Since closing my online shop (to focus exclusively on yarn shops + Yarn Mail + writing the BOOK), I’ve gotten a steady stream of emails asking “Where’s the yarn?”
And now, inspired by the amaaazing reply I got when I suggested it yesterday, there’ll be ONE yarn exclusively available via Yarn Love Notes.
Each month, inspired by your input, I’ll spin a Yarn Love Note exclusive and send you a picture. You’ll have a week to decide if you want to buy it or not. At the end of the week I’ll spin everyone’s skein and send it out. Simple + straightforward.
The Yarn Love Note-getters were soooo excited about this possibility, that I went ahead and spun up a yarn for them last night.
Even though the knitalong ended a few months ago, it’s just now getting to be cool enough for me to wear my Betiko…and I can’t wait!
Did you make a Betiko?
What are you making to keep you warm this winter?
You might have noticed – thanks to happy yarn shop owners and booming orders – I’m not selling through an online shop anymore. You can get yarn, every month, in the mail (spun JUST for you) with Magnficent Monthly Yarn Mail. Or email me (taraATblondechickenboutique.com) about your local yarn shop and I’ll reach out them!
For first-time (or adventurous) dyers, the most wonderful time of the year…is this week!
Easter Egg dyes, a great way to experiment with food-safe, non-toxic dyes, are on sale…everywhere!
Even if you haven’t dyed before, or you think it might be complicated, Easter egg dyes are really the foolproof way to go. I promise, you can’t mess it up.
To get started, check out video that walks you through all the steps:
If you’re ready to get going and are about to bolt out the door to snatch up the last boxes of dyes, here’s a quick shopping list:
A box of easter egg dyes
White or apple cider vinegar
White yarn or wool (any animal fiber will work, but NOT plant-fibers (cotton, soy, bamboo, banana))
Some tips on buying Easter egg dyes:
Don’t pay more than a dollar for a box of 5-6 colors. Really. If your store is charging more than a dollar, come back in two days.
Don’t bother with the sparkly dyes. Or the stickers, wax crayons, etc. All you’re going to need is the little dye tablets.
That said, check the box to see what colors are included! If you want brights, you can’t go wrong with the basics. But the “neon” kit produces great colors, too (like the hot pink in this yarn). The “camo” is ok, if you’re into dark greens and browns (not for me!).
Speaking of browns, don’t believe them. Every time I’ve dyed with brown, not matter WHAT I did, it split into purple and gray. Very weird.
When you get your stash home, split ‘em up by color. I use mason jars (and I attach a small fluff of wool with the color, so I can tell the orange from the yellow) and it saves tons of time.
I’ve gotta tell you, I mean to post this reminder EVERY year, and I always forget until after my local stores are sold out of packets.
Here’s hoping you get to the store in time!
I’d love to hear your own experiences with Easter Egg yarn-dyeing, share them (or your questions) in the comments!
We’ll get back to our Betiko updates next week (are you done? I’m almost done!), but I wanted to pop in and let you know that I’m going to close the shop on Thursday, to get ready to move (I hopehopehope to be moving this Friday or Saturday).
When the shop reopens (in a week or two?), there will be ALL new yarns.
None of the handspun yarns will be available again (I’m packing them up no Thursday and sending them to yarn shops), so if any of them have caught your eye, now’s the time!
2 months ago, sitting in a yarn shop, I feel in love.
With a shawl. Betiko.
I wanted to cast on thisminute.
But I wanted to knit it out of my handspun.
Specifically, this color, which I’ve been squirreling away:
(spin a skein for the Boutique, then a little for myself)
And then I started thinking….
I love knitalongs.
I know you love kits…
So I had to wait.
Wait until I could whip up a yarn+ knitalong combo.
And….here it is!
Betiko Bundles!
All the yarn you need to knit a Betiko shawl.
The 2-color kits are almost sold out! I only have one left of the following:
Citrus
Ocean
Or you can knit a solid Betiko in one of these 3 colors:
Blue
Pink
Tangerine
The details:
In the two-color kits you’ll get one 130-yard skein of yarn in each color (that’s a total of 260 yards), enough to knit a small version of Betiko.
In the single color bundles, you have your choice between a Small Bundle (260 yards) or a Jumbo Bundle (400 yards).
You can, of course, use any yarn from the Boutique in the shawl, but by buying the Bundle you save $10 on the Small and $24 on the Jumbo.
(Of course, you can use this yarn for anything you like!)
To get your Bundle: pick your color, then your size, then click Buy Now.
Shipping is $5, USPS Priority for domestic orders and First Class for international orders.
Knitalong!
Whether you buy one of these bundles or you use yarn you already have, you are welcome to join the knitalong.
The unofficial start date is 2/22 and if you order by Saturday, I’ll have your yarn to you by then.
Please note! The bundle doesn’t include the pattern, you buy that from Lee right here!
I would love something for Booth & Brennan from Bones (Bold colors for Booth, like red in his Cocky belt buckle or the American flag and something elegant and simple for Brennan like creams (bones!) blacks, grays or perhaps the navy of the jumpsuit when things are messy)
I went with black for Booth’s FBI-standard black suit and white for Bones (duh!), with a streak of red (for blood, Booth’s belt, the love they feel?).
I also like the symbolism of black + white:
it embodies Bones’ worldview: Right vs. Wrong. Science + Fact.
Then there’s that blip of red (love, passion) that defies all reason and messes with her black + white world.
100 yards
Bulky Weight
Recommended Needle Size: US 9-13, 6.0-10.0mm
Recommended hook: M–13 and up, 9mm and up
Sold out!
Still craving yarn? Check out the Boutique!
Confession: after spinning this yarn (and watching hours of old episodes), I finally decided to check out the books that inspired it…and read the first one in a single Saturday.
Hi! I'm Tara and I'm the Blonde Chicken behind all this yarn! You can read more about how I got this 
(spin a skein for the Boutique, then a little for myself)
Citrus
Ocean
