Shop is live! :-)

new shop

I think I've mentioned my tendency to dye stuff. For the past few years I've done it off and on, but recently it's become quite the habit / obsession. Maybe it's my former art school student self wanting expression. I love playing with colour and I love fibre and yarn, so it's not surprising. But I'm also one person and my life only gives me a limited amount of time to knit and spin up all the stuff I want to dye, so I decided I should maybe open a wee shop and try to sell some, much as I'm sad to part with them.

So this is a heads-up, in case you're interested. I'm listing some yarn and fibre in my new shop tomorrow morning, March 28th at 8:00 am central and everything's 10% off for the first week, as a grand opening (and thanks for reading my blog) special. Just enter coupon code 'OPENINGSPECIAL'. I hope you like it.

Hope you're having a good week so far.

spinning and more spinning

Fibre: Rambouillet from Northbound Knitting in 'Caribbean'
2-ply sport weight / heavy fingering (15 wpi)
394 yds.

The Northbound Knitting group on Ravelry had another spin-along, and there was a caribbean coloured blend or a citrus blend to choose from. As much as I try to abandon my persistent colour preferences of blues and greens, I couldn't pass this up. The rambouillet was such a different texture than I'm used to - very spongey. I think this skein will make a fabulous pair of socks. I have another 4 oz of this (2 braids in top photo) I haven't yet spun, because I'm too anxious to get this on the wheel...

I have 20 oz of this

 which is 'Lake Oastler' on BFL, also from Lisa at Northbound Knitting. I can't fully describe the love I have for this combo of colours. It's so perfect. It's going to become a pullover eventually; my design.

The boy and I went to Hunger Games on Friday night (great movie. I recommend reading the trilogy) and now we both have the same cold. But it's spring break and we're home this week, so it doesn't really matter. Spring cleaning time!

dad socks

Pattern: Alpha Socks by Tanis Lavallee
Yarn: Sanguine Gryphon 'Bugga!' in Rhinorceros Beetle - Bugga! now available at either The Verdant Gryphon or Cephalopod Yarns.

These were supposed to be a Christmas gift for my Dad, but weren't finished in time. Happily, his birthday is only a few months later so, instead, I was unusually prepared for that. They're large on me but I couldn't photograph them on his feet a province away.

The pattern is easy to follow and great travel knitting. The yarn is fantastic. My only problem was that the dark colour meant I was restricted to well-lit locales or else I couldn't see what I was doing. Good socks. Hope he likes them.

I'm home today with the boy (inservice) on this awesome spring day. Laundry, housecleaning, library, dog park. Tea drinking. Knitting. More dyeing. : )

Happy Friday.

wip hip[stamatic] friday

Arrrrr

Pattern: We Call Them Pirates by Adrian Bizilia
Yarn: Cascade Superwash Sport
(sorry, the bag with the skein remnants and ball bands is eluding me so I can't include the colour #'s)

A few weeks ago some friends were over and my son was wearing his Pirate Hat I made a few years ago. I could tell they really wanted ones of their own. They appreciate a warm knit hat when they see one. So as a surprise I made them both one and gifted them last week when they had us over for insanely delicious food.

I made a black and white one with a blue liner and a slightly longer chart...

and a dark grey, white and green version...

Great pattern. Warm and fast. I wear my son's to walk the dog all the time.

Happy weekend, peeps.