How Lucky am I? (it's good to be a minion!)

   I have a very good friend, who hand dyes with kool-aid, spins like a pro, and knits better than anyone I have yet to meet. We became friends about 2 years ago, after a (former) mutual friend introduced us, and I was invited to join their little knitting group. She and I hit it off nearly right away.

   Unfortunately, the mutual friend became a former friend. I sometimes can't help but think I somehow contributed to the rift. At a very large Woolly function, I kept referring to myself and the friend as minions of the special friend. After all, we were in her area of expertise. She is the nearly famous hand dyer, great spinner and superior knitter. I certainly meant no insult to the friend. In her areas of expertise, we would have been her minions.

   Anyway, now that I'm done explaining. My friend has been trying to get a decent, repeatable black color on her yarns and fibers. She has finally succeeded! I am sworn to secrecy as to how it was achieved, and I'm not really sure I know anyway. But my point is, that I get the not-quite-right yarns given to me; as she is very ethical, and refuses to sell a colorway unless it is perfect, and up to her exacting standards. They are certainly sellable, but she won't sell them. So I get to have them! They are really lovely, and I can't wait for inspiration to hit me, so I can make something gorgeous.

   This latest one is the second colorway I was gifted. The first has gone into a shawl, as one stripe of three. I hope it will be finished soon, it's one of the projects I have mentioned that is in my dead-seagull bag. That's what I call it; I bought it in Oregon, at a fancy chain store. The design looked to me like the outline around a dead body at a crime scene. It's in the shape of a seagull. So it has become my "dead seagull" bag.

   Her is a photo of the most recent progress of the shawl, the multi-colored stripe is the yarn given to me by my friend.

   Man, am I embarrassed. This photo is really old, I have actually finished that stripe and started on the solid pink one. I will take another, truly more up to date photo tomorrow, if the weather is still warm and nice. Promise.

   So, in conclusion, I am a humble minion, and very proud to be one. Hey! I have a photo of my friend! I tried to sneak one, and somehow, her hand just got in the way. She seems to have superior, ninja-like reflexes.

      Notice the color of the offending finger, around the nail. She had been dyeing that day! And just so you all know, her name is Kim Hartmann, and she has an etsy show where she sells he yarn and fiber.   atknitsendyarns.etsy.com. Check out her gorgeous stuff! She does amazing colorways, all done with kool-aid.

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