Wallflower Socks

Happy to report a few knitterly accomplishments today.

I completed four rows on Moonlight Sonata. I've decided that I'm death to KAL's. Maybe that judgement is precipitous, but it seems that whenever I get in on a KAL, it dies a sudden and completely insignificant death. Not that I'm bitter.

Once you get past the first two repeats of the moon motif, the shawl becomes a much more enjoyable knit. I can now "see" what I'm doing. The pattern makes sense, and I am much less likely to make glaring mistakes. I might even have to make a sunshiny one in yellows when I'm done with Moonlight.

Today, I also finished the toe on Doug's Shoreline Trail sock #1 (sock on right).

Vital Statistics: Men's size-12 sock: Leg is 8" to beginning of heel flap; foot is approx. 11" long.
Worsted weight yarn (basic merino): I used 64grams for sock #1.
Cast-on 48st. on 3.75mm needles

Today, I finished knitting the foot and toe of my Forest Camo Tresko sock #1 (sock in middle).

Vital Statistics: Women's size-8 sock: Leg is 5" to heel flap; foot is 9" long.
Tresko Worsted Sock Yarn: I used 48grams for sock #1.
Cast-on 40st. on 4mm needles.

I've posted the sock on the left before, but here it sits waiting for its partner.

Vital Statistics: Women's size-8 sock: Leg is 8: to beginning of heel flap; foot is 9" long.
Worsted weight yarn: Basic Peruvian Wool in Twilight colorway: I used 46grams for sock#1.
Cast-on 40st on 3.75 needles.

The bright yellow ball is Butterscotch DK waiting to be cast on for sock #1 of yet another pair. Interloper. See the disturbing trend that is developing? Where are the dance partners for all these singleton socks??

And finally...the item under the blue bowl is a teeny bit of gift knitting I completed between yesterday and today. Ready to mail off on Monday.

Playing Around

Yesterday afternoon I was playing around. I mean I was working REALLY hard. Wipes sweat from brow. My boss is such a slave driver. And she hogged all the Aero bars.

This is fun. I'm calling it LILAC. I wish I could tell you how I got this yarn to do this, but I'll just smile quietly to myself. It was highly unexpected.

I can only do this effect on this particular yarn for now. It's a new basic yarn I'm offering. 100%wool that has been mercerized (the process that removes hairy fibers to make yarn smooth and machine washable). The yarn is merino soft, and has a lovely hand and drape. It's worsted weight (20st on 4.5mm needles). Handwash recommended or machine wash on gentle and lay flat to dry. I've dyed four 100g/200yd skeins. 15.00/per 100g skein. (posted Mar.31)



New Colorway!

APRICOT (I can also do PEACHY by adding in some extra blush of the darker colour).

I've done three skeins here in 100% hand-wash merino DK (22st on 4mm). 100g/246yds per skein. 16.00/per 100g skein (posted Mar. 31)



Somebody emailed me the other day and asked what I thought was a perfect yellow. I suppose that is a highly subjective thing, but to me, this is the perfect yellow. I'm calling it BUTTERSCOTCH. I dyed it on a skein of Rowan Pure Wool DK. This one is for me (back off, get your own sandwich), but I can do this colorway on any of my yarns. I plan to make myself a nice pair of instant-gratification socks.



Here I've posed BUTTERSCOTCH next to APRICOT to show the difference. The colours of each are a bit richer in real life, and they glow more, but the photos are not bad.

I LOVE My Job

Jobs I have had:

Newspaper carrier: I carried the local free rag in my neighborhood. Began the job when I was ten years old and carried on faithfully until I turned fifteen.

Babysitter.

Cleaning service for a local, home-based pre-school.

Office work for my dad: collating reports, photocopying, running surveys.

Ice-cream slinger and short order cook at the Big-T (a Dairy Queen type establishment).

