2021 Yarn & Fiber Colors – January

Aloha! Thought I’d share the colorways that I posted on the shoppe in January. Most of my yarn & fiber colors are inspired by photos that I take myself and post on my photography site. Though, sometimes I will see a beautiful photo and ask permission to use it.

Luckily, this first one was inspired by a photo from someone I know, so it wasn’t too hard to get their permission. My parents love to travel all over the world and they make sure to take lots of photos! Dad took this one while they were vacationing in beautiful British Columbia, Canada. He said it was one of his favorite photos so I wanted to create a colorway to show off all those shades of blues. There are even hints of very dark green with the foliage, so I added a bit of that in the yarn & wool too.

Colorway: Evening at Nanoose Bay.

This next one was inspired by my hometown. During the Fall/Winter months, we get incredible sunsets here in coastal Southern California. I often find myself waiting for the sunset with camera (or two) in hand to capture the colors. It’s not uncommon to find our neighbors doing the same, so we exchange pleasantries through our backyard fences.

On this particular evening, the view was amazing. The clouds were set up perfectly to create this funnel effect through the sky. I cannot even tell you how many photos I shot, but loved this one the best. Definitely felt like the sunset was ‘raging’ through the sky.

Colorway: Raging Sunset SC

For the final colorway, we’re heading to my mother’s favorite state: ALASKA! My parents rented a cabin on the water one summer and invited my husband and me to visit for a few days. The cabin had an upstairs loft with a view of the water and a small lanai to sit out and take your morning coffee.

We traveled from Los Angeles to Seattle, then took a smaller plane from Seattle to Sitka. As we descended on the island and were flying over the ocean, we kept getting closer and closer and CLOSER to the water . . . with NO runway in sight! About the time we were nearly eye-to-eye with the waterline, we hit terra firma and slowed to a stop on the tiny runway. Needless to say, my heart was racing just a wee bit.

As expected, the airport at Sitka was downright charming! It was quaint and small, reminding me of how the Hawaiian island airports used to be, decades ago. Traveling around the island didn’t take too long and views from every angle were breathtaking. One evening, I took this photo from the cabin and watched as the clouds came down so low that they exposed the tip top of this mountain. Sitka is definitely on our “to return” list!

Hope you enjoyed some of the stories behind the yarn. I will re-cap the non-yarn photos in my next post.

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2014 Yarn & Fiber Colors – Weeks 4 to 6

Aloha! Here are the colors posted on the shoppe for 2014, Weeks 4 through 6.

These first four colorways are brand new (7 new colorways for 2014 so far)!

WEST MAUI SUNSET was inspired by a photo I took while traveling from Kihei to Ka’anapali for dinner. As always the sunsets in Hawaii are unbelievably magical and this evening’s sunset was no exception. I created West Maui Sunset in merino/silk lace yarn, merino/cashmere/nylon fingering sock blank and merino/tencel roving.

SUNSET IN THE DESERT was inspired by a photo my lovely cousin Laura took during at the Desert Botanical Gardens Luminaries Show in Phoenix, Arizona. I loved the dramatic colors so much that I knew I’d have to re-create them in yarn/wool. These are sparkle lace yarn and merino/bamboo/silk roving.

MACARON is a fun colorway inspired by a trip to the mall. While on an outing with my brother and young nephew, we came across a macaron stand at the local mall. I loved all the colors and snapped photos while my brother ordered a few of them to take home. These pieces are merino/cashmere/nylon fingering yarn, cotton roving and corriedale cross roving.

PUNKIN’ PINK is another from my ‘Overlay’ series where I layer one color on top of a base color. I wanted to try some ‘bright’ pinks and oranges and really like how this superwash merino fingering yarn skein came out.

A couple ‘oldies but goodies’ including SEA DRAGONS inspired by these odd-looking creatures residing at the Long Beach Aquarium of the Pacific. These pieces are mixed BFL roving and alpaca/silk lace yarn.

I also dyed up some silk/rayon scarves in PLUM & PEACH.

Some of the custom order socks I completed so far in 2014 . . .

And lastly, I completed my January goal of spinning at least 2 skeins of yarn. The first one, WIND DANCER, was dyed by AnnaMarie of CorgiHillFarm on Etsy and I spun the wool late last year, but finished it this January. Wind Dancer is beautiful Rambouillet wool that I plied with silk thread for a total of 1,032 yards of lace/fingering weight yarn.

