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| Midnight Ginger Snaps - Swing Monkey 80% BFL/20% Bamboo ~ Fingering |
Happy Mother's Day!
Saturday, May 9, 2015
New Payment Options!
Happy Mother's Day!
Friday, May 8, 2015
Shop Update - New Weight, New Colors & a Returning Color
Etsy shop has just been updated! I've added two high yardage worsted yarns (430yds) - Silver Lining and Barn Wood, brought back Email & Merlot due to popular demand, and added four new colorways in fingering: Peppermint Taffy, Midnight Ginger Snaps, Red Grapes, and Fresh Cut Grass.
Don't forget - still celebrating the Grand Opening. Be sure to use coupon code "GoMonkey15" for 15% off your order.
Tuesday, May 5, 2015
If wishes were fishes, there'd be pictures
We accidentally discovered, a few years back now, that the best time to take photos of either my designs or products is first thing in the morning in the front garden. There is plenty of true daylight ambient light without it being too direct, and we get the most accurate color depictions.
Trick to that is, it can't be raining.
It's been raining. A lot. A crazy lot for New Mexico. We suspect "they" are trying to rain-seed for California and failing, and it's drifting out here instead.
Now mind you, I LOVE the rain. I'm a grinning fool when it's raining in the desert. But, I don't like the rain when I have mounds of yarns waiting for photography so that I can impress you with my latest colorways.
Yes, I tried other lighting and venues. I'm just not satisfied. So, it will have to wait. The upside is the next update will be a big one.
Trick to that is, it can't be raining.
It's been raining. A lot. A crazy lot for New Mexico. We suspect "they" are trying to rain-seed for California and failing, and it's drifting out here instead.
Now mind you, I LOVE the rain. I'm a grinning fool when it's raining in the desert. But, I don't like the rain when I have mounds of yarns waiting for photography so that I can impress you with my latest colorways.
Yes, I tried other lighting and venues. I'm just not satisfied. So, it will have to wait. The upside is the next update will be a big one.
Sunday, May 3, 2015
Busy Day
My day started with coffee and progressed quickly to cleaning the chicken coop, followed by a nice hot shower. With chores done, my husband took off on his motorcycle for a day-long adventure and I went to work.
I made the most of today and boy was I busy!
I have six new colorways dyed up and ready for photography. With a little luck the light will be good tomorrow morning and I can get that done before heading out to my "real job". Dyeing can be a lot of work, but it's fun work. I tinkered around with a new technique today and I really like the results. I'm hoping you will too.
I've got several orders packaged up and ready to go out in the morning as well. So far, the post office has been very quick and orders have been delivered to customers in less time than expected. Tomorrow I'll be sending out my first international order to BC, Canada. I'm curious to see how quickly that package travels.
I set up a separate group on Ravelry specifically for Dye Monkey Yarns. Originally I had DMY as part of my Jessica L'Heureux Designs group, but it was causing difficulty for advertisers. Now, with two separate groups, Yarnies can advertise in my pattern group, and Designers can advertise in my yarn group. More exposure for everyone.
All this and I had time to bake up a new paleo recipe: butterscotch cupcakes. They are amazing.
I made the most of today and boy was I busy!
I have six new colorways dyed up and ready for photography. With a little luck the light will be good tomorrow morning and I can get that done before heading out to my "real job". Dyeing can be a lot of work, but it's fun work. I tinkered around with a new technique today and I really like the results. I'm hoping you will too.
I've got several orders packaged up and ready to go out in the morning as well. So far, the post office has been very quick and orders have been delivered to customers in less time than expected. Tomorrow I'll be sending out my first international order to BC, Canada. I'm curious to see how quickly that package travels.
I set up a separate group on Ravelry specifically for Dye Monkey Yarns. Originally I had DMY as part of my Jessica L'Heureux Designs group, but it was causing difficulty for advertisers. Now, with two separate groups, Yarnies can advertise in my pattern group, and Designers can advertise in my yarn group. More exposure for everyone.
