Unpredictable

Dyeing yarn isn't always an exact science, and sometimes the results are unpredictable.  I know that, but I get comfortable with my tried and true formulas.  I can repeat them over and over and over with identical results.  But if I tweak a recipe just a little bit, the outcome may not be what I expect.

Recently I had a special request.

Take this colorway - Paula Cayenne, 100% Superwash Blue Faced Leicester - and dye it in a different yarn base.

Not a problem.  I got to work.  I soaked some of the requested base - Lucia, 75% Superwash Merino and 25% Nylon.  While I mixed the dye, I envisioned the above colorway - a mellow, peppery hue reminiscent of the Southwest.

I dyed the yarn and paused.  The colorway wasn't exactly what I had pictured, and I couldn't decide if I liked it or not.  It was the end of a long day, and I decided to assess the situation in the morning.  Maybe with fresh eyes it would look like Cayenne.

Well, in the light of day the colorway still wasn't Cayenne, but it had a certain appeal.  The two yarn bases have different fiber content.  They have similar construction but take the dye differently.  I should never have predicted that one would look exactly like the other.

This new colorway is definitely related to Cayenne but with a fiery, intense edge.  Now that I've let go of my preconceived image, I kind of like this color.  It's starting to grow on me.  Who knows . . . maybe it will become a regular.