Do-it-yourself, sort of

In every life, there are set backs. One doesn't get the promotion one wants, or just misses snagging those tickets to the last show of that fabled performer, or makes an offer on the perfect house in the perfect neighbourhood that isn't accepted, and one ends up living in a less desirable place.

Life is often like that.

I have been trying to get some Vitreous Humor yarn from Insubordiknits, but alas! to no avail.

If I had been more clever, I would have noticed that nothing has been updated since January, 2014, that there is no link to actually buy anything on the website, and that it seems largely abandoned. When I did notice this, I sent a message to the owner on her Facebook page, but again, to no avail. Hélas (that's French). 

Today, serendipity took me to Mind's Eye Yarns, where I had a conversation with the owner, Sharon Lynn. I told her about my quest for Vitreous Humor, and lamented that it was probably not in the cards that I'd ever get any, and I really wanted to make the scarf for my friend William who really would like something made with this yarn. And she said, "Why don't you make it yourself? 

I'm not a spinner (goodness knows I've tried), and I'm not a dyer (goodness knows I want to learn). How could I make my own yarn?

"Well, you could felt the eyeballs yourself, and then attach them to some yarn. Probably something like Malabrigo Rasta."

No kidding?

Yeah, no kidding. What followed was a discussion with her about taking some roving and felting it by hand into a ball shape drinking a shot after every few eyeballs, until the total of 13 to 15 is reached). When that's dry, using some blue and then black roving to needle felt the iris and pupil. Maybe a thin red bit to make give it that slightly blood-shot look (no shots allowed during the needle felting portion of our trip). 

So I left the store elated and feeling a bit stoned, agog at the possibilities! Sharon Lynn said she'd see if she could get me some merino roving for the eyeballs, and then the rest would be, well, not easy, but certainly achievable. 

I just might be able to make this scarf, after all!

Now if we could do something about the Blythe Baby Camel by Classic Elite, which seems to have been discontinued.