Shop Update

Something I haven't had the time to do lately is update my shop listings- so here is a batch of silk merino lace yarn, in some old, some new colourways.

Also, over on Trade Me you can find brand spanking new wooden umbrella swifts...exciting!

We have a winner!

Thanks to everyone who entered the yarn giveaway- a record number of commenters! It was lovely to hear your positive feedback, and thanks too to those who left suggestions for future colourways- I enjoyed reading them, and have added them to my mental to do list!

The winner of the skein of yarn is Brenda Chawner, who said: 'My favourite is smoke and mirrors, but I'm also tempted by the hydrangea. All the colours look lovely!'

It seems this was a favourite colourway- I'll be sure to dye more next time! (Though there is a skein of silk weight left...)

Brenda, the link you left is to a hidden profile, so please get in touch using my email address on the side bar. I'll leave a note on ravelry too, but otherwise I don't know how to get in contact! (If I don't hear from you in a week, I will draw another winner.)

And until the end of the week, the yarn has free national shipping in the etsy shop- international buyers, yours is discounted by the cost of national shipping!

Fibre Friday:: Silk yarn launch...with giveaway!

So, I'm a self confessed silk snob. What better way to enjoy it than as a gorgeous, soft and shiny hand dyed yarn?

So I'm super excited to launch something I've been working on for a while, silk yarn in 2 ply lace weight (left), and 4 ply fingering weight (right). Yay!

The lace weight yarn has 3 plies (but is 2 ply weight!) and high twist. It's a smooth, strong and shiny yarn.

The 4 ply/fingering is made up of 2 loosely spun plies, giving a soft and lustrous yarn.

They come in hanks of 80 g +, which in the lace is over 630m, and the 4ply is 260m+.

And here's the best part: I'm giving a skein away, in the winners choice of weight and colour, I'll even do a custom dye! To enter all you need to do is visit the shop, and let me know which is your favourite....and if your favourite colour isn't there, let me know what it would be! Competition is open to international folk, and I'll draw a winner on Monday afternoon.

Comments now closed- the winner was Brenda Chawner- please contact me to claim your prize :)

Fibre Friday :: Spinning and Dyeing

I tried out a new dyeing technique yesterday! I love.love.LOVE the results. What do you think?

I was concerned that the colours might go a little muddy in the middle, but they are actually really beautiful.

Trying to decide whether to list it in the shop, and if I should put it on etsy or felt?

Or if I should take it home to spin at easter time?!





I've been spinning a storm on the alpaca, and handed the first two skeins over to Frances today. I've got 200g left to spin into singles, and a little over that to ply. Hopefully I will finish by the end of the weekend, unless I get distracted by this.....



Which is for Olivia. The blue was a bit bright for her tastes. No matter, I will turn it into my holiday knitting...now to find a pattern!

Weekending 3

Relaxing





Gardening



Cooking



How did you spend yours?

::Both shop prices have been tweaked, and felt prices now include free NZ shipping!::

Fibre Friday :: NZ Sampler Box Samples

I sent off my samples for the next NZ Fibre Sampler Box this afternoon, silk hankies in 3 colour ways. Midnight, merry-go-round and honey on toast.

Which one are you hoping to get?

I think merry-go-round is my favourite of the three, and you can get it bundled with merino over in the felt shop!

Did you get a sampler box last time? What was your favourite sample?

:: We are off for a picnic in the park with friends tonight, I hope your weekend pursuits are just as lovely!

Fibre Friday :: Silk!

Although it's not my intention to turn this blog solely into a place to market spinning a yarn fibre, I plan to put a wee fibre update on here from time to time, and what better day to do it that Friday, what with the alliteration and all.

Today I've revamped my etsy shop, and listed some luscious red and brown silk, in two forms.

The first is silk hankies, and you can find some really good spinning directions at knitty if you haven't worked with it before. It's really fun, a bit different, and great for beginner spinners as you predraft all the fibres before you hit your wheel.

The second for is silk slivers, these are natural coloured tussah silk which have a lovely honey colour, which really makes the dye sing! They are soft and light and spin up into beautiful yarns.

Wishing everyone a lovely weekend, and I hope you find time to create something!

Spin In

I've joined a spinning group, who meet on a Monday night to spin and drink tea and chat and knit, all the usual things. They are affiliated with Creative Fibre, and are hosting a Spin-In at Opaheke School on Saturday the 27th of Feb.

The program is as follows:

MORNING:

• Novelty Spinning
• Knitting where you will pass it on after you have done 4 rows, and these pieces will be used to make blankets for Kidz First.
• Longest thread, we will supply all fibre for this and a time will be set for you to spin and whoever spins the longest thread wins a prize.

LUNCH: This will be provided in your entry cost and will be in the form of a ploughman’s lunch.

AFTERNOON:

• Navajo Plying – you will need a bobbin with fibre on and an empty one.
• Casting on a Moebius scarf, pattern supplied.
• Casting on for toe up socks, you can bring your own but Area will have pattern, wool, and needle kits to purchase.

You can find out some more details about it here, and I will be having my first market stall as 'spinning a yarn' at the spin-in. I will have merino and silk sliver, as well as silk hankies, for sale. It would be lovely to meet any of you who are in the Auckland area, and promises to be an interesting (and at $7, affordable) day out.

We have a winner!

Congrats to Melissa from five in a bed on winning the fibre. Melissa is a beginner spinner so this will be just the thing to keep her wheel spinning!

Thanks for all your entries and colour suggestions...not surprisingly an autumnal theme as we start to fantasise about cooler days tucked up with our wheels and needles.

Stay tuned for some more give-aways as I add a few more products over the next couple of months.

spinning a yarn...now with added fibre!

I'm venturing into the world of selling my craft.... you can find my merino fibre at felt!

I'm off to my dyepot now it's a bit cooler in the early evening. Leave me a comment with a colourway you would most like to spin, and I will draw a winner Tuesday morning- you will receive a skein of fibre ready for your wheel!