Sock Club: August Edition

It’s August & it’s time for an amazing new yarn and two new colorways! This month’s yarn is truly unique: Grace Kelley is a 100% superwash Blue Face Leicester wool, tightly spun into a lightweight sock yarn. Blue Faced Leicester, commonly abbreviated BFL, is a British breed of sheep with wool that is nearly as soft as merino but more durable and less pilling. It is one of my personal favorites, but is often hard to get because there are far fewer Blue Faced Leicester sheep in the world than Merinos.

The yarn itself is a delight! It is plied and spun much more tightly than most commercially produced sock yarns. It reminds me of handspun yarn more than millspun. For garments like socks that will see heavy wear, this is a huge plus. They’ll keep going, going and going. You can see the active twist in the photos – look for the gently curls along the outside edge of the skein. The yardage is higher than most other Yarn Love sock weights – putting right between fingering and lace. Grace will knit up beautifully into silken socks or a dreamy shawl. The twist gives stitches lovely definition and is perfect for intricate stitch patterns.

Extra skeins are $23 each, plus shipping. Order extras by August 7th via the Sock Club email link.

Silvered Waves

Ice blue, silver-grey, lake blue, and true navy blend with blush and barnwood as the colors lap and swirl over the surface of the skein. This colorway is kettle dyed, which allows serendipitous color combinations during the dye process. Silvered Waves is a calming skein, sure to provide a relaxing and luscious knitting experience.

Silvered Waves Inspiration:

Carrot Tops

Bright fresh green plays long this skein with hints of avocado, carrot and marigold. A refreshing and uplifting green – also a great transitional color from summer to fall. According to the Pantone Fall 2011 color forecast, you’ll be seeing lovely greens like this all season long.

Carrot Tops Inspiration:

Happy crafting!

Knit and Crochet Personal Color Service From Yarn Love

Have you ever stared at a display of yarn looking for the perfect color combination for your Fair Isle yoke?

Or wondered if the colors you’ve chosen for your striped socks will look as amazing as the pattern photo?

Second guessed a color combination that you picked out from an online vendor….will the colors look good together in person?

I know picking out colors can be hard. There are so many pretty ones to choose from and there is also the inevitable wondering about what your project will look like if you stray from the suggested and photographed sample. These difficulties are compounded if you are purchasing your yarn online – due to photography and monitor display settings it’s impossible to know exactly what your yarn will look like prior to its arrival on your doorstep. Which means that your color selection might be brilliant or it might look a little flat.

I am here to help! No, I can’t change the issues of photography and monitor display. (Wouldn’t that be amazing?)  No, I can’t knit your Fair Isle sweater for you. (I have a baby, my knitting time is disgustingly little at the moment.) But what I can do is make sure the colors you purchase provide the most bling for your buck! “How?!?!”, you say?

Simple. I put the colors together before I shipped them off to EatSleepKnit. (Simple + brilliant! Why didn’t I think of this before?) All you need to do is grab your favorite Rainbow Pack and pair it with a pattern.

I named them Rainbow Packs – not because they all contain the traditional rainbow of colors, (Think back to grade school ROYGBIV: red,  orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo, violet.) but because I had a rainbow of colors to choose from when I put them together. 14 colors in fact; which is more than double the selection of your traditional rainbow.

Each Rainbow Pack has a different feel and contains a different combination of colors. I carefully selected colors both for overall visual impact and also so that they would provide enough contrast to work well in intricate colorwork.

If you’ve ever worked complex color patterns, you’ll know it’s not an easy thing to do. You must include enough contrast so that the each stitch is clearly visible but with an eye to how all the colors will appear together. If there’s too much contrast you’re garment ends up looking like you randomly selected the component colors without a thought to how the final sweater would turn out. Too little contrast (Hey, all my colors match!) and all the hard work you put into working the intricate pattern fades into the fabric because the individual stitches don’t have enough contrast to draw the eye.

You have two choices in Rainbow Packs from EatSleepKnit: small and large. I like to think of the small one as the “Stripey Sock Pack” because it contains four 1oz skeins, each with lots of contrast. That way you can make the most amazing pair of striped socks you’ve ever seen.

Your second choice is the Large Rainbow Pack; each contains between 5 and 8 full skeins (50 grams each) of Elizabeth Bennet. These are intended for Fair Isle sweaters, hats, or any larger project where 1oz just isn’t enough. The large packs have different moods – some are very bright and cheerful while others are really saturated and regal. All of them are beautiful.

Stop worrying whether your color combination will “turn out” in the end and get yourself a Rainbow Pack. It’s got my dyer (and knitter!) seal of approval.  Your project will look amazing and you will astound your knitting friends and muggles alike with your color genius!

P.S. – Here’s a peek at some of my preliminary color combinations, just in case you’re curious.

