The last several days  have gotten away from  me (there seems to be a pattern forming).  Anniversary parties to attend  (a friends, not ours), a sick Shelbie to take care of a get to the doctor, packages to ship, yarn to  dye and occasionally, a house to clean. But, You guys  are a curious bunch – so, now for the final installment of  The Answers:  

Exie – Merino Fingering Superwash

AllSpice – Merino Single Ply Worsted

Marsha wanted to know when the worsted would be back – Well, Marsha, how does the shop update tonight sound?!?!

Patty asks ~ “……I also wondered how you choose what type of yarn to match with the color?”  

You know, it never ceases to amaze me how the different yarn bases take the dye, even in the very same dye run. So, long story short, matching the colorways to the yarn  depends largely on what base yarns I have in stock, the season, etc. But, usually when something turns out especially well, I then feel the need to dye up every base yarn I have.

Get Your Greens – Merino Fingering Single Ply

Bridget, Alicia and Theo,  respectively,  would like  to know ~

• “Do you repeat colors or custom orders?”
• “Which is your favorite of the base yarns to dye?”
• “Will you be repeating any of the favorite/most popular colorways from the past?”
• “And a bit more personal…What do you think is the most valuable life lesson you have learned?”
• “What content yarn is your favorite to dye – cashmere? Angora? Any particular type of wool? BFL?”

Repeat colorways? As I’ve mentioned before, I’m  more of a serendipity dyer, which means that I’m always mixing it up figuratively and literally – which, results in new colorways all the time. That’s the thrill for me. That being said, yes, there are some of the more popular colorways that I will bring back on occasion (Summer of Love? Pumpkin Latte? Basil Bliss? Wuthering Heights? Those and more will be back….).

Most valuable life lesson I’ve learned… since I’ve started dyeing and working from home? Or, just in general? Land sakes, that’s a toughie. I’ll have to get back to you on that one.

Favorite content to dye? That’s a toughie. I love all the base yarns, but if I had to choose, I’d say the merino/cashmere/nylon blend, the merino single ply  and the cashmere silk lace are my favorites to dye. Just something about the way they take the dye.

My cousin, Jenny, asks – “I love that pic of the sunflower! Is that in your yard?”

Hi Jenny! Yes, it is in the yard. Shelbie loves sunflowers – she picked out the seeds this past Spring, so we have quite the array of sunflowers popping up.

Yvonne and LaurenAnne are curious and ask –

• “How is your new studio working out for you? Can we see it?”
• “What does Mr. Plucky think of us crazy yarn ladies?”
• “What  are your favorite kind of needles?”
• “How is your new dyeing area working out? Everything you hoped for?”  

New dyeing area is not quite ready for its unveiling.  But,  the  moment it is ready for its debut, I’ll be sure to take pics and share it with all of you. In the meantime, I’m still dyeing away in my little kitchen.  

Bob (a.k.a. Mr. Plucky) is endlessly fascinated with  you crazy yarn ladies.  First, he’s amazed there are so many and, then, only slight less amazed by the fabulous things you all knit. I show him your projects on your blogs and Ravelry notebooks all the time. The only thing that he doesn’t really like is that I shush him all the time (you know, the “shhhh, I’m counting”) and he asks if other knitters do that too.

Favorite kind  of needles?  Without a doubt, circulars. Usually Addi Turbos, Knit Picks fixed circulars and, sometimes, even bamboo circs.  

Lauren wants to know  - “Have you ever created a colorway and then really disliked it?”

I think there is a color/color combo  for everyone, so I try to dye up a little of everything. However, the answer is, yes, I’ve dyed up colorways that aren’t  really my cup of tea. But, I kept them because I knew that someone, somewhere, would appreciate the color. Sort of like “every pot has its own lid” (yet another saying my grandma  would use).

Nicole asks – “What is your favorite Hitchcock Movie?”

How I love love love Hitchcock movies! This is a hard question to answer since I have quite a few favorites. Can I give my top five six?