All this and I had time to bake up a new paleo recipe: butterscotch cupcakes. They are amazing.
Saturday, May 2, 2015
Dye Theory
I'm often asked how I come up with my colorways / what my color theory is. I think this is an interesting question that every dyer has a different answer to.
When I first became interested in dyeing yarns and teaching color theory in my knitting classes I did a lot of research.
When you read about color theory, they start with science, presenting complementary colors, gradients, triads and such for you to absorb like a collection of hard rules. I find rules limiting. Then they tell you if you can't handle the rules to look to nature. Funny thing about nature is, she has a much broader palette to choose from than the average dye offerings. Yes, you can blend and mix up just about any color, but nature doesn't need to create 17 different dyes to present you with leaf green, and until you look at that leaf, really look at it, you don't realize that it is so much more than just green. Of course, then they tell you to watch out for false nature (gardens with non-indigenous plants located close to each other/designed landscapes) and to go with your gut - use what ever color speaks to you. Ha! How many of you want to knit with construction cone orange? It's a color I love, but I just don't see it being a big seller.
So what is my "dye theory"?
It's kind of complicated, actually. Intentionally even.
I'm a huge fan of J. Peterman. Some of you may be familiar with the name from the show Seinfeld; Elaine worked for Peterman. Some of you may know the name from the catalog. Some of you may not be familiar at all. J. Peterman - who, interestingly enough, was one of the founders of Job's Plant Fertilizer Spikes - is/was the owner of The J. Peterman Catalog Company, a seller of fine clothing, accessories and collectibles. The catalog is known simply as The Owner's Manual, and it's from that which I get most of my inspiration.
The catalog is a non-standard size and featured, until quite recently, only hand drawings of the products beside the most wonderful, romantic, scene setting descriptions you've ever read. Along with the product, these descriptions sold a feeling, an attitude, an entire world for you to appreciate them in. They take: "Khaki slacks, 80/20 cotton/poly sizes 2-16" and make it: "Not just another day at the office, but the day. The day your report is selected for presentation to the whole board. The day you stroll in clean, crisp, prepared. The day you are promoted. No sweat. No wrinkles. No problem. Everyday khaki's for everyday success. 80/20 cotton/poly sizes 2-16". Setting the scene and visualizing the product makes it so much more desirable, at least for me, than "Here. Take it or leave it." Let's face it. It's probably the exact same product. It's the presentation that makes the sale.
So what has this got to do with "dye theory"?
Everything. I can't dye perfect matches of nature, nor can I sell an exclusive line of fluorescent orange yarn successfully. I can however dye the "sketch" - the semblance of something bigger and grander, and I can present the story of what I'm trying to represent in such a way that you'll fall in love with it (hopefully) as much as I am.
The first such of these yarns was Beach House. I had this idea about trying to capture the colors of driftwood. Mother Nature used somewhere around a billion colors to create this fascinating bit of discard. I worked with two. But then I had to connect that bit of wood to its setting: a beach, an ocean. Again, Mother Nature used another couple billion colors, I scrounged around and found.... ta da! two. And so I created a sketch with four colors of something grand and beautiful that takes billions of colors to present, and I aimed to share my story with words - "Crystal blue waves, creamy white sands, and rich, aged driftwoods dotting the seascape - cream, dove gray, pale browns, and blues ranging from pale sky to deeper water denim tones. You can almost hear the gulls and smell the salt air."
I hope my yarns invoke happy memories, warm romantic ideas and inspiration through the color sketches I create. I hope my descriptions help you visualize the colors more clearly so that you can choose the yarn that helps create a perfect piece for you.
When I first became interested in dyeing yarns and teaching color theory in my knitting classes I did a lot of research.
When you read about color theory, they start with science, presenting complementary colors, gradients, triads and such for you to absorb like a collection of hard rules. I find rules limiting. Then they tell you if you can't handle the rules to look to nature. Funny thing about nature is, she has a much broader palette to choose from than the average dye offerings. Yes, you can blend and mix up just about any color, but nature doesn't need to create 17 different dyes to present you with leaf green, and until you look at that leaf, really look at it, you don't realize that it is so much more than just green. Of course, then they tell you to watch out for false nature (gardens with non-indigenous plants located close to each other/designed landscapes) and to go with your gut - use what ever color speaks to you. Ha! How many of you want to knit with construction cone orange? It's a color I love, but I just don't see it being a big seller.
