greenolive

the joy of knitting your own handspun

I don't know why I waited!

Remember this post? 

I had finally got around to knitting with my very own handspun yarn. Well, I can report that now I've started I haven't been able to stop!

I think I've knitted about five or six scarves by now. Even though I enjoyed spinning each batt into singles and then plying them into a two-ply yarn, its when I'm knitting the handspun that I can appreciate its true beauty.

As I knit every millimeter of the yarn I am reminded of the beauty and colour of the original batts or roving, how long it took me to spin and ply, and am continually amazed by the alchemy of the spinning process.

These scarves are all in the etsy shop, ready for some savvy shopper to snap them up as a gift for a special someone or to keep for themselves.

I've kept one for myself, there is nothing more luxurios than a handspun AND handknitted scarf these days.

autumn on my mind

 

Autumn Harvest Entangled Scarf in shades of pumpkin, squash, maize...now available in the shop.

Its really odd, today is our first real warm Spring day and I'm thinking of Autumn. Twenty-eight degrees and I'm surrounded by the colours of Fall – orange, rust, pumpkin, squash...

I've been knitting (and crocheting) up a storm in the past few weeks and today's sunshine means I can finally photograph the output and upload the scarves to the etsy shop.

That's the lot of an international etsy seller I suppose, to be totally out of the loop in terms of seasons, holidays and special occasions. I mean, what does Thanksgiving mean to an Aussie.

So for now I'm channeling the spirit of my New Jersey Zajacek relatives and thinking about Fall. But don't worry, I'm still thinking about Spring too.

PS: I had a very woe-is-me post running through my head this past week, but out of concern for you my dear blog readers I thought I'd spare you the gory details!!

my favourite yarn

what's yours?

Our recent house move meant I got to pack, unpack and play with my rather extensive yarn stash. While re-acquainting myself with all the balls I "rediscovered" some favourites.

Do you have a favourite yarn? One whose colour, texture and quality keep you coming back for more?

I do!

It's Jo Sharp's Aran Tweed in Dusk. It a yummy tweedy yarn with a dash of silk and cashmere. The meterage is a very generous 95m per ball and the colour is divine: a rich, complex purple-grey with flecks of purple, olive green, maroon and pale grey. And its produced by an Australian company – even better.

If you haven't heard of or seen Jo Sharp yarns, you must have a look. Her colours are divine, the yarn blend exquisite and the prices are reasonable.

What's your favourite yarn?

knitting with my handspun

After lots of spinning over the past year or so I have finally started knitting with my very own handspun. And there is quite a bit of it to knit!

I really don't know what I was waiting for, what stopped me from knitting much earlier. Maybe I was afraid that the knitting would disappoint; that it wouldn't live up to the excitment of the hand dyed roving, or the anticipation of the spinning?

Actually I suspect it was the decision about which skein to start with first, and what pattern to use that had me stumped. (It was a forgone conclusion it would end up a scarf wasn't it?)

I started with this skein, because of the colours. Its also one of the earlier handspuns, you can see how uneven the ply is and how the spinning is a bit fuzzy. I've improved a lot since then, just a case of practice, practice, practice.

I needed to knit something that would showcase the subtle changes and complexity of the colours, the uneven thick and thin of the two-ply handspun yarn. Something that would let the handspun be the star.

 

It was probably no surprise that I went with a simple garter stitch. It was a case of things coming full circle. It was Jared, with photos of his own handspun yarn and wheel, who had inspired me to finally sign up for a spinning class last May, so it was only natural that his scarf became my inspiration again. 

I've almost finished, just a few more rows to go. It was quite a lovely experience knitting with the yarn, each stitch a different colour and texture from the next. 

I'm already thinking about which handspun I'll knit next: the Black Forest, the Machiavelli, or the Shades of Grey? Which one would you choose?

use more wool

I'm doing my best!

Can you believe this is the wallpaper in the toilet in our new place?