Sold jeans at a jeans and shoes store in Chinatown in downtown Vancouver. Now I could tell you stories about THAT job. The shop was located in the heart of the grubbiest part of Vancouver. I sold jeans to homeless people, who would leave the old pair on the floor of the change room, and walk out wearing the next pair to oblivion. I sold jeans to sailors off Russian trawlers. They bought the oldest out-of-date styles. I sold jeans to transvestites and transsexuals and prostitutes. Yes, honey, the jeans make your ass look great! (a line that worked with all three groups).

I worked as a bank teller, first at Bank of Montreal and then at a local credit union. Again, I could tell you stories! I once handed out 10,000 in cash to a player with the Vancouver Canucks (and a known drug user). Hmmm...wonder what he was off to buy with the ten grand.

Worked as a teaching assistant to a professor of learning disabilites while I finished my teaching degree.

Worked for ten years as a high school English/Humanities/Special Ed teacher. BOY, could I tell you stories about that job.

Then I became a graduate student for five years. I was studying theology, philosophy, ancient biblical Greek and New Testament. I had plans to pursue a PhD at Cambridge and take up the torch of teaching New Testament studies to grad students.

Then I burned out.

During this past year, I have on and off again considered seeking a part-time job. I think it would be fun to work in a yarn store, or as a part-time barista at a coffee shop. The problem is, I am terrible at conforming to other people's hours, and time/schedule commitments stress me out. I hated the idea of working for someone whom I would only disappoint when my health made it impossible to show up for work that day.

Now I have the perfect job.

I work at home. I work for myself. I work the hours that I choose to work.

My work allows me to meet the nicest, friendliest people -- knitters -- who are enthusiastic about knitting and yarn, and who make my work fun and personal.

My work allows me to buy up massive quantities of amazing yarn, without guilt, and without expense to my husband.

My work allows me to handle all that amazing yarn everyday, and to transform it into a new kind of amazing yarn.

My work requires that I knit with this yarn, to see how it performs, to get to know its characteristics, to report on its behavior.

My work allows me to paint and use colour and create.

My work gives me the opportunity to be the sender of packages that arrive at other people's doorsteps and make them feel happy.

My work is fun.

I love my job!!

Fiber Matters

And not just at the breakfast table.



Yesterday, I dyed three different yarns in the same colours and got three different results. I've been discovering all kinds of interesting things about how different fibers react to colours and the dyeing process.

All three yarns began as off-whites, but each type interpreted the Blueberry colorway in its own unique way. On the left are three skeins of merino/alpaca/silk (see photo below also) that took on turquoise tones. The single dark skein in the middle is washable sock yarn (spoken for). I've found that washable yarns soak up colour more intensely than softer handwash yarns. The skeins on the right are soft merino fingering. These ones came out mauve/periwinkle.

So far, the yarns that impresses me the most with their ability to glow with complexity are the hardy naturals: New Zealand, Quebecoise, and Aran weight.

I've listed the merino/alpaca/silk blend and the merino fingering in my shop.

Round Three

Yippee! I've finished the second repeat of the lace pattern for Moonlight Sonata, and all set to begin round three. This shawl is not difficult, but I do have to concentrate. When I feel my attention drifting, it's time to switch to something else.



The tricky bits to keep an eye on are:

Watch for S2KP and SK2P: You need to do both of these, and it can be easy not to notice the change.

When YO before a purl stitch, you have to wrap the yarn around the needle twice. When YO before a knit stitch, you simply have to keep the yarn in the purl position.

The double increase takes getting used to. You do the back stitch increase, then the front stitch, the slide that off; THEN pick up the vertical loop from behind with the left hand needle.

And concentrate!

Now I'm off to dye more Blueberry yarn.

TO SEE AVAILABLE YARNS AND COLORWAYS (for custom orders): CLICK HERE.

And to keep entering and entering my contest, leave those comments. Contest closes April 8. See details HERE.

Shawl We Knit?

Okay, I'm knitting. Albeit slowly. But I am knitting. The dyeing business has been going great guns, with all kinds of special orders and friendly knitters on the other end of the email (y'all make it so much fun). I am a lot more organized now, so I can take time out to do other things from time to time.

