas in my book Hand Dyeing Yarn and Fleece. I have been dyeing silk yardage for several years.

One of my silks was featured last summer in Elle Décor Magazine, and we received orders for silk yardage to be used for dress making. Many people use this yardage for a type of felting called Nuno felt. If you look at Chris White’s web site, New England Felting Supply, (http://www.feltingsupply.com/) you can see samples of this technique and listings of her classes.

If you are interested in learning how to dye silk, check out the Webs (http://www.yarn.com/) listing for my upcoming class in Northampton, Mass. I will also be offering a class at a location here in Greenfield, Mass. after the first of the year. I will keep you posted once the details are finalized.

One of my customers, Heather, purchased silk for a class she took using this felting technique. She sent along some pictures of her results (see below). I like the outcome so much, maybe I should ask her to return the silks??

Rhinebeck Sheep and Wool Fair Dyeing Class

I have just returned from The New York Sheep and Wool Fair at Rhinebeck where I taught a one day workshop in dyeing to a great group of people from near and far. We did have some interesting challenges with wind (gusts up to 40 mph) knocking over the tent heater and one of the work tables. But we (the students and I) persevered and I know they went home pleased and more knowledgeable than when the morning started. My thanks to Kathy and Steve Elkins from Webs who sponsored the class, and to Pam Art, from Storey Publishing, who assisted and also sponsored my book signing (Hand Dyeing Yarn and Fleece) in conjunction with the bookseller Merritt Book Store. Three other Storey authors; Eddie Eckman, Judith Durant and Melissa Morgan Oakes were also signing their new books. See pictures below.

As well as continuing to teach dyeing at Webs, I am planning a workshop on Dyeing at a location in Greenfield for this January. It will probably be a two day affair over a weekend and limited to 8-10 students. Details to follow.

AND THE WINNER IS ....

AND THE WINNER IS …….. JENNIFER. Please contact me so I can send you your choice of yarn. My e mail address is kangaroodyer@kangarooder.com or kangaroodyer@comcast.net. Be sure to include your full name and address. Thanks to all who left messages. I will be doing this again so stay in the habit of visiting and commenting.

Please visit my web site (www.kangaroodyer.com) and Etsy site http://www.etsy.com/shop/kangaroodyer and check out the AUGUST SALE EVENT

Sandy's Shawl

This is a picture sent in by Sandy of a beautiful shawl with the accompanying details.

Shawl/Scarf knit with Kangaroo Dyer Sock Yarn and Indian Summer Shawl pattern both purchased at Webs (http://www.yarn.com/) ~ so quick and easy to knit~~ Sandyhttp://wwwsandyknits.blogspot.com/.

Remember to sign in and leave a message to be included in this months drawing for a skein of yarn on August 1st.

Fiber Cooperative

Welcome to my friends – old and new. If youv’e arrived from the Fiber Cooperative and expected my Web Site, sign in and leave me a note to be eligible for the drawing. Everone who visits and leaves a note will be eligible for this month’s drawing. The first drawing will be on August 1 and will be for a skein of yarn of the winner’s choice from either the ‘sock or luxury yarn’ group. To get back to the website click http://www.kangaroodyer.com/ , to get to my Etsy Shop click http://www.etsy.com/shop/kangaroodyer , to get back to the Fiber Cooperative click http://thefibercooperative.com/.
Thanks for stopping by. Gail

Finished Shawl

From time to time I've been sent pictures of finished products which have astonished me. The way the yarn metamorphoses under talented people is inspiring to me and keeps my creative juices flowing. I have wondered how to showcase these efforts and this is my first attempt. Jennifer Weissman, shadystroll on Ravelry, sent me these pictures of a shawl she knit using my Poet Seat superwash Merino and silk yarn called ‘Down Under’ from a Ravelry pattern ‘Catenary’ created by Kiersten Brandt. Not only is her craftsmanship beautiful but her photography skills are also outstanding. She said, “what a lovely yarn, and what a beautiful colorway! I really enjoyed working with it and love the finished product…. the simplicity of the pattern works beautifully with a variegated yarn. And yes, the yarn is a dream to work with! So soft, and the colors were just lovely. I dropped everything else while working on this project because it was such a pleasure.”

I hope you agree that this is a good way to recognize the efforts of talented people and to share their work and joy. I hope to be doing more of this in the future. Please give me your feedback. Who knows, I might even figure out how to incorporate the pictures and the commentary so they are not stacked up on one another.

Best, Gail

Undyed Fibers

11 May 2010

For those of you who have been asking, or thinking of asking, I have added a section of undyed yarns in their natural state as I receive them. They are listed on my website www.kangaroodyer.com in the section titled ‘Books and More’.

