Toadstool art yarn is named after some fungi that appeared this week in my stable yard. When Mary arrived for knitting yesterday she would not drive over the fungi to park in her usual place: ‘It’s so beautiful – I can’t bear to drive over, and spoil it’ she said.
The colour of the fungi reminded me of some tops I dyed last week and spun up at Social Spinning,Knuston Hall on Wednesday. I took the photo to record the fungi, rather than the yarn – but the two look good together. Then it seemed the yarn had to be called Toadstool – so it became a sort of ‘Art yarn by retrospective design’.
The fungi comes up every year from the roots of an old silver birch. First it appears as grey toadstools, then each cap opens up and oozes black gunge. Sounds disgusting; looks beautiful.
The singles on the bobbin is hand-dyed BFL with a very small amount of angelina fibre to add a little interest. It is spun from rolags and at present I am not sure what it will be plyed with. The colours are very subtle and I don’t want to muddle them up. A Navajo ply will be too thick. I have a cone of silver metallic nylon which might make an interesting sock yarn if plyed with the toadstool. However, I will spin it all up before deciding. The colours would work well for men’s socks.
My knitting group takes place every Friday and anyone is welcome – particularly knitters who need help or inspiration. There are always lots of things going on.