I'm knitting Shui Kuen's beautiful shawl Moonlight Sonata. A bunch of us are doing a KAL, and I'm glad. That's probably going to keep me on track. I'm determined to finish this project and then, one at a time, catch up on some of my other recently abandoned knitting projects. How fun that I get to knit this project in some of my own Blueberry Semi-Solid yarn. I'm convinced that I bought this yarn from someone else 'cuz I can't really believe it was me.



Not to tempt overly, but you know how it is around here. I've been outed as a yarn dealer/pusher/enabler, and I might as well embrace the role. It seems to be the truth. Just keep in mind that I am in the same boat as everyone else when it comes to my...um...habit. I dyed up two skeins of the Washable Sport (80%merino/20%nylon) sock yarn in case anyone would like to knit up some Blueberry socks (one skein'll do ya) or a Moonlight Sonata Shawl (you'll need both). They are in the shop until they go, but I can do more. Got this colorway down cold now. See how rich it came out in this particular yarn:



I've finally settled on a name for this colorway. I started out calling it Manly, Yes...and then Irish Spring (manly yes..), and then Earth and Sky. This is the colorway I'm knitting Doug's socks in, and yesterday I figured out how to repeat it.

I am officially naming it: SHORELINE TRAIL. The colours remind me so much of the colours I see while walking at my favorite place (almost) in the whole world (except for Tofino).


See:








Shoreline Trail is the only name that will do, don't you think? I've listed four skeins of this in Quebecoise over at the shop.

TO SEE AVAILABLE YARNS AND COLORWAYS (for custom orders): CLICK HERE.

And to keep entering and entering my contest, leave those comments. Contest closes April 8. See details HERE.

Spring into Pink!

It must be spring. I have had several orders for pink yarn. The above photo is the first skein of Hardy Naturals Aran I have dyed. I really like the Aran, it is soft in the hands, yet strong. A versatile 100% wool yarn that falls between chunky and worsted. 16-18st on 5 to 5.5mm needles. I'm calling it Spring Blossom. Tried to get the tones I see beginning to bloom around me and in photos. This is what it looks like knitted up.



Speaking of pink, I received an order for a bunch of BCA Pink in a bulky feltable yarn. Now I have bulky. I love this yarn. It is 100% wool in a very soft single ply. I am going to make myself a sweater in this yarn next winter. Knits at about 12st on 8mm.



I posted about Hayley dyeing her first skein a few days ago. Yes, that is her serious "I'm at work on something" face. Didn't her yarn turn out pretty? (I'm so proud)



Mail Day! All these packets heading out to far away lands. Hope they bring smiles when they arrive.



Thank you for all your feedback and name suggestions. I decided to go with:

Twilight: for the medium blues/mauves. Thanks, Tracy.

Millefiori: for the wildflower/stained glass. Classy name, thanks Karen.

Copperberry: for the blend of blueberry and copper mohair. I was all set to use Blueberry Blaze, but Saralyn suggested a name I couldn't resist. Thanks, Saralyn.

TO SEE AVAILABLE YARNS AND COLORWAYS (for custom orders): CLICK HERE.

And to keep entering and entering my contest, leave those comments. Contest closes April 8. See details HERE.

Name That Yarn

This is a colorway I was playing around with the other day. I was aiming for a field of flowers kind of effect. It came out looking more like stained glass. When I knitted it up though, it did look to me like a field of wildflowers.

I would appreciate some feedback on this one. Do you like the colorway? Should I include it in my list? And names? Wildflowers?? Help.


I still have plans to try for a field of spring flowers effect.



Okay, here's another one. On the left we have Copper Blaze, and on the right we have Blueberry. In the middle we have a combo of the two that was a special order this week. I was thinking Blueberry Blaze. The purchaser suggested Blazing Brooke, and Fire on the Water. Any votes? Or other suggestions?



This next one is a no-brainer. It is my Blueberry semi-solid. I dyed Optimum in this colour for a special order this week. It coordinates with the Blueberry Mohair.