1. Rebecca  (Miss Danvers is so completely nasty! If you haven’t seen this. Go rent. Now.)
2. The Birds  (Creepy and just a tad campy. Pure fun.)
3. To Catch A Thief (Grace Kelly and Cary Grant, nothing else to say).
4. Notorious  (Cary Grant and Ingrid Bergman. Again, nothing else to say).
5. Rear Window  (More Grace Kelly – that woman could wear the clothes. Wow).
6. North By Northwest (Again, Cary Grant… love Cary)

Robin asks – “Why are you keeping two Plucky Shops? One on etsy and the other by iself?”  

Two Plucky shops (the one on  the Plucky blog is a work in progress)  is confusing (must see about taking that link down). Right now, Etsy is just easier. I would not be able to keep up with the inventory fast enough on the Plucky shop and things would oversell,  and I’d be in a world of hurt.    And, also, Etsy makes it so I do not have to worry about web-commerce issues. So, for now, Etsy it is.

Christine says – “I know you  listen to books driving and/or dyeing, what’s your most recent enjoyable listen/read?”

The  one  big draw back to knitting – lack of reading time. How I love audio books! Most recent enjoyable read. When You Are Engulfed In Flamesby David Sedaris. Laugh out-loud hilarious. Hilarious.  

Kristin  is a wanna-be knitter and says – “I’m clueless as to what would be best for a project. For example, If I were to make fingerless gloves, which yarn would you recommend I use? I like super soft stuff.”

Well Kristin,  you are in the  place – Plucky  Yarns are  super soft!    For fingerless gloves, I think the MCN fingering or sportweight would be fantastic. Not only is the merino/cashmere content wonderfully snuggly, it is superwash to boot!

Chris asks – “The yarn always smells so nice and feels so soft – do you use a special rinse?”

I sure do! It’s called Ewesful Fiber Wash and is currently available for sale in  the Shop.

Stellar – Merino Fingering Superwash

All yarn shown (plus  many more)  will be  available in the shop update tonight, August 25 at 9:00 p.m. EST. See you there!!!

I owe you more  answers, don’t I? Sorry for the delay. I got distracted by a few things, like laundry (family likes to have clean clothes on occassion, the nerve!), got my hair done (sorry, but that is a non-negotiable!), dyeing up pounds and pounds of yarn (thought you might like that) and then this showed up in the mail  late yesterday…..  really want to knit just about everything out of this book. I’ve already cast on for Ingenue.

Heather, Liesel, Jodi  and Renee want to know  -

• “Will you be making more Merino Bulky soon?”
• “When will we see the return of merino worsted?”
• “Any chance you will be at Michigan Lamb and Wool?
• “Any chance you’ll bring back the single ply merino worsted weight?”
• “Will your bulky yarns be available in bigger runs of the same colorways for use to make larger projects?”

Well ladies, yes and yes! The merino single ply worsted is, hands down, one of my (and it appears, yours too) all time favorites. And, with Fall just around the corner (it’s been in the 50’s at night) you betcha I’ll be dyeing up scads of both. In fact, I’m tracking the package for the merino single ply, obsessively. (ETA – It’s on the truck for delivery today!!!!!). And, I will be dyeing up sweater/larger quantities of the merino worsted superwash and bulky  too.

Jodi – no, I won’t be at Michigan Lamb and Wool this year, but I will be attending as a vendor (and shopper!) at YarnCon2008 – Wicker Park, Chicago – Saturday, Octboer 4. Anyone else going to be at YarnCon?

One skein I couldn’t part with. October Second  - Merino Fingering SW

Chrissy, Rosa, Cheryl and  Tracy want to know –

• “How do you sell all of your yarns, I would want to keep them all?”
• “How often do you keep a dyed-up skein for yourself because your love the color(s) so much?”
• “Who names the colors of your yarn? Do you ever keep a skein of yarn that turns out especially lovely to yourself? Do you get attached to it?”
• “I have been with you at a few retail therapy opportunities, why do you buy yarn? Why not use all the beautiful Plucky yarn sitting around the quaint cottage home?”

