Category Archives: Yarn Spotlight

Surprise!

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So, I guess I need to pay more attention to what I buy, because you know that gorgeous, variegated yarn that I got last week?

Well, I managed to get it all wound up this weekend, and I got a surprise!

Turns out, it’s self-striping and it looks totally different than I was expecting! I had no idea when I brought it home. It’s hard to tell from just looking at it all wound up, but I think it’s going to have some cool super-long repeats. (Yes, I could have just looked at the website and I would have seen that it was self-striping… But I just didn’t.)

I’m so excited to get knitting on these socks! they’re going to be so pretty!

Have you ever been surprised with your yarn purchases?

A little retail therapy

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It’s nearly the end of the school year, so it’s been wildly busy around here. I’m on the board of our preschool co-op, so there’s lots of year-end stuff that we have to do. We’re getting ready for our big kid to graduate from PreK (which is insane and hitting me harder than I expected). And, we’re getting ready for a big multi-state trip back to visit grandparents (our first big trip since Covid, and our first time flying with two kids. It’s going to be nuts).

Needless to say, I’ve been a little stressed. So, when my little one and I had a bit of free time the other day, we went on a coffee/donuts/yarn run. They were more excited about the donuts than the yarn, but they’re two, so that’s not really surprising.

I, however, bought myself a lovely skein of Urth Uneek Fingering. I know nothing about it, except that it was soft, pretty, and superwash. I plan on making a nice vanilla pair of socks with it while we’re traveling. I’m hoping for some nice, low-key, relaxing knitting for the plane (HA!)

Now we’ll just have to see if I can remember my formula for improvising socks…

What’s the last thing that you treated yourself to?

And on to the next

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Now that I finished my socks (and I was just saying how much I loved making them) it’s time for me to… make another sweater.

What can I say? I just love sweaters.

Also, my big kid is growing like a weed again, and needs a bigger/longer sweater. The one I made them last summer has seen better days- it’s all stained and pill-y (because they basically roll in sand/mud/yogurt/paint every day, and so it ends up getting washed every time they wear it). And, the sleeves are starting to get a smidge short.

I dug into my rapidly dwindling stash, and found a few skeins of Berroco Vintage leftover from a sweater I made for my husband probably a decade ago. (The yarn is practically vintage itself!)

It’s a nice soft wool blend, and I like the idea of my kid and my husband having the same sweater (or at least ones with the same yarn). The only thing stopping me from casting on right now is the fact that Vintage isn’t technically superwash. It’s about 50% wool and 50% man-made fibers, which makes me think it’ll survive the wash, but I’m still a little nervous about it.

So, I think I might actually do the proper thing, and make a swatch and send it through the washer. Fingers crossed that it survives intact (and not too felted). The only thing that gives me pause is that I don’t have that much of the yarn, and I’d hate to lose a chunk to the swatch. But, I suppose that’s the lesser of two evils, if it means the kid gets a sweater that fits.

Have you ever tried machine-washing non-superwash wool? How did it go?

Something New!

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I’ve been on a real “knitting from my stash” kick over the last year. According to my notes in Ravelry, I’ve knit about 20 projects from stashed yarn since quarantine began. I’ve really made the best of a bad situation, and I’ve made some things that I’m really proud of. (Also some things that I’m not proud of, but at least I used up yarn.)

Which is all well and good.

But there’s nothing like getting a big order of brand new yarn in the mail.

And, y’all. What an order!

First, I ordered a big (big!) pile of Simply Wool Bulky in Wilbur. (It’s called Bulky, but really it’s more of a generous worsted or Aran.) It’s a lovely undyed old-school wool, in a nice grayish-tan color that goes with just about anything. This is going to be a big throw blanket with an all-over lace pattern for one of my oldest friends’ wedding this summer. (I don’t think she reads the blog, but if you’re reading this and you’re an old friend of mine and you’re getting married this summer… forget what you just read!) It doesn’t look like we’ll be able to get out there for the wedding, between the baby and the whole “flying on planes during a pandemic” thing, but I want to be there in spirit, so a big blanket it is! (Stay tuned for more details/progress reports. Hopefully.)

And the rest of the yarn is my favorite Provinical Tweed in Salsa Verde and Caramel to make a pair of Weasley-inspired sweaters for a friend’s two little boys. I love this yarn for kids’ clothes. It’s super soft and washes like a dream. They’re going to be so cute!