This is my yarn, yes, yarn for me! It is Mondial Giada sportweight in 70% merino and 30% silk. This is one of the softest, smoothest, loveliest yarns I have ever felt. I am going to cast on for Shui Kuen's beautiful new shawl pattern over at elann.com: Moonlight Sonata. View the pattern HERE.



This is a special order yarn that falls into the family of colors I call Hydrangea and Pansies. Hydrangea is lighter and on the pink/blue side. Pansies is darker and deeper with more blue/deep blue. This one falls in the middle but with a few dark pink accents. Any ideas for a name?


This is a better shot of Lilypad. Doug's name, and I love it. It's assorted greens, with splashes of iris blues and purples. Reminds me of a pond I pass whenever I walk at the inlet.


Finally, I was reading Grace's blog the other day, and I came across a beautiful photo of Alstromeria she had posted. I had to try for those colours. So here we have Astolomera on a skein of sock yarn.


Some of these are one-of skeins I have added to my shop. Some will show up in the colorways list when I get a chance. I do appreciate your feedback.

Don't forget my contest does not close until April 8, and you can enter as often as you like. If you want to know the details of the contest, click HERE.

Sample Cards Now Available

Sample cards with snips of my most commonly available yarns are now available. These will be samples of the yarns themselves (assorted colours), not of my colorways in particular. This way you can feel and see what the different yarns are like. Sample cards will include snips of:

Basic Hardy Naturals: Aran Weight; New Zealand Worsted/Aran Wool; Quebecoise Light Worsted; Tweedy Merino Worsted

Basic Wool Yarns: Merino Worsted; Peruvian Wool

Popular DK Yarns: Superwash 100% Merino DK; Handwash 100% Wool DK

Sock/Fingering: Henry's Attic Handwash 100% Merino Sport; Lanett 100% Merino Superwash Fingering

Laceweight: Elann.com's Super Kydd Mohair

And...I might throw in a few extras

Sample Cards will be 5.00USD, including postage.

Hayley's First Dye Job

I promised Hayley that she would get an opportunity to dye a skein of yarn this week while she's off for spring break. Yesterday, she took me up on the offer.



She chose her colors and went off to work, experimenting with a snip of yarn, and coming up with her own pattern and combinations.



I kept a discreet distance, except when she called me to "Come and See!"



We cooked the yarn, and then Hayley got a call from a friend asking her over to play and for a sleepover. So there her yarn sits, all dyed and cooked, in its plastic wrapping, waiting for her to come home today to rinse it and see how it came out.

This is a special order I worked on yesterday. Blueberry Super Kydd Mohair and matching Blueberry Optimum. I'm not sure what the knitter's plans are, but that Optimum would be the perfect colour, yarn-type, and texture for Shui Kuen's glorious new Shawl pattern Moonlight Sonata, just published today over at Elann.



And if I didn't keep losing my needles, along with my mind, I'd have a sock to show you today. Doug and I watched the movie Blood Diamond last night -- an excellent and thought-provoking film. I lost a DPN in the middle of the movie. And then another. Sigh. I knitted a swatch instead. Can't screw that up.

New Arrivals

My Sock Yarn Arrived!!

This is my premium Henry's Attic Sock yarn, and it is buttery soft, beautiful sport weight 100% merino. Handwash only. I don't know how I will part with any of it, but I will find a way. I have enough for (11) 100g/373yd skeins. Five of those skeins are already spoken for, leaving six. I am ordering more of this right away. Recommended needle: 2mm-2.5mm.

If you have been waiting for this, then let me know what you would like. Match up the yarn to one of my colorways (in the post below), and give me a shout.
I now have two premimum sock yarns:
Henry's Attic (sport): 100% handwash merino 21.00
Lanett Fingering: 100% machine washable merino. 21.00



New colorway: LILYPAD. I can dye this on any of my available yarns. In stock, I have three 100g/220yd skeins of basic merino worsted. Handwash. 14.00 per skein. (posted Mar. 22)


Here's something I was playing around with the other day. I was aiming for a field full of flowers effect, but it came out looking more like stained glass. When I knitted up a swatch, it actually did look something like wildflowers. I was thinking of offering it as a colorway, but I think I want to play some more with the idea.