Had a sneaking suspicion I was going to be asked this question and a good question it is. There’s not just one simple answer – so here goes:

Yes, occassionally I do keep a skein of yarn for myself (See skein above and, I always keep a skein of Plucky Classics for myself). But, only occassionally, for several reasons. One, I love, love, love to dye yarn. To watch it go from a blank canvas to something completely unique is a total thrill. Once dried and skeined and I’ve seen what the blank canvas has become, that’s the  thrill for me. Time to move on to the next blank canvas. And, I simply adore seeing what other people have envisioned for  Plucky yarn. My vision begins and ends (most of the time) with the dyeing process.

Second, I love to  buy yarn! There are  quite a few dyers out there that I truly admire, and, well, I want  to use their yarn too.  And, I need to have room for my stash (the “quaint cottage” – that’s a nice way to phrase  ’your house is the size of a postage stamp’). Third, this  has become  my vocation (for which I am forever grateful). That, and Bob gets ansty if he sees to much Plucky yarn sitting around the house.

Suzanne asks – “Where did you learn to spin such beautiful yarn? And is your Dad ever going to sell that beautiful awesome  green truck?”

That is an awesome truck, isn’t it? I’m not sure if Elmer T is going to sell or not, but I’ll ask. As far as learning to spin such beautiful yarn…. you are much to kind. I’m such a newbie spinner that I hesitate to even call myself a spinner. But I sure do love it. Wish I had an extra pair of arms, solely dedicated to spinning.

Rae-Ann says – “I do not have any of your yarn because I can’t manage to catch update. How addicted will I become when I can actually knit with your yarn?”

Goodness Rae-Anne, I’m sorry you haven’t had a chance to knit with my yarn yet, but as far as the addiction issue – you’ll have to ask one of the Plucky Knitters in the Ravelry group, maybe they can help!

Kirsten and Indiecita  want to know – “Do you have any background in art or color theory?” And “Do you have to think about color theory much when you’re dyeing, or do you just sort of play around and go for it?”

No, I don’t. But does being passionate about color count? I have an instant like or dislike for color and color combinations. I’m on the look-out and notice color and design everywhere I look. Basically, I just know what I like and don’t like and I’m not afraid to play around with color. Does that make sense?

Helena wants to know about Plucky Classics – “How do you pick the Plucky Classics themes every three months? Do you have a million ideas and have a hard time narrowing it down to just one?”

Goodness, a million and one ideas. Yes, It can be quite daunting  to try to  narrow it down to just one theme. But, then I figure – ok, file that one away for the next three months.  Truly hope you enjoy the themes as much as I do… and, I hope you are inspired to watch or read something you wouldn’t normally. That’s the whole point. Inspiration.

Nicole asks – “Is your Plucky business so large that you are ready to take on some help and pay them in yarn?”

To say I need help is an understatement the likes of which you have never heard. One area where I really need help is in  the tagging and shipping department. The goodnews is I’ve just received help in the form of an old friend. She started yesterday and I couldn’t be more pleased. You know what that means don’t you? Speedier shipments. More time to dye and think up new and exciting things to offer you!!! And, well, let’s be real, maybe even a little  more time for me to knit.

Rachel asks – “How did you get started dyeing yarn?”

I love color. But to say I am rather finicky about it is an understatement. I’m not simply a red, blue, green and yellow girl. And, I’d always wanted to do something creative. When I began to knit, that was great. Love(d) it. But I wanted to try something more. Dyeing has become my creative outlet. Dyeing just drew me in. First I just began reading about it (Twisted Sisters Sock Workbook was a wealth of information) and then couldn’t help myself – I had to give it a whirl. Went to Target, bought a roasting pan for $19.99 and never looked back.

Nicole wants to know – “Why Plucky?”

The plucky name came from one of my dear girlfriends, Nicole. In the past, she had described me as being plucky. It stuck. When I started my blog that was the first thing that came to mind.

