Hand-me-downy woodpecker?
Monday September 17th 2007, 8:29 pm
Filed under: Knit

I kept hearing a woodpecker today, and couldn’t quite find it. Whether it was ringing the apple trees or trying to insert acorns in our foam roof, I’m not sure.

A few years ago, one of my daughters’ friends handed down a cashmere T that her mom had bought her. When you are a teen, it is the kiss of death to an article of clothing to have your Mom pick it out, even if it’s something you instantly would have snatched up if you’d seen it first.  No, to the moms, it’s not fair.  And yes it is–you did it to your mom too.  So. It ended up over here, and neither of my girls really wanted it either.

I was talking to my brother three days ago, and he laughed at my wondering out loud if I could shrink it enough to make it fit his small daughter: “That would take a lot of washings and dryings!”

Hey. Issue me a challenge like that. Guess what I did. But then, it all came back down to that color. If I were to describe what it was, it would be something like a three-year-old wailing to their mommy that they’d dropped their ice cream cone in the dirt. I went through my stash of dyes, telling them to inspire me. The pink did.

I set it outside to dry when I was done, hoping to beat the 5:00 post office closing. I almost made it, too–but the funny thing was the bird that came at it while it was out there. I grabbed the camera, but it could fly faster than I can point.

Now, Stephanie has her squirrel nemesis (her yarnharlot.ca post today had me in tears, it was so funny. Who was that masked bandit?) For me, it’s the birds. Fer cryin’ out loud, it’s not even nesting season! Is it the wet wool smell that first catches their attention? The colors? If you’ve read my book, you know they like blue. They do seem pretty omnicoloriverous. I once found a bird’s nest on our roof: old brown twigs and dead leaves impressively artfully woven with fuschia-pink wool for their chicks’ nursery. (Hey, lady, mind putting some blue outside next time, too?)

So of course I had to let Nancy’s penguin peck out a few keys on the piano with it.

overdyed cashmere T


3 Comments so far
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Yummy pink! Best thing is, Mom never has to worry about it shrinking!

Comment by Laura 09.17.07 @ 10:25 pm

Aren’t you cleaver! 🙂

Comment by Bev 09.18.07 @ 12:46 pm

Another great story. I would love to see a birds nest with some of my dyed fiber in it!

Comment by Amanda 09.23.07 @ 6:17 pm



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