Tag: Purple

New Art Batts Created by Alba Ranch

Posted on by Melisa

I have carded up almost 60 art batts for the shop.  Sold some at the Colorado Springs Distaff Day in January and the rest have been recently added to the shop.  They are really great colors and it was hard to list them and not spin them myself.

Melisa's Carded Art Batts

To celebrate what a good girl I was in not spinning up the for sale batts, I did card up some a few nights ago just for me to spin.

 

Melisa's Carded Art Batts

 

 

Here are a few photos.  feel free to drool away.

 

Melisa's Carded Art Batts

 

 

 

These batts are made from Hand Painted Cheviot Roving using Greener Shades Acid Dye for color.  There is some wonderful Corriedale x CVM in a natural extreme dark brown, white fine Merino roving, stark white Milk Protein, golden Honey Tussah Silk, and two colors of Angelina.  I splashed out on all my favorite luxury fibers and can’t wait to spin these batts.  I keep seeing a wonderful 2 ply Double Knit Yarn that I might crochet into a wide and long open lace shawl, maybe make a set of arm warmers that will lace up from my wrists to my elbows and if there is still more left over maybe a scarf?  hat??  full ensemble?

Melisa's Carded Art Batts

More Hand Painted Yarns and Rovings for the shop!

Posted on by Melisa
Autumn 1

I am happy to post the last 5 of the 10 new items in the shop.  This first one is Autumn 1.  In the Autumn dye pot, I had two rovings of Cheviot wool.  They are both very different and still work well together.  Amazes me how they dye takes differently in the same dye pot.

These rovings and yarns are available for sale in the shop and you can always check on the Alba Ranch Face Book Page for more photos and updates.

Autumn 2

 

The Second treat of the day is Autumn 2.   It is the second roving that was in the Autumn dye pot.  They are very different but do work together with those lovely colors.  Autumn 2 has more of the orange and rust colors than Autumn 1 has.

Sunshine and Grass 1

 

 

Sunshine and Grass 1 is a 2 ply spider thin lace weight hand painted and hand dyed 100% Angora Rabbit skein of yarn.  In the Sunshine and Grass dye pot, I had 3 skeins of yarn that were various types of wool.  It was interesting to see how the various types of yarn took the dye.  The Angora seemed to really like the color.

Sunshine and Grass 2

 

Sunshine and Grass 2 is a hand painted and hand dyed 100% merino 3 ply sport weight skein of yarn.  This is 1 of 3 in the dye lot.  This merino is home grown on Alba Ranch and is from White Mama the Merino ewe.

 

Sunshine and Grass 3

Sunshine and Grass 3 is a hand painted and hand dyed spider thin lace weight 100% Angora Rabbit skein of yarn.  This is the last of the new dyed fibers to the shop for now.  I did dye 10 more skeins of Angora yarn which were drying last night.  I think I may be using some of those in some projects so not sure on which to list as of yet.  Stayed tuned for more to come!

New Scarves listed in the shop!!

Posted on by Melisa

I have been listing up a storm in the shop these last few days.  I am scared to see my Etsy.com bill!!!  eek!!  Since I discovered my allergy to mohair, I have been listing all that on the shop as well.  I only have one bag of rovings left to list, however I ran out of the two size bags that I use specific for listings so must make a store run later this week.  Finding the motivation to finish the listings might not be as easy to locate!

Blk Cherry merino mohair 4
Black Cherry Merino Mohair Scarf

This lovely little number is my Black Cherry Merino Alpaca Mohair Scarf.  I hand dyed the Merino 2 ply light fingering weft with Black Cherry Kool Aid.  I was disappointed when it did not come out the dark purple sort of cherry colour I expected, until I put it with the Red Alpaca and Faded Red mohair blends with white merino.  I just love the colours of this.  I think it POP!!  What do you think?

I also hand wove the entire scarf on my Ashford Rigid Heddle 30 inch loom, and I hand spun the bulk of the yarn, hand plying the rest of it.  This was a fun Scarf!!

Grape merino 2
Grape Weave Merino Scarf

This is my Grape Merino Scarf.  It is 100% merino, hand woven, with the wefts being dyed with Grape Kool Aid to get this wonderful colour.  Smells nice too!  This is a 2 ply light fingering yarn I had spun up by Shepherd’s Mill and it took me about 3 days or more to weave this scarf while most of the others I can do in a day.

So what do you think of this one?  It is extra long and extra wide so it can be wrapped around your neck several times.

 

Alpaca merino mohair 3
Alpaca merino Mohair Scarf

This is my Alpaca Merino Mohair scarf done in natural tans, taupes, browns, fawns, creams and whites.  I hand wove this one, as well as hand spun the yarn, and hand plyed it all.  This is one Hand Made Scarf!

What are your thoughts on this one?  Feel free to leave comments here on the blog so that I can see what you think.  It is all a learning experience with me as I am now weaving with yarns that I have spun, plyed, dyed and custom made myself.  It is much different than working with mill or store spun yarns.

Red Fawn Mohair scarf 3
Red Fawn Mohair open lace scarf

This is a little lovely that I hand crocheted with a larger size hook.  It is 100% pure Red Kid Mohair.  The scarf is about 2 oz or a little under so you can wrap it around your neck several times and almost forget it is there.  It is an open lace stitch, soft, light, airy and delicate.  Truly luxurious.

So again, what are your thoughts on the new scarves?  what is your favourite and why?  any ideas or suggestions? any others that you may like to see?