Yarn Love Sale!

It’s Cyber Monday, and since everything else is on sale, I’ve decided to offer an additional 20% discount on our overstock yarn. Now you might now realize that last week I put up an overstock/seconds/one of a kind store on Etsy. My studio storage space is way overcrowded. Most of what’s there is beautiful yarn leftover from a canceled wholesale order more than a year ago. The yarn is perfect and lovely, but I can’t use 30 lbs of yarn for my own knitting, and I’d much rather you gave it a good home. The “overstock” discount runs about $3-5 per skein off retail.

Today, November 29th until midnight use the code CYBERCRAFT for an additional 20% off.

Why? Because getting a good deal on a quality, handmade item makes me feel good…and I want to pass that onto you. I’m not going to offer this price on an ongoing basis, because a lot of discounting undervalues my work. But a special sale every once in a while – that’s a good thing.

I hope you find something you love in the etsy overstock shop!

It’s hot here in the Midwest. And really humid. We’re only a couple of inches of rainfall away from breaking the “most rainfall ever” record for our state. The rain plus the mid-90 degree heat (Heat index in excess of a 105 degrees, anyone?) Has got me feeling a little bit melty here in the studio. And it’s actually slowing down the dyeing as it’s so hot that I have to strategically plan my dyeing so I don’t kill the studio air conditioner. Yesterday, it was 83 degrees here until well after sundown even with the A/C running continuously. eeek!

Despite the heat, boxes of yarn are still arriving here in the studio. These are the three that arrived this week, so I can finish up my last couple of orders before taking maternity leave. For size reference, that big one has about 40 lbs of Elizabeth Bennet inside. It makes the others look positively petite!

I’ve also been working diligently on writing and knitting up two new patterns. I have a new shawlette pattern being test knit right now, plus a cabled beret & mitten set. I might be crazy for working on cold-weather patterns during the hottest part of the summer, but it should mean they’re ready for you when the cold weather comes calling. I’ll post pictures as soon as I can get the mittens to behave!

New Yarn Love: Semi-Solid Colors!

My wonderful friend (& photographer Sarah) has finished up our pictures from last week’s photo shoot. They’re gorgeous. Yes, I’m biased….but in point of fact I think Sarah has never taken an ugly photograph and these are no exception.

I’m so enamored with these new colors, that I’ve started working on an enchanting yoke style baby sweater in rainbow hues. I’m holding fingering weight yarns doubled, and changing a single strand at a time so the color shifts subtly from one to the next. Photos soon – it’s sort of lumpy looking on the needles at the current moment.

Twinkle Mitts, Mitten & Cowl – new pattern release, Jan 2009

Twinkle Mitts, Mittens, and Cowl – January 2009 from Yarn Love

New Pattern release from Yarn Love!

Our newest pattern: the Twinkle Set will be released January 2009. The pattern includes instruction for average adult sizing of fingerless mitts (pictured), full mittens, and a cowl (also pictured. Shown at left in Malabrigo Chunky Merino colors Roanoke & Lettuce.  Only available at Eat.Sleep.Knit. – please check them out! They are one of our retailers and have an amazing customer rewards program. (I happily shop with Erin & Dad, too!)

The given gauge is perfect with our Charlotte Bronte Aran merino, as well.

Twinkle Set shown in Brisa - Malabrigo Merino Chunky

Product development & Christmas

E & G’s Christmas Tunics – michael miller’s Yule Christmas & Dots

Snow

It’s really early here. Hubby got up before 6 am to go into work before we get a monster snow storm. The idea is that he go in early and then come home later this morning, safely, before the snow really starts to fly. We’ll see how it goes. The commute is the downside to living in a quaint, small town 30 miles away from downtown… This will be our 7th snow since the beginning of November & in case your child burned your calendar and you’ve been  living under a rock, it’s mid December.

Yarn that stripes like Noro

Besides the usual Christmas busyness and familial obligations, I’ve decided that *now* is the best time to pursue new product development. Nothing beats holiday stress like a huge amount of work that may or may not pan out. In my defense, I started working on this project 2 months ago. I need to contract out some very specific, custom fiber work in order to make this venture successful. I found one contractor on the West coast and proceeded to ship yarn with them so they could get a sample worked up and firm pricing. It took 3 weeks for them to acknowledge receipt of the yarn. Then 2 1/2 more to work up a sample. We are currently sitting at 4+ weeks that they’ve had the sample but won’t ship it.

On second thought, I’ll think I’ll skip hiring you.

So the search has continued. I’ve found others who will work, but of course, they are booked up solidly through Christmas. My poor retailer will have been waiting three months before the product is even in production. In the meantime, I’ve been making not-quite-perfect samples for myself and limping through the new dyeing technique. Hopefully, this will come together in a big  ball of beautiful symmetry after Christmas.