The first time I visited Venice, Italy I arrived just after the famous CARNEVALE Festival concluded, however there were still remnants of the celebration all over the city. This wonderful BFL wool was dyed by Carolyn of Greenwood Fiberworks on Etsy, and reminded me of those wonderful costumes residents wore. I spun this into 2-ply lace/fingering yarn and added over 700 dark beads.

Enjoy!

2014 Yarn & Fiber Colors – Weeks 1 to 3

Aloha! Here are the colors posted on the shoppe for 2014, Weeks 1 through 3.

One of my goals this year is to create 15-20 new colorways and so far I’ve posted 3 on the shoppe. This first one is new.

INSIDE PASSAGE was inspired by a photo I took while cruising Alaska’s Inside Passage a few years ago. It was the last cruise out for the season so I expected it to be rather overcast and cold, but some days were so bright and sunny that I actually came home with a slight tan! I snapped this photo while outside on the balcony and revisited it this month to create the colors in yarn and wool. The wool is alpaca/merino/silk and sparkle lace weight yarn.

STAINED GLASS ALTAR is a colorway from last year and I dyed up these two pieces for myself actually. I have come to realize that I won’t be able to use them for a while as I’ve got custom orders to complete for the next month or so, so I thought perhaps someone else can enjoy them. The yarn is sparkle fingering weight, while the roving is cultivated silk. Yup, pure silk.  I snapped this photo while touring the famous Notre Dame cathedral in Paris, France.

The photo was an inspiration for another colorway, however at closer inspection I decided to extract a different set of colors for a new colorway.  This one showcases the land as well as the sea in LANIKAI VIEW PART 2 and the photo was taken from atop the Lanikai Pillbox Hike on the beautiful island of Oahu. This is alpaca lace yarn and super wash merino/merino/silk roving.

The next colorway is a new one, but only by accident (let’s count it anyway). I had attempted to re-create one of my sunset photos in cotton yarn and bamboo but the dyes ‘broke’ on me and turned into a bunch of different colors! I was really disappointed at first and thought I had ruined the pieces, but after re-skeining the yarn I found it really came out nicely. I don’t have am inspirational photo for BROKEN SUNSET, but this is mercerized cotton lace yarn and bamboo roving.

BLOOD ORANGES is always a fun colorway and reminds me of the first time I had a blood orange – in wonderful Roma, Italia – from the famous Campo di Fiori market. I don’t see them too often here in Los Angeles, so instead I just re-create the colors in yarn. This is also mercerized cotton lace yarn and bamboo roving.

Another goal for 2014 is to spin more yarn. I have a wonderful spinning wheel that has been neglected so I’m carving out more time to spend with her. Here is the first completely handspun  yarn from 2014 (I will later post another handspun that was started in 2013 and finished in 2014). I dyed this Polwarth wool in my SUNSET OVER TITLUS colorway and plied it with silk thread. It is 184 yards of worsted weight yarn. Mount Titlus is located in Engelberg, Switzerland and I took this photo 10,000 feet up. At sunset. In -9 degree weather. It was awesome.

More to come! Enjoy!

2013 Yarn & Fiber Colors – Weeks 29-31

Aloha and Happy August! Here are the colors for weeks 29 – 31, available on the shoppe.

I’ll start with an oldie but a goodie: GLACIER BAY in merino/bamboo/nylon roving, sw merino/nylon batt&bump and merino/silk lace yarn.

And the inspirational photo taken in Alaska

CALICO GHOST TOWN in corriedale cross roving and sw merino/nylon fingering yarn.

SUNSET SEA ALASKA in mixed BFL/silk roving and sw merino lace yarn

and the inspirational photo

COOL JEWEL PLAID in black alpaca/silk roving

DARK AVALON in Falkland British merino/nylon fingering yarn

WOLF IN SHEEP’S CLOTHING batt

And a couple more ballet/pointe shoe bags

Lastly, I’m working on a couple spinning projects.

The first is a spindle-spun lace yarn that I started a couple weeks ago. The fiber is merino wool in my FOG colorway that I carded on my drum carder then pulled the wool off as a center-pull bump of roving.

The spindle itself has an interesting story. It is a picasso jasper stone flower top spindle from ZebisisDesigns. In the fall of 2010, I was heartbroken when I hesitated to buy this spindle and it was sold on her shoppe to someone else. Instead I purchased another beautiful spindle from her over the Thanksgiving holiday and when my spindle arrived, this was also in the box as a gift! I literally stared at this amazing gift and could not believe my eyes. Apparently the seller gave everyone who ordered from her during that season an extra spindle. Of all the spindles she could have given me, she gave me the ONE that I really wanted! To this day I’m truly amazed at how it has come to pass that I own this amazing work of art.

