FO: And So Are You + some WIPs

Pattern: And So Are You by Rose Beck

Yarn: Skein Merino/Cashmere Fingering - Colourway Night Owl

This shawl is one of the three patterns featured in Rose Becks Be Mine Collection a wonderful collection of floral inspired shawlettes.

Be Mine was such a quick knit, although if I make this again I would love to make it a little larger (I opted for the medium size) I think the cold winter weather has something to do with my sudden love for larger shawls.

This shawl however keeps my neck nice and warm and looks great under my coat.  I love the little wildflower stitch pattern and the feminine frill at the bottom.  I didn't worry about blocking, although the top of the shawl pulls in slightly (my fault entirely, I really must try and knit a little looser!) and could do with a quick block, although I think this will also block out with wear.

I have also cast on for another shawl from the Be Mine collection...

 

...this yarn is the Exquisite Sock from Lioness Arts and as soon as it arrived I knew it wanted to be a Sugared Violets shawl.  The colourway is called Starlings at Sunset and is knitting up beautifully.

Also on my needles is Peasy cardigan by Heidi Kirrmaier... 

 

...Im knitting this with another wonderful hand-dyed yarn from the WalkCollection

 This is BFL-DK in colourway Moor, it is such a stunning colour I cant wait to finish and wear it.  I've had the Peasy cardigan in my queue for quite some time, and again as soon as I saw this yarn it knew what it wanted to be...how could I resist!

Reaching the Point

I have reached 'that point' with my Larch Cardigan, I have almost finished it but for some unknown reason I yearn to cast on for another project.  I reach 'that point' with every cardigan/sweater/larger project that I knit and it always happens as I near the end, although this time I think I was helped to reach 'that point' by the appearance of two stunning skeins of yarn...

...Viola Sock and Viola Merino Lace.  I was particularly taken with the beautiful yellow skein, AKA Curry so without any hesitation I cast on for the Shaelyn Shawl.

As you can see its knitting up beautifully and I'm enjoying both the yarn and pattern tremendously.

As if one new project isn't enough, I have yet another project at the ready...

...these two skeins of my Merino/Cashmere Fingering are destined to become the 'And So Are You' shawl which I will be casting on for the Skein KAL which starts tomorrow (feel free to come on over and join in).

So, plenty of new projects to keep me out of mischief...and hopefully a completed cardigan to show you next week!

Good Bye Autumn, Hello Winter

Even though Winter 'officially' starts on the 1st June, here on the Northern Tablelands it has already begun.  This last week has been cold, windy, rainy and grey, not much fun really.  I did however get about 1 hours worth of yarn drying time outside before the weather decided to suddenly change from sun to rain.  In that time two autumn leaves blew onto the yarn, the colours looked so lovely I had to take a quick picture before rescuing the yarn from the downpour.

 This week I received a long awaited package in the mail that brightened up my gloomy week...

Pata Pri is an Etsy store owned by Yuko Uemura and is full of gorgeous hand-printed towels, bedding, baby wraps even stationary.  I fell in love immediately with Yuko's prints and colours and brought quite a few towels and two sets of LOVELY double gauze pillow cases (soooo soft).

Lots of cheerful prints and colour to chase away the winter gloom!

Skein Sock Club

 Its nearly that time again...

 Skein Sock Club sign ups will be opening on Wednesday the 1st of June.

Membership includes…

• 2 skeins of yarn each month for three months.
• Each month the yarns will be dyed in TWO exclusive club colourways available only to members. You will receive 2 skeins in two different colourways each month. Members can request custom orders using these colourways during this time.  From now on Skein Sock Club colourways will only be available to members and will not be offered as regular colourways.
• Yarns include Top Draw Socks, BFL Sock and Merino/Cashmere Fingering.
• Yarns will be posted in the second last week of each month.
• Sock Club begins in July with the first first mail out being 25th July.

Costs…

$138 USD (not incl. postage)

Postage rates (in USD)….

Australia $12

USA + Canada $25

EU + Non-EU $30

Everywhere else $25

There will be 50 places available, 25 places will be posted on the shop at 12pm Sydney time and another 25 places available at 8pm Sydney time.

 Hope you can come and join!

Socks, socks, socks...

Pattern: Slant by Hunter Hammersen

Yarn: Skein, Top Draw Socks - Colourway Dapple
 

Slant is such a great pattern for hand-dyed yarn, the stitch pattern is a little fiddly at first but, after a little practice its easy and enjoyable. These socks were made for my dear partner who kept asking for a pair of hand knit socks (which is really sweet).  He chose the yarn, I chose the pattern and now he has a nice pair of hand knit socks for winter, how easy is that! (ha!).  Now he has experienced how good hand knit socks are he has asked for a  second pair...who wouldn't :)

 I really love working small projects along side my bigger ones and lately I've been in a bit of a sock knitting mood so, as I knit away on my Larch Cardigan I also cast on Angiee

by Cookie A ...

Im only half way through one sock and am so far enjoying the pattern as well as the BFL sock yarn. I've never knit with BFL before and I really like it.  This yarn takes up dyes really well so there are bits of really intense colour along with the neutral tones.  I should mention this is the Vita colourway which was one of the recent Sock Club colourways.  Speaking of the Sock Club, tomorrow I will be busy playing around with colours for the next instalment due to be shipped on the 23rd May.  Spoilers will be posted next week on the Ravelry group.

I have also been having a lot of fun (and spending way too much time) looking for a shawl pattern for the up-coming SAL (Skein-A-Long) over on the Skein Ravelry group.  If your interested please come and join the group and the SAL which starts on the 1st June.