I think I have resolved the S&H charge problems. In the U.S. shipping is by First Class Mail and is free for all yarn and silk products. Out of country charges are listed and any excess charges will be refunded but no additional charges will be incurred as long as International First Class is acceptible.

Life continues to be exciting. Next week I am teaching a two day workshop at Harrisville. I continue to work on my dyeing techniques by practicing and experimenting with my friends.

Gail

20 April 2010
Yarn and book sales have continued to be impressive. For those of you who might have missed them, here are two examples of the reviews I have been getting - Clara Parks’ Review in Knitters Review http://www.knittersreview.com/article_book.asp?article=/review/reading/100318_a.asp and Jimmy Beans book review http://deshiyoutube.com/video/dOk_J1s-S4o/Hand-Dyeing-Yarn-and-Fleece-Book-Review.html

Please note : Shipping Charges in the U.S. have been eliminated on my Etsy and Web Sites and will be refunded where I haven't been able to make the appropriate PayPal changes.

I am dyeing a DK weight Superwash Merino and Silk 50/50 which I will be adding to my shop in the very near future. I'll probable start with some old favorites before launching into new colorways. Your input would be helpful. Are their colorways you'd like to see in a DK weight? Let me know.

So little time, so much to do........

Thanks to Sheepgal!

Saturday morning, as I was getting ready to go to the Wellesley Booksmith for a book signing with Kristin Nicholas (gettingstitchedonthe farm), her darling daughter Julia ,and Melissa Morgan Oakes,(melissaknits) I stopped to take a quick peak to see if any lambs has been born at Springhill Farm. It was an honor to see that Barb posted a challenge to her readers and offered a copy of my recent book, along with her luscious yarn as a prize. As part of the conditions of the challenge is that people post a comment on my blog. I was shocked to see how many people looked at the very humble, (needs to be improved) posts and left comments of support and enthusiasm. Thank you everyone and especially to Barb for the kindness and support of my book!

Look at this darling kangaroo given to me today by Karen, the store manager at Webs. Isn't she adorable? I am glad she was there to keep me company at the book launch at Webs. Great company, great food and drink, and most of all a very grateful and humbled kangaroodyer. How can I thank everyone for the love and support in making the book Hand Dyeing Yarn and Fleece a reality? It is a Webs book, all but one of the patterns are from Webs staff, the only other by Barbara Giguere of Shelburne, a beautiful pair of kangaroo mittens. Two knitters, Bonnie Lemme and Gwen Steege, knit scarves for the book.
I love you all. Gail

Book Pages

These are pages from my book that I wasn't able to download yesterday. Hopefully they will give you more of an idea about what the book is about and how it is oriented.

This picture to my left shows the Kangaroo mittens which were created for me by Barbara Giguere. The pattern is available in the book. The mittens are worn by Melanie Jolicoeur who appears in several other compositions.

The Rainbow Dipped Sweater was designed and knit by Linda Burt and also knit by Marion Halpern.

Dori Betjeman designed and knit the Infant Cardigan And Ruffled Cap which you see immediately below. Over the next several days I'll post other examples which I hope will whet your appetites .

IT'S HERE ! !

My book Hand Dyeing Yarn and Fleece is currently available for sale in bookstores and yarn shops around the country. You may order a signed and personalized copy, on request, from my Web Site (http://www.kangaroodyer.com/) under Sock Yarn link. The cost is $18.95 plus $.95 tax and S&H. . If you're on a budget and want to save some cash, order from http://www.amazon.com/.

Full-color photographs by John Polak
168 pages; $18.95 hardcover Spiral Bound

ISBN 978-1-60342-468-4

"This stunningly beautiful book, which contains more user friendly methods and appealing effects than I have ever seen anywhere, made me want to find some undyed yarn in my stasyh, and begin experimenting. Thanks to Gail Callahan, I will now seek out undyed yarns and begin to color my own." Cat Bordhi, author of Personal Footprints for Insouciant Sock Knitters.

My Book

This is the cover of my new book Hand Dyeing Yarn and Fleece which should be in the stores by the 1st of February. Personalized, signed copies will be available from my web site http://www.kangaroodyer.com/ as soon as I receive my order from Storey Puiblishing. for $18.95 plus S&H charges. You can also email me at kangaroodyer@kangaroodyer.com for more information.

The book would not have happened without the talents of the many contributing artists and designers, many my co-workers from Webs, and the support of the wonderful people at Storey whose astonishing art work and photographs bring the concepts to life.

Gail Callahan, the Kangaroo Dyer