I’m glad I got the materials for two different projects- it’ll be nice to have a big, satisfying project as well as a couple quick little knits to switch between.

I’ve gotta say, it’s exciting to have a pile of brand new yarn waiting for me!

I MADE SOME YARN!

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I usually try to write something clever, or at least do a little funny intro to my posts, but the only thing I can say today is:

I MADE SOME YARN!

YOU CAN BUY IT!

IT’S SUPER PRETTY!

A few months ago (actually, quite a few months ago, because apparently it takes a while to manufacture yarn), I collaborated with KnitPicks to design a couple colorways of their eternal-favorite self-striping sock yarn, Felici, and my yarn has just become available!!

My skeins are the bottom two- the bright, multi-colored ones! They’re both inspired my my (sometimes unrequited) love of gardens and gardening. (They both had garden-y names when I designed them, but I guess the KP marketing folks decided to rename them… who knows?)

The first one, Dragonboat, is a mix of greens and bright red, yellow and orangey-pink, the colors of my favorite zinnias, which always remind me of a summer garden. Not my summer garden, since all my zinnias are kind of sad and stunted this year, but still.

My other skein, Fiesta, is inspired by my neighbor’s garden. She’s a much better gardener than I am, and her yard is always teeming with vibrant dahlias, powder-blue hydrangeas, vivid roses and golden sunflowers.

I can’t wait to see the yarn in person- my skeins are en route as we speak! I think I’m going to start with a classic pair of stockinette socks, but then who knows where I’ll go… hats for everyone? A stripey sweater for the kid? The sky’s the limit!

Grab your skeins here!

Yarn Spotlight: Mad Tosh Farm Twist

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I just got my hands on 8 big ol’ skeins of one of the newest yarns from Madeline Tosh, one of my favorite dyers.

And, I gotta say, I think it’s just delightful.

Farm Twist is a 2-ply, worsted-weight, merino wool that’s thick, squishy and super cozy.  (Right now I’m knitting it up into this cool garter-stitch chevron pattern on big US8s.  It’s unbelievably squishy, and I can already tell that it will have a great drape once my piece gets long enough.) 

IMG_1343Essentially, Farm Twist is a 2 ply version of Tosh Merino Light, which is one of my other favorite yarns.  Tosh Merino Light is, of course, fantastic, but it can have some problems with pilling, and while it creates a lovely, drapey fabric, it has very little spring (which makes it great for shawls, but not great for garments.  By plying two strands of TML to make this yarn, MadTosh can fix both of those “problems.”  Plying makes a stronger, springier yarn, not to mention bumping it up to a nice worsted weight, making Farm Twist perfect for cozy sweaters and warm blankets.

And, of course, it comes in all the luscious hand-dyed MadTosh colors you could want.  I love this colorway- Thunderstorm.  It’s a slightly variegated/tonal black/gray with undertones of navy blue.  It’s moody and masculine and changes color with the light.  It’s a subtle neutral, but more interesting than a solid black or gray would be.IMG_1332

I’m really pleased with this yarn (sure I’m only halfway through my first skein, but when you know, you know)!

Have you tried any new yarns lately?  What has been exciting you?

Yarn Spotlight: Provincial Tweed

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I’m almost done with my Papaya Sweater!  I’ve only got one skein left to go!  Woo!

And, since I’ve spent the last month or so finishing off all my WIPs, I think I’m just about ready to start a new project. I can’t wait!  (Though I have very little idea of what I want to do next!)

I’ve got a big bag of some lovely new Knit Picks yarn calling my name.  (Full disclosure, this yarn was a gift to me from my friends at Knit Picks.)

I’ve got 10 skeins of their new tweedy worsted yarn, Provincial Tweed.It’s a surprisingly soft superwash highland wool that comes in a range of jewel-tone-y colors.  Usually highland wool is a little itchier- great for outerwear, but not something you want up against your skin, but they’ve done something with this yarn to make it super smooth and cozy.  Plus, each colorway features a two-toned marled effect (both plies of the yarn are different tones of the same color), which should give anything worked up with this yarn a really nice depth.

And, of course, they’ve added in a healthy dose of Donegal tweed!  I’m always a sucker for  tweed.