The second spinning project I’m trying to finish is plying the last bit of wool from Tour de Fleece. It’s 6.2 ounces of Falkland wool that I spun in a laceweight single and am now Navajo-plying. For you crocheters, N-plying is basically looping the single strand as if making a single crochet and twisting the yarn together to form a 3-ply (strand) yarn. N-plying will give you long sections of the same color, and with 6.2 ounce that I’ve just started I’ll probably be done plying in time for next year’s TdF . . .

Enjoy!

Alaska Rainbows

Late in the day whilst in Scagway, Alaska, the hubby and I decided last minute to take the final train tour up to White Pass Summit and back.  Not wanting to brave the cold, I stayed inside the rail car where it was nice and warm and let the adventurous hubby tackle the wild outdoors (ie: the small platform just outside the door).  As the train headed up the steep mountain this rainbow came into view.  I leaped out of my seat – leaving the purse there, mind you – and clamored my way to the platform where I joined said hubby.  I could not believe there was such a vibrant and clear rainbow so I started taking multiple photos before the cold wind knocked the bravado out of me .  I reclaimed my warm seat (and purse) then checked my photos. Only after I got home and downloaded the images did I realize there were 2 rainbows – the second is a faint crest above and to the left of the main ‘bow.

[Scagway, Alaska | August 2010]

A Room With a View

During a recent trip to Alaska, our cruise ship traveled through Glacier Bay National Park and spent considerable time at the Marjorie Glacier. After  taking photos on deck, we retreated to our room when we realized the captain was turning the ship around so each side of the ship can catch a view. I took this photo of the glacier from our the warmth of our cabin.

(Alaska | August 2010)

I thought this photo would be great color inspiration for wool dyeing and wanted to emulate the different shades of blue. A ROOM WITH A VIEW represents the bright turquoise of the ice, deeper turquoise of the older portions of the glacier and the waters around this massive formation as seen from our room.

Available @ AlohaBlu.Etsy.com

Fog

Every morning while on vacation in Alaska we awoke to beautiful scenery with a layer of fog laying low on the mountains and glaciers and hovering just above the waterline. Though it was probably too overcast for someone who is used to the sun, it breathtakingly serene and a nice way to start the day.

(Alaska | August 2010)

I was inspired by the different shades of green and blue/green and created a colorway based on the photo. FOG is available @ my shoppe.

Glacier Bay

Cruising through Glacier Bay National Park, one can’t help but take as many photos as possible. One of my favorite photos, I particularly love the color of the water and the ripples caused by the ship’s motion and the tiny piece of ice in the lower right hand corner.

(Glacier Bay, Alaska | August 2010)

The colors in this photo are really subtle, but there are shades of teal and gray and I tried to capture these in some fiber I dyed. I named this colorway Glacier Bay.

Humpback Whale Breaching | Alaska

Although it’s from far away, this was probably the most exciting photo I took during our Alaska vacation. Cruising through Glacier Bay the waters were filled with humpback whales. They would come up to the surface for air or take a deep dive so you’d see air spouts or tail flukes, but not a full body. I happen to have my camera poised right on this spot and by golly, I pressed the button just in time! I was so exited that I couldn’t even talk. As I heard the other passengers exuberance upon seeing a humpback whale breaching, I quietly checked my camera to make certain I had the photo, then went up to my husband (who also had a camera, but wasn’t sure if he captured the shot) and said, “I got it”.

(Glacier Bay, Alaska | August 2010)

Alaska Glaciers

A constant fan of our 50th state, Hawaii, this was the first time I have ever visited our 49th state – the breathtaking state of Alaska! I was on a cruise that took us from our launch out of Seattle, to Juneau – Scagway – Ketchikan, Alaska, and a final stop at Victoria, British Columbia.  Truly and trip of a lifetime and after over 1300 photos, here are a few to share.

This first photo is during a river raft tour on the Mendenhall River in Juneau.

Cruising through Glacier Bay National Park, we stopped at the Marjorie Glacier, which had a piece of ice break off right in front of us!

The Johns Hopkins Glacier:

There are hundreds more and I’ll post a little at a time. It was quite cold overall, but we had a lovely time.

(Alaska, USA | August 2010)