Little bowl blue, come pew your home
Wednesday November 25th 2009, 2:56 pm
Filed under: Family,To dye for

She came running down the hall in mock outrage.  “MOM! What are you DOING!”

(Is this a trick question) “Dyeing some yarn…?” I answered innocently.

“This is NOT a Random Act Of Cleanliness! It STINKS!”

Oh.  But I was desperate. I hadn’t done any dyeing for a whole solid year!  I had wanted so badly to play with my watercolors, and I had some undyed yarn I’d bought to play with, and it only took a few moments to set up…

“This is NOT what you do the day before Thanksgiving! The house is supposed to smell like food, not cooking silk! It *stinks!*”

I can’t lift my heavy dyepot yet, and I’d finally looked up microwave dyeing to see how long the stuff should cook in there.  Just a few minutes’ worth of boiling time? Hey.  I had a dedicated glass bowl, I’d covered it with plastic wrap and poked a hole in the center for venting to keep the thing from exploding dye, and to be certain of colorfastness, I did let it go for ten minutes–a third less time than on the stove.

It did not spill in any way.  It’s gorgeous.  It’s mine. I finally get to sing my own blues. TaDAAH!

I have been sentenced to spicing the pecans in penance.  The silk/wool has been sentenced to cooling outside.  “And if the squirrels dye themselves blue, Mom, they so deserve it!”

I don’t think I’ll mention yet that I’m considering throwing a little green in there in overdye mode.  Just for fun.


17 Comments so far
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Funny timing given that the media has reported a new way to make blue.

No better time to stink up the house with that distinctive hot, wet silk smell. Roast turkey and spices ought to cover that easily. Psst–add extra onions to the dressing. And lots of sage.

Comment by LynnM 11.25.09 @ 3:12 pm

We’re just cooking some side dishes here anyway.

Comment by AlisonH 11.25.09 @ 3:25 pm

That’s as bad as the problem I had microwaving lunch for my youngest when she was a pre-schooler.
Robyn loved fish sticks, but insisted the microwave had “cat food breath”.

You just can’t hide what you microwave…it’s a tattle-tale!

Comment by Barbara-Kay 11.25.09 @ 4:29 pm

Heh. how’d it go?

Comment by Carol 11.25.09 @ 4:54 pm

Blue squirrels! Now there’s a thought. Now just so long as that dye pot is not used for cooking!

Other fun –

The real art of conversation is not only to say the right thing at the right time, but also to leave unsaid the wrong thing at the tempting moment.
 
The older you get, the tougher it is to lose weight, because by then your body and your fat have gotten to be really good friends.
 
The easiest way to find something lost around the house is to buy a replacement.
 
He who hesitates is probably right.

Comment by Don Meyer 11.25.09 @ 5:07 pm

#1. It’s your house, right!? I love dyeing in my house. It is sometimes stinky, it is messy, and it’s MY house. Hopefully your daughter remembers that in your house, you can stink it up all you want?! 🙂
#2. Glass doesn’t absorb anything so if you run it through the dishwasher, you can put mashed potatoes in it tomorrow. Just sayin’ (that’s assuming you’ve avoided blue squirrel…cause, you know, blue squirrel isn’t kosher.)
#3. Have a wonderful Thanksgiving! Have fun with those extra kids you’ve got coming! Enjoy!

Comment by Joanne 11.25.09 @ 6:17 pm

I’m glad you got to play :-}

Comment by Diana Troldahl 11.25.09 @ 6:52 pm

I have a sauce pan I use as a ladle, and I fill and empty my dyepot with it. Also consider dyeing in a covered roaster with the oven on 250 for twenty minutes, and the yarn soggy but not swimming.

Your yarn is very pretty!

Comment by Laura 11.25.09 @ 10:11 pm

Yeah, I really think the food smells will cover the wet silk smells just fine. Can’t wait to see your finished project, with the overdyed green on it and all!

Comment by Ruth 11.26.09 @ 12:53 am

As Judith says “you got carried away again, didn’t you?” I was just afraid that 13 pound turkey wouldn’t be enough for 10 people. So, speaking of precooking, you want some pie? Chocolate tofu, pumpkin, pecan? Or gingerbread? Or praline sweet potatoes? Or all the other stuff we are making today? I could mail it you know! Have a great day dear, we are all thankful that you are in our lives.

Comment by afton 11.26.09 @ 4:01 am

Funny how what smells good to one person stinks to another. The smell of horse manure is pleasant to me as it brings back good memories. I bet when that first whiff of wet silk hit your nose it made you smile!

Comment by twinsetellen 11.26.09 @ 5:56 am

I will chime in with Afton: I am thankful to have met you and to get to know you a little bit better every day (or just about).

Sounds like somehow played to content her heart (if not to her heart’s content) and that is a joyful way to spend the day. Now, you have one more reason to be thankful. 🙂

Happy Thanksgiving to you, your family, your loved ones and those who care to come and read your beautiful writting!

Comment by Suzanne in Mtl 11.26.09 @ 6:27 am

Blue squirrels. I’m guessing that didn’t happen. Have you done the over-dye yet?

Happy Thanksgiving to you and yours!

Comment by Channon 11.26.09 @ 7:23 am

The blue is beautiful. Forget the green, though. Hm, squirrels with blue mouths and paws–new disease–will make you famous for discovering it.

Comment by sherry in idaho 11.26.09 @ 9:02 am

You are soooooooooooooooo talking my language in this post! YAY!

Comment by Amanda 11.26.09 @ 6:50 pm

Life is short…do what makes you happy 🙂

Comment by TripletMom 11.28.09 @ 3:49 pm

I’m glad you got to do a bit of dying, lovely blue as well! I could almost smell those pecans…we’re still dealing with the leftover, all in a good way, of course! Happy Thanksgiving to You!

Comment by Elizabeth 11.29.09 @ 5:45 pm



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