This is a special order skein that is shipping out today. The colorway is Meadow, and it has been dyed on 200g/708yds of beautiful 50/50 baby alpaca/wool sportweight. I have more of the alpaca blend. Handwash. 22.00 per 100g/354yd skein.

Making Things Up As I Go Along

In the spirit of making things up as I go along, I offer you three, count 'em THREE ways to shop for yarn around here.

Way #1: Go to the store link and see what's there. The items posted in the store are dyed, dried, and ready to ship. They are special items, samples, limited quantities of yarns that I happen to have, new colour skeins, small batches of stuff I've cooked up. No guarantee that any of it will be repeated.

Way #2: Use my handy menu here to put together your own winning combination. Choose a colorway, and then choose a yarn to go with the colorway, and email me your heart's desire. Just like getting your pasta and your sauce at the local Italian joint. I will add new colours from time to time, and will update available yarns as I receivethem.

Way #3: You have your own idea. Email me with your grand scheme, and I'll see what Ican do.

THE COLORWAYS:
These are colorways that I can repeat on most yarns. Keep in mind that each skein and batch will differ slightly. The colorways also perform with variations on different fibers.

CANADIAN MAPLE


Variations on Canadian Maple: Lighter and Darker


LILAC: I can only do this effect on this particular yarn for now. It's a new basic yarn I'm offering. 100%wool that has been mercerized (the process that removes hairy fibers to make yarn smooth and machine washable). The yarn is merino soft, and has a lovely hand and drape. It's worsted weight (20st on 4.5mm needles). Handwash recommended or machine wash on gentle and lay flat to dry.


BEARDED IRIS: Darker tones of the colours in LILAC. I can do this one on superwash sportweight sock yarn.


APRICOT: (I can also do PEACHY by adding in some extra blush of the darker colour. See photo below).


FUZZY PEACH(second on left beside APRICOT. The two to the right are BUTTERSCOTCH)


Somebody emailed me the other day and asked what I thought was a perfect yellow. I suppose that is a highly subjective thing, but to me, this is the perfect yellow. I'm calling it BUTTERSCOTCH.


Here I've posed BUTTERSCOTCH next to APRICOT to show the difference. The colours of each are a bit richer in real life, and they glow more, but the photos are not bad.


HYDRANGEA


TWILIGHT


PANSIES


LILYPAD (greens with splashes of iris blue and purple). I can dye this on any of my available yarns. In stock, I have three 100g/220yd skeins of basic merino worsted. Handwash. 14.00 per skein. (posted Mar. 22)


BLOOD ORANGE (this colour works best on super wash yarns)
In Cascade 220 Superwash Worsted/Aran:


BLOOD ORANGE in Superwash Sportweight


SCARLETT O'HARA . She's a semi-solid maraschino-cherry red with light and medium highlights. This colour works best on Super wash yarns. Shown here in Cascade 220 Superwash wool.


MAI TAI (Very Early Sunset)


EARLY SUNSET


LATER SUNSET


SHORELINE TRAIL (Rich variety of browns, greens, and misty blues)


FOREST CAMO (I've listed lighter versions of this as WOODLAND)


FOREST CAMO (another example, this time on sock yarn)


MEADOW (a light version of Forest Camo reminds me of soft grassy greens and deer in the meadow)


GIRLY CAMO (A range of camo greens that run to teals and rusty browns that run to pinks and burgundy tones)


MILLEFIORI


BCA PINKS (Breast Cancer Awareness)


SPRING BLOSSOM (light to mid pinks with hints of mauve)


It looks like this when knit:


BE STILL MY BEATING HEART (mid to deep pinks with reds)


BLUEBERRY (Semi-Solid) Pictured here with Blueberry Mohair


Here is Blueberry again, a bit darker/richer, on a sock yarn:


MOONLIGHT:In some yarns Blueberry comes out paler with lighter tones of mauve/periwinkle/light turquoise.