Home Improvement

The office is finally usable! We moved the computer desk back down here the weekend before last…so we could put the Christmas tree up in the living room. Since we have been working every available weekend since the end of June, it feels like a *huge* accomplishment. And it’s pretty. Seriously pretty. We have a deep chocolate accent wall, and the other three are painted a warm, harvest gold. The ceiling is finally “real”, instead of an ugly & way too low suspended number. The best part about it, is we have two additional full sized closets in here – completely fitted out with shelves, organizers and crates. Yes!

Things I want

Now onto a random list of things I want & you probably do, too.

Blue Moon Fiber Arts Sock Club - it’s taking all my restraint not to sign up.

Mystic Monk Coffee - amazing & fresh roasted. I have the two big, two small pack coming my way.

Twisted Fiber Arts - I love her work & collect it. It’s so beautiful!

Sock blanks and other mayhem

Just when I get a really good idea….someone else already has it! Oh, well. KnitPicks came out with their new sock blanks recently….just a few days after my Bond Knitting machine arrived for me to work out how to machine knit them for myself. The original plan was to offer these as a new product via Yarn Love….but now I’m going to have to seriously rethink that. I feel like such a copycat – but I wasn’t. I came up with the idea on my own before Knit Picks released their product. Sigh. The good news is that I can use my favorite sock yarns for my own blanks and they can’t. It’s not a total loss; I can always knit them for myself and me content with that!

New Couch – delivered to your door!

I ordered a couch off the internet. It came and I’m happy. There’s a company by the name of HomeReserve and they sell couches that you assemble. You get your choice of style and fabric, and it comes straight to your door where you put it together. The main reason we chose this company over more traditional furniture is that every single piece of fabric on the couch is washable.

If you don’t have children, this probably isn’t a big deal….but for those of you who have ever stared at a traditional piece of upholstery freshly covered in toddler vomit, you will understand the sheer genius of this couch. Better yet, if you have commitment issues, you can replace all the fabric and cushions with a new for $150 – 200 bucks. New look, low price!

They are surprisingly comfy despite the lack of springs. (There are three storage compartments under the seat cushions instead of springs.) The cushions are firmer than our previous, overstuffed couch, but the scale is much better for me. I can sit on the couch without having to prop a large throw pillow behind me. Yay new couch!

I am planning on dressing it up with some pretty throw pillows. Geisha Fans by Amy Butler in the olive colorway are on the radar…right after I finish sewing the girlies’ window treatments and the bra kits that I ordered….I have no idea when I’ll get them done.

Super Secret Project

Well, I went and started a long term, super secret project. It involves yarn. It involves dye. It involves writing. We’ll see how I do. It’s a new venture and one with an uncertain outcome. But along the way there will be lots of yarn and photos and fun. I started it late in the week. Here’s one of the skeins that dyed for it. Over dyed stripes. I’ve been itching to knit it up, but I can’t. It must be saved for professional photography purposes. Sigh. Dyeing new yarn is so hard to resist.

More super secret stuff as I get it done…but not all of it, because then it wouldn’t be a secret, would it?

We interrupt this regularly scheduled untimely demise to bring you…

Wellness! And another blog post!

There has been a long delay. In fact, in my last post, which was nearly a month ago, we still had a good deal of snow on the ground. Since that time: I have not posted. My children have gone for a wild ride on the Puke-O-Matic 9000….immediately followed by the Cold Of Death which everyone in the family got. And when I say the Cold of Death, I mean the Cold of Death. Imagine fever, severe cold symptoms, and extreme body ache all rolled into one. Those combined with a ridiculously long stretch of minor symptoms so you can cough and sneeze yourself through three more weeks after the first few days of feeling like death warmed over. It was so bad, that I was unable to drink coffee, drink beer, and knit for 5 days. Since coffee, beer and knitting are three of my favorite things which I indulge in nearly every day, you can imagine the havoc this wreaked. And it delayed my swap partner’s mittens. But to make up for my tardiness, I put together a good package for her!

I must admit, I had it first, and I had it the worst. Then my poor hubby got it – the first week of his new job….and finally the kids got it. I don’t think it makes me a bad mother to say that while I never want anyone in my family to be sick, it’s much easier for me to nurse a sick family than keep the household running while all I can do is nap and feel miserable.

 On the bright side, we are now all mostly well! I’ve been dyeing yarn like crazy, and even organizing my stash. The Loopy Ewe currently has a decently sized order of Scarlett O’ Hara and a really good sized order of Elizabeth Bennet to be shipped very soon. (It’s being skeined now!) TLE is getting all of my new spring colors on both yarn bases. So if you like the NEW, head their way. Also EatSleepKnit just placed a gorgeous order, so they’ll have YarnLove soon.

