I have two rules I stick by.  One regarding colour and the other regarding sock yarn content.

Rule One:

Lace yarn should mostly be semi-solid.  Maybe I would go as far as a muted multi.  Obvious reasons – the lace pattern would get lost in a madly coloured yarn.  Then out came the sun, swelling the magnolia buds in the garden, and unfurling the daffodils.  The birds cranked up their morning corus to a veritable din, and single colour yarn suddenly seemed so last winter.

Here’s what I mean…

See!  There are more muted shades too though!  This update is all Damsel, 80% Merino 20% silk, 1200m, and is in the shop now.

Rule Two:

Sock yarn must contain something in it to give it extra durability.  Mine have nylon, bamboo and tencel to help.  That is, until I got a sample amount of this in the post:

It is gorgeous!  It’s 100% Superwash Merino, and comes in at 400m per 100g.   It is a fine-ish sock weight,  I would say its ‘fingering’,  and has a smooth yet quite tightly spun appearance.  If any of you know Lorna’s Laces Shepherd Sock, it’s very similar.  This makes me very happy,  ’cause Shepherd’s Sock is one of my favourite sock yarns!  There’s no nothing in it for strength, other than a tighter twist, which is why it has broken Rule Two!  It would be just lovely for lace projects, and I can picture it as a blimmin gorgeous Spiralucious, and matching mits, and infact, anything by Anne Hanson in sock weight yarn.  She has some fabulous wraps and shawls.

This yarn hasn’t quite got in the  shop yet, mainly because it hasn’t got a name.  There will be a little naming competition in a couple of days, as I am soooooo rubbish at naming things (hence all the colourways having numbers, not names!)  I’m going to open it up on Ravelry too,  probably in my section of the UK Traders group.  Prize, some of  said new luscious yarn!!

Watch this space!

xx

Here’s a preview of some new colours of Buttersoft dk in the big 100g size (for you T )and a couple more Glistens.  Our computer broke yesterday, so I cant resize the photos today to put them in the shop til ‘tech wizzard’ has mended the right bit, which will hopefully be tonight.

Aren’t they lovely.  I’m really liking how the silks are coming out.  xx

An inevitable price hike, that is

Some of the yarns have increased in price from the supplier, and as I start to use the new stock, I will have to make increases.  Not everything will go up, but the first is Sweet Feet.  All the Sweet Feet will go up on 1st Feb from £10.50 to £11.50.  So you’ve got the rest of this month to bag it at its current price!  The other increase is Buttersoft dk, though they’re having a bit of a relaunch anyway soon coz they’re now in big squooshy 100g skeins!  They will be £10.95

They are still damp here, and haven’t pooffed up yet.  They look like cotton here!

Scrummy!  xx

This is Glisten.  It’s 100% Spun Silk and its for your lace projects!  There is 400 metres  of 2-ply in each 50g skein, making it a heavier laceweight than the cobwebs, and perfect for my favouritest Victorian Lace Today!  Heart heart!

Here are the first colours in very-nearly-almost-but-not-quite solids.  They will be £8.50 per 50g skein

Oooo, aye!

Oh, yes, and here is a plumptious skein of handspun from one of my superwash Bluefaced Leicester rovings.  I think I have almost managed my aimed-for DK weight mostly and this is destined for either this cable hat or this cable hat.  Decisions decisions.

Here are a few lovelies awaiting their photoshoot yesterday.  They are now in the shop.  You’ll have to scroll down to find them, as we can’t seem to get the new products to show at the top if the list!   Ho hum

They’ve come!  A lovely big box of knitting worderfulness!  They used to ba called KnitPicks, but they’re all shiny and newly rebranded.  The needles are still the same high quality, smooth, sharp pointed and colourful ones that are a real pleasure to knit with.  You’ll find needles to suit the whole range of Artist’s Palette Yarns.  The range will be extended further in the future to include straights in the usual dk and aran sizes (though the interchangeables would do that for you now), and I hope to bring you the fine, long circulars that would especially suit the cobweb weights when knitting fine shawls.  Here is a pic to whet your appetite.  They’re being added gradually to the shop……..

Tiz about time there was a bit of new eye candy hereabouts! AP has been a tad busy this last little while, but Stash is now well sorted with Paletty goodness.  If you’re down that way, do pop in and take a peek.  Buy some Buttersoft dk before it all goes.  It’s only there ’til January, though there is lots of other yarny goodness to be had there! You can read a little about the yarn tasting here (scroll down), here and here.  They tell it much better than I could! And I forgot to take my camera anyway and they’ve got pics. A lovely evening, with lovely ladies.

So, anyway….I’ve been able to dye for the shop again, so here is a little look at some new things…

Rescue yarn which is Islandic Lopi, and chunky!

Glossy Quickstep merino tencel in blues

Darker blues,

Too-late-for-halloween pumpkin orange, plus some pretty pinks and purples in Sweet Feet and Pop Sox.  Oh, yes, and a few new merino rovings in darker shades.  Yum!

Knitpicks are on their way.  I’m going to be really mean and show you a pic of the gorgeous dpn cases I have, just waiting for the sets of dpns to match…

Nice, huh?  The needles are their newly re-branded ones, and they will be called ‘KnitPro’.  I may even have an interchangeable set or two.  Just in time to leave on the screen for Christmas present hints!

Happy knitting…….

Yes, we have another Cotswold Craft Market this Saturday, the 25th Oct.  We’ve managed to get slipped in at almost the last minute, and shall be there in all our colourful glory.  Hurrah!

Don’t froget to mention the blog and claim your 10% saving.

Happy knitting folks, and see you on Sat

Edited to add, I’ve just noticed it has been 2 – whole – weeks since my last post, forshame!  I have some yarny goodness to tell you about too, and exciting needle news!

KNITPICKS  are soon to arrive in all their multicolour glory!  Yes, you did read that right – KNITPICKS!  I love these needles.  I like other wooden and bamboo ones too, but these are my sock knitting needles of choice, sharp and smooth.  We are starting with the most popular sock pins and the dpn sets.  If you guys like them, then we’ll gradually add more to the range.  Go on, like them, LIKE them.  I need an excuse to stock up on some more!

Yarny goodness when I get pics done…..

Happy knitting

Here they are at last.  There may only be three of them, but they’re perfectly formed!  Soft as you like, because of the alpaca and merino, yet strong too, thanks to the bamboo.

They just come on three colours to start with, and there are either 5 or 6 of each, so there is enough for a garment.  I hope you like them

and here is what I have started with some I dyed earlier…….

Ysolda’s Liesl.

Do you know? Can you guess?

I’ll tell you then!  It’s Super Kid Mohair fibre, drying in the sunshine. So soft and silky and wavy.  Just beautiful.  I have 5 colours to put in the shop, and they will be there tomorrow when I have weighed them.  Do pop by and take a look!