M. Frey says – “….My favorite moment of the summer was having a surprise visit, with Plucky standing at the county of my art shop!”

That’s been my favorite part of the summer too! The look on your face = priceless!

That’s it for today dearies. Looks like I’ll have to have a “The Answers ~ Part III” post, you guys are super curious!

Rachel asks – “From start to finish, how long does it take you to dye up a skein of yarn?”

That’s a hard question to answer, since I’ve never really dyed just one skein (the very first practice skein aside… boy that seems like a long time ago). But this I do know for sure. On days that I dye, from dry, undyed yarn through to drying the dyed yarn on the drying rack…. that takes anywhere from 6-10 hours depending on how I dye it and how many skeins I dye. That does not include the time it takes for the yarn to dry, to re-skein (those skeins that I have to split), tagging, photographing, etc.

Amanda wants to know – “If your name wasn’t Sarah, what would you want it to be?”

I love random questions! Well, let’s see, when I was about 12 and it seemed that all the girls in my class  were named either Dawn, Heather, Angie or  Missy, I thought I wanted my name to be Dawn or Heather. That passed by the time I was 13. But, if I had to choose now, I would say Claire. Just adore the name Claire.

Diane from Australia wants to know – “How do you come up with the names for your colors? Do you dye to fit a name or the name emerges from the color?”

Bob and I have the same problem ok, maybe not a problem, but a challenge. We have so many interests. I love everything from travel, classic movies (and some not so classic), to books, pop culture, history, current events, retro/vintage fashion and more. All of those interests find their way to my yarn.

There are times I dye with a specific name in mind (for instance, Plucky Classics colorways), but I’m very much a “serendipity” dyer – so more often than not, the name emerges from the color.

Kari asks – “What colors do you gravitate towards most when dyeing?

Personally, my favorite colors are colors that are just a step below total saturation…. sort of a faded version of their fully vibrant selves. I love tone-on-tone versions of colors. Love greens, blues, browns and deep reds. However, I appreciate all colors and know that there is a color for everyone, so I try to dye up a little of everything. Oh, and I love colors that have a vintage feel to them, you know, something your Grandma would have used.

Moolitbeach wants to know – “What happens to the yarn that doesn’t come out the way you planned? Do you make cushiony forts out of it and snuggle inside with Mr. Plucky eating ice cream in your pajamas?”

That is quite the mental picture!!! Because of the way that I dye (I’m more of a let’s see what happens when I use this color, then add a little of that and then oooh, wouldn’t it be fun if…..) there aren’t too many mistakes, just surprises. However, the yarn that isn’t as serendipituous as I’d like – well, those show up in the big three day weekend sales I’ve started having this summer.

Goldengirls asks – “What kind of camera do you use?”

Ahh. My camera. How I love, love, love my camera. Canon Digital Rebel XT. Don’t forget the lenses, the lenses make a ton of difference (how’s that for a technical answer?). I have three lenses that I use all the time.  There is so much I have yet  to learn about photography – it’s quickly becoming quite the hobby for me – in fact, time permitting, I have some tentative plans to take a digital photography class this Fall.  Very rarely do I  leave home without my camera.

Mick wants to know – “Do you use the colors that the dye comes in or do you custom mix everything, or do you do a bit of both?”

Except for black – I custom mix everything. I’m too much of a fiddler and tweaker to use just the straight dye and, besides, half the fun is mixing it up!

Stacey asks – “How did you decide which characters to use in the first installment of Plucky Classics? And how did you know Cpt. Wentworth is one of my favorites?”

Stacey, I had no idea the Captain was one of your favorites, but I’m so not surprised! Isn’t he fabulous?!?! When I decide on a character to be the inspiration for a colorway it is  usually  because they are a focal point of a story (or, on the flip side, sometimes a very random character in a story)  and they have a unique/strong personality. And, great costumes never hurt either!

Kai asks – “What makes you click the shutter on the camera? Do you “see” an image/photo before clicking?”

