| I've been knitting for some years now but have never, | | | | book has the best explanation of knitting the heel of a |
| in all that time, used hand dyed yarn. Well, I finally | | | | sock that I've ever read. |
| decided to broaden my yarn experience and have | | | | Well, I read the book cover to cover, so it only |
| completed my first project using a hand dyed fiber | | | | remained for me to knit a sock using a hand dyed |
| from Twisted Sisters Yarn. | | | | yarn. Naturally I chose Twisted Sisters yarn. I could |
| Twisted Sisters Yarn has been around for more than | | | | have chosen another brand of hand dyed yarn - I've |
| ten years. I'd heard about them and even came | | | | since discovered others like Rio De La Plata Yarn and |
| across their hand dyed fibers at craft fairs and yarn | | | | Artyarns Yarn, but I kind of felt it fitting to use Twisted |
| stores but I'd never thought about using their yarns. | | | | Sisters yarn for my first venture into using hand dyed |
| However, all that changed when I got my hands on the | | | | yarn. |
| Twisted Sisters Sock Cookbook by Anne Vogel. The | | | | The yarn I chose was Daktari yarn. It's a cotton fiber, |
| book was lent to me by my sister - who's been | | | | which makes it perfect for socks. Daktari fiber is a |
| knitting with hand dyed yarns for years - and right | | | | hand painted yarn of nearly solid hues (monochromatic |
| away I was captivated by it, so much so, that I went | | | | variegates). Each color just seems to flow into its |
| out and bought my own copy. | | | | neighboring color. I simply fell in love with this yarn. |
| Reading the sock cookbook was a revelation to me. | | | | Anyhow, I used 2 balls of 50g to make the socks |
| First off, I liked the way tone of it; they don't lecture | | | | using US size 8 needles. |
| you - instead you learn about the enthusiasm and love | | | | I'd made socks before but I didn't know the huge |
| the author has for hand dyed yarn. Page by page, you | | | | variety on types. In the end I went for a pattern with |
| learn about dip-dyeing, pour-dyeing, and hand-painting | | | | "afterthought heels". I was pretty delighted with the |
| yarns. The photographs and text show you just how | | | | way the socks turned out; they even fitted perfectly |
| easy hand dyeing can be. But the book goes even | | | | thanks to the advice I found in the book. They looked |
| further. It shows explains to you about the different | | | | great and the Twisted Sisters yarn I chose was |
| ways of spinning yarn and how this affects the look, | | | | perfect - even if I say so myself. |
| feel and color of a yarn. The Sock Cookbook should | | | | I've since used other hand dyed yarns from companies |
| be on the book shelf of every knitter. | | | | like Rio De La Plata Yarn and Artyarns Yarn but I'll |
| Anyhow, the book uses various sock patterns as a | | | | never forget my first project using hand dyed fiber. I |
| way of showing how hand dyed fibers can look on a | | | | still have my socks and look forward to working with a |
| finished garment. Again, the book explains the step by | | | | Twisted Sister yarn again. |
| step process to make the perfect sock - actually the | | | | |