. . . blues . . .

# veryslowfashion, started this more than two years ago.

It is a free pattern from one of my favorite designers: Norah Gaughan. Pattern is: Norah’s Vintage Afghan for Berroco. Here is the project.

I started it with all kinds of ecru, off-white natural yarns that were in my stash: cascade eco, undyed fingering weight yarn held double, unknown European wool, … in natural tints. Every square used a little less than 100 grs of it. Used needle size 5 mm / US 8.
I stopped after 15 squares because it should have taken me one more year to finish it and I had to buy some new yarn. I also thought a smaller afghan would just be perfect to replace the old blanket on the couch. Finished size is now 180 cm x 115 cm (71″ x 45″)

…

Finally decided I prefer color. Such a pity I didn’t take photos of the undyed squares.
Here are some leftovers to give you an idea of the colors before.

Dyed all the 15 squares and 2 extra skeins for the finishing in ‘indigo’ acid dye.
Found a large pot in the Turkish shop around the corner. It is 20 cm high and 28 cm diameter which is about 12 liters. I will be using it only for wool dyeing. The acid dye powder was in my stash for a couple of years. I used the whole 50 grs for a total weight of ± 1600 grs of wool (15 squares + 2 extra 100 gr skeins). That gives about 3,2% of dye stock.
Could do all the dying in two times. I didn’t really measure the dye I added in the first pot. I poured in about half of the dye ‘à vue’. The idea was that he squares would have different shades of blue and that was exactly what it did.

The different wool qualities made for the shading. See the difference in these 2 skeins.

I learned that superwash is much paler than the rustic wools. In one of the squares it is really obvious: I used 2 strands of fingering weight together and one of them is ‘superwash’.

I added 50 ml vinegar per 100 grs in the pot before adding the wool. If I would have wanted more solid colors it would have been better to heat dye and wool first and leave to simmer for 30 minutes and THEN add the vinegar.

I am quite pleased with the color (I expected it to be more very dark ‘indigo’ though). It will be perfect with our black couch.

Lay out of all the squares …

They are all a bit different in size. Hope it will be better after joining. Think I will use an I-cord-join: first pick up & knit sts at both sides that need to be joined, then cast on 3 sts, slip the 3 sts back to left needle, k2tog, k1, ssk, repeat until all picked up stitches have been worked, bind off.

Still had some yarn left so picked up & knit stitches all around and finished it in moss stitch with an I-cord bind off.

These blue shades are very difficult to capture, they have something greenish over them…

 

Tada, finished, washed and dry … Let the cold come …

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