I’ve gotten back to knitting now that the Cold of Death is over and my swap project is done. Nutkin is currently on the needles. I got some super cheap yarn from Etsy. Gorgeous colors, but it’s super thin. It looks like it’s fingering weight in the ball, but when any tension is applied, it thins out. Gorgeous colors, though and great stretch. We’ll see how it wears. The colors remind me of Trekking or Rio De La Plata – slow shifts of color made up by two multi-color plies spun together. Yum! Also on the needles are the Garden Path Socks in Oceanwind Knits’ Jardin colorway. These are languishing. It’s charted so it makes TV knitting harder. I can’t work on them if anything exciting is on. Plus, my pattern fell behind the couch last week and I’ve been too lazy to move the couch to get it. One of these days.

Make grill while the sun shines

I have to say that my patience is wearing thin. It may even be in tatters. This has been the longest, snowiest winter in memory. Last month alone we had nearly 4 times the normal amount of snowfall. Not 4 inches, 4 times – nearly quadruple! Ug! Over 20″ in a month. In all fairness, I do not live in a particularly snowy part of the world. I live in the part of the world where it’s 63 degrees at noon, starts raining 2 hours later, by 8 pm the temp has fallen to zero and the rain has turned to a layer of ice on the ground and snow from the sky. That was Sunday night. That three inches was the second snow fall of the week. I can’t remember if that was only the third or fourth day this winter that my sweet husband couldn’t get into work because the interstate was listed as 100% snow and ice covered with travel NOT advised.

 Well, I’ve had it. If spring is not coming to me, I am coming to it. You may think that picture is an ordinary picture of a snow covered grill, but I assure you it is not. See the thermometer? It clearly indicates that even though there is snow all around, I was out there preheating it for a spice rubbed pork tenderloin. It was sunny that day. I was pretty sure it was at least 45 degrees, because it was amazingly warmer than the previous 20 or so days. Nick drove up the driveway to see me standing out there in my crocs and a thin hoodie grilling dinner. Oh, yes, and he informed me that I was crazy outside with no coat or decent shoes when it was a mere 28 degrees. You know it’s been a cold winter when you mistakenly think it’s 20 degrees warmer than actual temp and fire up the grill in the snow. The tenderloin was lovely.

Brew In A Bag

Yesterday, the sewing machine made an appearance. I sewed myself a giant, mesh bag for all grain brewing….affectionately known as Brew In A Bag or BIAB. It’s big. Fits my 5 gallon stainless kettle and will hold all the grain for 3 gallon batches. It came together pretty well despite the fact that I do not own a serger and had to make due with my sewing machine which isn’t particularly in love with very sheer fabrics. It has a nice elasticized top and the seams are all double sewn: straight stitched and zigzaged for strength. The entire bag is double layered and I’m hoping that won’t inhibit the “sparge” process. (I.E. how fast it drains.) Yes, I am a beer geek.

 I have been knitting, but I don’t have any pictures. I’ve been knitting socks like there’s no tomorrow. I cast on a pair of striping Noro socks on Thursday, and Monday wore them (washed and blocked)!! Not bad for a think yarn knit on size 00 US Hiya Hiya Needles. I don’t have pictures of them though. Now they’re dirty, but perhaps I can still stick them on the blockers for a snapshot and pretend like they’re spiffy and clean. Noro really is addicting. These are the second socks I’ve knit from that yarn. Even though it’s not soft and not very elastic, I’ve found that it wears very well for me. And the colors are heart melting. It also lasts forever for me. Out of the first ball, I got one full pair of size 9 (women’s) socks. Then I used the remaining 50 grams for the two color Noro striping socks. Those were full sized and I still have 15 grams leftover. Not bad for $18.

I have now started on some Garden Path socks by Wendy Knits in Oceanwind Knits colorway Jardin. Jardin is a blush rose color with periwinkle and sage accents over dyed with grey. It came in a bit less pink than my monitor showed, but I like it. In the crappy incandescent lighting at night it looks like shades of tan and grey….kind of like a woodland mushroom. Very pretty. Most likely these will have to be put down in favor of finishing my secret pal mittens, but that’s alright.

New Colors

Here are my new colors for Spring 2008. I hope you enjoy them. They’ll be available at The Loopy Ewe in a couple weeks. I have about 1 lbs of yarn to re-skein, and then they’ll be labelled and shipped off! All are on our Scarlett O’Hara yarn.

 Awakening Earth: Acid green, murky blue, steel grey, charcoal.

Warm Tulips: Deep scarlet, mango, coral, golden yellow, pale sunshine.

Cottage Garden: Lilac, coral, blush pink, spring green.

Mariner: Grey blue, olive drab, celedon, steel grey.

Early Crocus: Royal purple, lilac, blush pink, golden yellow, buttercream.