The yarn that I have in my stash is the lovely colorway, Frozen Pond, a really nice muted sapphire color with little pops of turmeric and plum tweedy bits.  I’m looking forward to winding up the skeins into balls and knitting up a swatch.  From the feel of the yarn, I think the fabric will be nice and sturdy (though I could be wrong).  I’m currently thinking of doing something with cables or other texture, but I’ll have to see how it knits up.  (Plus, I’m thinking cables might be a bit much for me in the coming weeks…  eep!)

What would you do with this yarn?

What to do? What to do?

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My lovely husband is very good at Christmas.  This year, he made me a personalized advent calendar, full of beautiful yarn and tiny bottles of booze (peppermint schnapps for my hot cocoa?  Don’t mind if I do!)

For four days, I received Madeline Tosh Unicorn Tails in blue, copper, green and purple (otherwise known as Costeau, Glazed Pecan, Jade and Flashdance).  img_4510Have you ever knit with Madeline Tosh?  Their yarn bases are all lovely, but the colors are what make their yarns sing.  I mean look at these totally gorgeous, saturated semi-solid colorways- they practically glow!  I’ve got a full-sized skein of Tosh Merino Light in an intense cobalt blue that I haven’t been able to bring myself to use- it’s too beautiful.img_4518But, here’s the issue:  Unicorn tails are itty bitty.  Each skein is only about 50 yards long, which makes them a great “tester” size, but if you want to make a project with them, it’ll take a little planning.  I’ve got 4 skeins, so I’ve got 200 yards of fingering weight wool in 4 different colors.  What  can I make with this yarn?  Or, do I need to go buy more (oh darn)?

Obviously it’ll be something striped, or at least something with blocks of color.  Maybe some mittens?  A headband? Maybe a hat, if I’m careful?

What would you do with these little guys?

Yarn spotlight: Lindy Chain

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Aah, nothing like curling up on a cold Februrary morning with a big basket of chunky wool and a pair of needles, ready to make that oversized, insanely cozy sweater.

So, that’s why I’m currently thinking about fingering-weight linen, and light, gauzy garments.  What can I say, I’m fickle.

I want to introduce you to Lindy Chain!  (Fair warning, KnitPicks gave me a bunch of this yarn for free when I did some design work for them, so take what I have to say with a grain of salt, but I swear I’m telling the truth!)

5420254[1]Lindy Chain is an interesting yarn, perfect for summery, drape-y things like tank tops and light sweaters.  I could even see making a sun dress or skirt out of it!

This yarn isn’t just spun, like a regular yarn, it’s actually a teeny tiny thread crocheted (or possibly knit) into  a chain, like this:OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERAThis open, loose structure give the fabric you knit with Lindy Chain a beautiful, summery drape.  It’s gorgeous!

Interestingly, though, when you wash and dry this fabric, it shrinks up like nothing I’ve ever seen before.  (And I don’t know about you, but I’m not going to hand-wash a tank top.  Sorry, but I’m not made that way.)  So, be sure to wash and dry your swatches if you plan on washing and drying your finished product.

So, there it is!  Lindy Chain!  (And later this week, I’ll have a free pattern for this pretty-cool yarn!)

Yarn Spotlight: Island Fibers

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So last week, when I told you about Lopez Island, I kind of buried the lead.  Sure, there were seals, and beautiful scenery and all that.  But what about the yarn?

Lopez is home to flocks and flocks of lovely island sheep.

And where there are lovely island sheep, there is lovely island yarn.

Island Fibers, to be precise.

We stopped at a farmer’s market and I picked up a huge (I’m talking gigantic) skein of gorgeous hand-dyed single-ply wool in subtle shades of blue.

OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERAI spent a couple hours winding it into a ball this weekend (it’s that big).  So now, I’ve got a fantastic nearly-head-sized ball of yarn that’s itching to be used.

I’m thinking it might have to end up being a cropped cardigan to be worn over my favorite summer dresses.  (When you live in Seattle, you get used to wearing cute sun dresses with thick tights, rain boots and winter coats.  Otherwise, you never get to wear them.)

I made up a swatch, and it is just the prettiest!   Look at those colors!

OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERAAnd at 4-ish stitches to the inch, I bet the sweater will just fly off the needles!

OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERAWhen’s the last time you bought a skein of yarn on the spur of the moment?