So what is my "dye theory"?
It's kind of complicated, actually. Intentionally even.
I'm a huge fan of J. Peterman. Some of you may be familiar with the name from the show Seinfeld; Elaine worked for Peterman. Some of you may know the name from the catalog. Some of you may not be familiar at all. J. Peterman - who, interestingly enough, was one of the founders of Job's Plant Fertilizer Spikes - is/was the owner of The J. Peterman Catalog Company, a seller of fine clothing, accessories and collectibles. The catalog is known simply as The Owner's Manual, and it's from that which I get most of my inspiration.
The catalog is a non-standard size and featured, until quite recently, only hand drawings of the products beside the most wonderful, romantic, scene setting descriptions you've ever read. Along with the product, these descriptions sold a feeling, an attitude, an entire world for you to appreciate them in. They take: "Khaki slacks, 80/20 cotton/poly sizes 2-16" and make it: "Not just another day at the office, but the day. The day your report is selected for presentation to the whole board. The day you stroll in clean, crisp, prepared. The day you are promoted. No sweat. No wrinkles. No problem. Everyday khaki's for everyday success. 80/20 cotton/poly sizes 2-16". Setting the scene and visualizing the product makes it so much more desirable, at least for me, than "Here. Take it or leave it." Let's face it. It's probably the exact same product. It's the presentation that makes the sale.
So what has this got to do with "dye theory"?
Everything. I can't dye perfect matches of nature, nor can I sell an exclusive line of fluorescent orange yarn successfully. I can however dye the "sketch" - the semblance of something bigger and grander, and I can present the story of what I'm trying to represent in such a way that you'll fall in love with it (hopefully) as much as I am.
The first such of these yarns was Beach House. I had this idea about trying to capture the colors of driftwood. Mother Nature used somewhere around a billion colors to create this fascinating bit of discard. I worked with two. But then I had to connect that bit of wood to its setting: a beach, an ocean. Again, Mother Nature used another couple billion colors, I scrounged around and found.... ta da! two. And so I created a sketch with four colors of something grand and beautiful that takes billions of colors to present, and I aimed to share my story with words - "Crystal blue waves, creamy white sands, and rich, aged driftwoods dotting the seascape - cream, dove gray, pale browns, and blues ranging from pale sky to deeper water denim tones. You can almost hear the gulls and smell the salt air."
I hope my yarns invoke happy memories, warm romantic ideas and inspiration through the color sketches I create. I hope my descriptions help you visualize the colors more clearly so that you can choose the yarn that helps create a perfect piece for you.
Friday, May 1, 2015
New Pattern Available: Moontrimmer
Finished Measurements and Yarn Requirements will vary based on your yarn & needle selection as well as chosen number of Body Chart repeats. As a general guide I offer the following:
Sizes / Blocked Dimensions:
Small: (7 body chart repeats) 54” wide x 23” deep
Large: (10 body chart repeats) 75” wide x 31” deep
Yarn Requirements:
Small: Approximately 490 yards of fingering weight
Large: Approximately 980 yards of fingering weight
Shown in Fino (color: 419 Brass Button) by Manos del Uruguay (490 yards/448 meters per 100g – fingering weight – 70% Merino, 30% Silk)
Needles: Size 4 (3.5mm) 40-47” circular needles
Note: For cast on and setup, I prefer to work on either short straights or DPN’s. It provides more control and less clutter, allowing you to establish your setup with more stability.
Supplies: Cable needle, tapestry needle for weaving in ends, and row counter may be helpful.
Gauge: Approximately 24 sts in pattern = 4” (10cm). Your gauge will vary depending on your yarn and needle choice.
Ravelry $5.00 USD
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