Have a wonderful week!

Skein meets Falling Stitches

A few months ago I contacted Ariane from Falling Stitches asking whether she would be interested in designing a project or two using my yarn.

I am a big fan of Arianes designs and was so happy when she agreed! 

These skeins of Merino/Silk Sport are now on their way to Montreal Canada...I cant wait to see what they become!
 

Noo Hat and new cardi

 

Pattern: Noo by Dani Sunshine

Yarn: Skein Merino/Cashmere - Colourway Sterling 

I first discovered the childs version of this hat on Ravelry and commented that I wished it was available in an adult size.  To my surprise the designer said that she was working on an adult version and would I like to test knit it for her... and of course I jumped at the chance.  

 

The Noo hat is a quick, relaxing knit and I love the FO.  It has cute eyelets that spiral around the hat that adds interest to the knitted fabric and can be blocked into a tam shape or left unblocked for a slouchy look, which I have done.  Love it!


The weather here has started to cool down and we've had a few cool, rainy autumn days, just the right weather to start a new cardi....

I started the Larch Cardigan by Amy Christoffers out of the my Super DK yarn.  Its a bottom up cardi knit all in one piece up to the underarms where the two fronts and back are divided and knit separately.  I love how quickly this cardi is knitting up, I am just past the waist section now so fingers crossed I will have this finished in time for winter.

FO Winter Daybreak

Pattern: Daybreak by Stephen West

Yarn: Skein Merino/Cashmere Fingering,

Colourways - Fig and Make Hay While the Sun Shines

I love stripes, that was what first drew me to this pattern.  My idea was to create a Daybreak with heaps of colour to brighten up my winter, so I chose two variegated colourways that way ensuring maximum colour in each stripe.  I was a little worried in the beginning that the two variegated colours wouldn't have enough contrast to 'pop' next to each other, but I think they work quite well together.  Its a subtle 'pop'.

I really enjoyed knitting this shawl, its such a great design and lovely to wear, I can see why its so popular and why people choose to knit it over and over. 

Sock Club

 Skein Sock Club memberships will be available from the shop Tuesday 1st March at 2pm Sydney time.  

This is what you will receive…

• 2 skeins of yarn each month for three months.
• Each month the yarns will be dyed in TWO exclusive colourways available only to members. You will receive 2 skeins in two different colourways each month. Members can request custom orders using these colourways during this time. Colourways will become available to all from August 2011.
• Yarns include Top Draw Socks, BFL Sock and Merino/Cashmere Fingering.
• Yarns will be posted in the second last week of each month.
• Sock Club begins in April, first mail out 18th April.

Costs…

$138 USD (not incl. postage)

Postage rates (in USD)….

Australia $9
USA + Canada $18
EU + Non-EU $22
Everywhere else $18

Places are limited to 35, hope you can come and join!

A little something for the weekend...

A little gift....

for a fellow tea addict....

Something cheery to rest the brew.....

Made with 100% cotton and lots of love...

  

Tea Mat by Etsuko Taniuchi 

For help reading this Japanese Crochet pattern see this tutorial

Hope you all have a wonderful, creative weekend!

Winter knits...

Currently on my needles...

Daybreak (by Stephen West).  I'm using Merino/Cashmere Fingering in colourways Fig (seen in the purple) and Make Hay While the Sun Shines, sure to add a bit of colour and much needed warmth to my winter wardrobe.  Its such a fun shawl to knit, I love watching the various colours emerge from the yarn, the contrasting stripes and the slipped stitch columns, I just want to keep knitting and knitting.  I even love the look of the purl bumps on the opposite side.

  

Planning to cast on...

....Leaf Lace Scarf by Cayli Harris (photo also by Cayli Harris, pattern is a free Ravelry download).  I can see this looking great in a chunky warm yarn so I've decided to try knitting this pattern using a much thicker yarn than the suggested lace, maybe DK or even a soft, cosy worsted, I will have to do some experimenting and report back soon.

Some inspiration....

A little while ago I was in Kinokuniya looking through the Japanese knitting book section when this wonderful design caught my eye.  Its from the winter Keito Dama No.148.  The style is not something I would see myself wearing, but what I really love is the combination of the stripes and colourwork...mmmm maybe if it I could somehow structure it into a fitted cardigan???

Something to ponder.

Shop Update...

Just a reminder that the shop update is today at 2pm Sydney time....

....hope you can pop by and have a look :)

Changes...

Welcome to my new blog site!

Well...Its been a long time between posts.  Since September Skein has grown into a full time business, which I am over the moon about.  My lovely small business fills most of my waking hours...I have never been busier or happier.  Since Skein has brought about many changes in my life, a new career and new lifestyle to name but a few, I decided that my blog needed a change as well... and here it is :)

So...what have I been knitting? 

 

Pattern: Atelier by Heidi Kirrmaier (Ravelry link)

Yarn: Skein, Merino/Silk Sport - Colourway Savannah

This was meant to be a test knit for Heidi, but alas things got busy and I just couldn't finish by the submission date.  I did manage to complete this project in just under 2 months, which is not bad considering I didn't work on it every day.

 

 

There are two versions of this pattern, I chose to knit the I-Cord version because I like the neat look of I-Cord edging.  The cardigan construction is surprisingly unique given that the cardigan looks simple in design.

 

I really like the pocket and cuff matching garter stitch detail ...

 

 ....as well as the Garter Stitch waist band, which pulls the fabric in to form a nice waist.  

Love, love, love!