BLUEBERRY JAM (Super Kydd Mohair)


COPPER BLAZE (Super Kydd Mohair)


COPPERBERRY: A blend of Copper Blaze and Blueberry (pictured in the middle)


YARNS AVAILABLE TO DYE FOR CUSTOM ORDERS:

New Yarn: Cascade 220 Worsted and Cascade 220 Worsted Superwash. I can dye these in any of my available colorways. Cascade 220 will be 15.00/skein and Superwash 16.00/skein.


HARDY NATURALS 100% WOOL YARNS: (14.00 per 100g/200-220yds)
Hardy, beautifully spun, durable 100% wool yarns, perfect for home decor, sturdy outerwear, and felting (excellent for slippers):

Quebecoise: light worsted (19-20st on 4-4.5mm)

New Zealand Wool: worsted/aran (18 st on 4.5mm)

Aran weight/Heavy Worsted Wool. This one is the softy of the Hardies. Feels soft and strong in the hands and blooms beautifully. (16-18st on 4.5-5.5mm)

Tweedy Merino: This is a gorgeous tweedy merino. Not super-soft like a highly processed merino,it has a great texture more like a shetland tweed. Blooms and softens with dyeing and washing. The base colour is the natural grey/brown of the sheep, so I am limited to darker colorways, especially Forest Camo, Olives, Browns, and Dark Rust, Burgundy (that type of thing)

BASIC MULTI-PURPOSE 100% WOOL YARNS: These ones are the workhorse yarns we all know and love. Softer than the rustics. All handwash and good for a huge variety of projects, including garments, favorite sweaters, scarves, hats, mitts, house socks, felting.

Basic merino worsted (20st on 4.5mm) 100g/220yd. 14.00/skein

Peruvian Worsted (20st on 4.5mm) 100g/220yd. 14.00/skein

I now have a worsted weight very soft basic. It's mercerized wool and feels next-to the skin soft like merino. Lovely hand and drape(20st on 4.5mm) 100g/200yd. 15.00/skein

BULKY WEIGHT: I have BURLY, a single ply, 100%wool bulky (12 st on 8mm). Very soft 100% wool. Handwash or felt. 100grams/70yd skeins. 14.00/skein

DK Weight:

I have four at present:

Basic 100% Wool, handwash DK. (Peer Gynt) 100g/195yd. 13.00/100g

100% Merino, handwash DK. Lovely soft merino in DK weight. 100g/245yds. 16.00/100g skein.

100% Fancy Merino Superwash. Beautiful, soft, luxury yarns (Debbie Bliss, Rowan, Mondial, Online). 100g/approx 250-300yd(depends on brand) skeins. 18.00-20.00.

70% Merino/20%Alpaca/10%Silk luxury DK. Beautiful, buttery soft yarn with a lovely sheen. 22.00/100g skein.

LACEWEIGHT:

elann.com Super Kydd Mohair Laceweight (70% kid mohair, 30% nylon). I dye two balls together as one skein: 50g/518yds. Handwash. 28.00 per skein.

SOCK YARNS/LIGHT WEIGHT YARNS:

I now have three premimum sock yarns:

Henry's Attic (sport): 100% buttery soft merino 100g/373yds. Handwash. Recommended needle: 2mm-2.5mm. 21.00 per skein

Superwash Fingering(32st): Soft springy 100% merino. Machine washable. 100g/414yd.21.00 per skein. There are several skeins made up in my shop or match up a skein to one of my colorways.

Superwash Sport: 80%merino/20%nylon. 100g/350yd. Machine Washable (27st on 2.5-3mm). 20.00per skein

100% super soft merino fingering(7-8st on size 1-3needles): Ideal for light garments and lacework (less ideal for socks). Handwash merino. 100g/440yd skeins. 17.00/skein

DK weight yarns(listed above) make nice instant gratification socks.

Ladder Lace. I have lots of this in white and can do it up in several colorways. Skeins are 50g/158yds. 100%nylon. 18st on 5mm or use as carry along with any yarn. 10.00/skein.


Check this list for color/yarn updates