I do ALOT LOT LOT of clicking. I’d say it’s a good 50/50 – see an image and click and other times it’s just “Ohhh, how’d I get that picture!?!”

Mr. Arent-I-Pretty wants to know – “Dear Mrs. Plucky – I have a random question. I’ve been wondering….. Why is it the menfolk always beat the womenfolk at Trivial Pursuit?”

First of all Mr.  Aren’t I, have you been watching The Waltons? Second, it is only because of the scheming and plotting on the part of you boys (Spiking  a persons  drink with, what can only be described as gasoline flavored liquor, so not fair!). We girls demand a rematch. See you in December – you should be afraid. Very. Very afraid.

Shelbs with Mrs. Pretty and Mr. Aren’t I Pretty

Rasta Sock

That’s it for today. I’ll be sure to answer more tomorrow and announce the winner of the Plucky Tote.

Can you believe it is almost the middle of August already? This summer is flying by! Have you had a good summer? So, tell, what’s been  the highlight of your  summer?

Do you have a question about yarn bases? Colorways? Finished objects?  Couldn’t really care less about about fiber related items, but have other questions? Well, don’t let that stop you, now’s your chance, ask away.

So, if you have questions or suggestions (maybe there is there something you would love to see offered in  the shop, etc.), leave me a comment and then at a later date I will do a post with the questions  along with the  answers. Ask away. I’ll be picking a random question (using the randsom number generator – random.org –  to pick a winner. What will you get?  One of my  new Are You A Plucky Knitter tote).

Lastly, there will be a  shop update tomorrow night, Thursday, August 14th at 9:00 p.m. EST.

Have you picked yourself up off the floor? Can you believe I knit a pair? A pair? They are so ugly they are cute (ok, not ugly, just not super matchy and  quite homey looking, which I find completely charming) and I couldn’t  love them more.

These have been my go-to knit for all the social/family functions and car trips  we’ve had as of late and, by the speed of which the second sock was knit, you can tell there have been quite a few (I thought summer was suppose to be slower paced????),

• Yarn: Crown Mountain Sock Hop – Lucy In The Sky
• Needles: 1.5 (US)
• Pattern: Very basic 64st, top down

On a completely non-yarn related note, but still a very big deal in our house today ~

You may or may not be aware (or remember) that Bob is a tad eccentric. Charmingly so.   To illustrate, here is a sampling of just a few of Bob’s hobbies throughout the years:

• Salt Water Reef Aquariums
• Bee Keeping
• Photography
• Microscopes (this has grown from a hobby to a profession)
• Rocket building
• Wood Working
• Boating
• Telescope Building
• Astronomy

Which brings me to: Did you know that tonight is one of the best meteor showers of the entire year? So good, in fact, that Bob went to bed at 7:30 p.m. because he plans to be up at 2:00 a.m. for the best viewing. If you’d like more information – here you go  and here.  Says it better than I ever could. Enjoy!

Now, back to yarn ~

There will be a big etsy update later this week. I’ll be sure to post the date and time so everyone has a heads up! Some yarn that will be in the update:

• Merino Worsted Superwash
• Merino Fingering
• MCN Sport and Fingering
• 100% Cashmere Chunky
• 100% Cashmere Aran

Oh. There was a contest, wasn’t there?    RachelB you won!!!! Would you be so kind as to contact me with your information so I can get you your winnings? Thanks to everyone for playing along.

• Because, sometimes, you just can knit ‘em all and, Beth made me do it!

• Cowl neck from Gap. I don’t think this could be any more adorable. Can’t you just see it thrown over a long sleeve tee?

• Beth and Bob – Lake Mendota this past Saturday night.

• Playing ball….Bob and Lil’ A

• Even I got in on the action.

Sneak contest…. if you can riddle me this? Who said:

“Giv me a visky, gingerale on the side. And, don’t be stingy baby.”

I’ll take entries until tomorrow evening. Thanks for playing along. And, super big thank you to everyone for making yesterday’s shop update so fun!