Use more wool. For warmth, wear and wealth.

One of mr greenolive's friends thought we took the place because of the wallpaper. He thought it was perfect for me.

pear tree yarn

have you discovered them yet?

A skein of their 8ply super soft Australian merino wool in a lovely grey shade called Nut. 100g, 220m. The ball band is a printed fabric tag tied on with elastic. A lovely detail.

Do you know about Pear Tree Yarn? If you don't, go check them out now. You are going to want to know about them.

Pear Tree Yarn is a retailer I discovered at the Stitches & Craft Show. I reckon they were the best retailer there. I was impressed with their stand design and seduced by their fibres – I was powerless to resist. And do you know the best bit? Their product range caters for knitters, crochetets, spinners and felters alike – there is something for everyone.

Damson and Moss – two shades in the supersoft merino range.

Their supersoft merino comes in gorgeous shades such as Damson, Moss, Denim and Nut – I had to buy all four colours, but there are another six shades to tempt you. They have been really clever and developed this range to include a 4ply fine weight, an 8ply light weight, and a 10ply medium weight yarn.

100% merino wool roving in Damson.

I love their yarns, but I'm even more excited about their merino rovings! Once again, I just had to buy the roving in the same four colours – Damson, Moss, Denim and Nut. The roving is probably the softest I've even seen and felt and I'm sure it will spin like a dream. I love that it is available in the same colors as their yarn range – gives one lots of possibilities and options.

The Denim super soft merino.

As well as the merino yarns and roving, Pear Tree Yarn has a new range of 60% wool/40% alpaca blend yarn in natural shades such as Egg shell, Sand, Clay, Rock and Charcoal. Plus Summit, a chunky yarn with a merino/perendale wool blend.

Pear Tree Yarn is based in Torquay and is produced in a traditional old mill in Geelong. Pop onto their website and get yourself some of this beautiful Australian-made yarn and fibre. It is sure to become one of your favourites.

PS: more photos over on my flickr photostream – just so you can see the gorgeousness for yourself!

go natural

The international year of natural fibres

An example of a handspun natural fibre, this one being a 100% bamboo fibre that I spun into a two-ply yarn.

2009 is the International Year of Natural Fibers, and today 22 January is the official launch at the Food an Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations (FAO).

The FAO hopes that this international year will raise consumer awareness (I'm doing my bit!) and stimulate demand for natural fibres.

To find out more check out the official website. And if you want to look at lovely pictures of natural fibres and handspun check out my flickr photostream sets here and here.

gone off knitting

strange but true

Some very nice organic cotton and rosewood needles waiting patiently.

I think I may have gone off knitting. Is that really possible? For a woman with a yarn stash that will most certainly outlast the term of her natural life?

Some of you may attribute this to the recent 37 degree days Melbourne has sweltered through. But that's not it. For the last four nights I haven't picked up the needles, held a hook, listed a item, uploaded a photo, drafted a post, or even replied to an email.

I just don't feel like it. Not sure why. Just don't feel like doing anything once I get home from work. Except perhaps eat dinner and collapse on the couch and watch repeats on Foxtel. And this just isn't me.

I'm the girl who can't sit still and do nothing. I can't even drink a cup of tea and gaze out a window. I'm always doing something, or more likely somethings. (I'm not fibbing about the gazing tea drinking - my counsellor wants me to sit outside and drink a cup of tea and just do nothing. I said I'd try, but so far I haven't. A case of old dog, new tricks).

What do you do when you lose your knitting or crochet or sewing or quilting or crafty mojo?

I hope my mojo comes back soon - I have a market stall to stock.

knitting is IN

but for some of us it was never out...

Some more knitted wash cloths, this time for kids.

It always amuses me when I read about knitting in the mainstream press. It's like my world and the real world bump into each other for a minute.

Usually it happens when there is a chill in the air and the Womens Weekly is featuring knitting patterns. More often than not it's the May issue. Just in time for you to knit something to keep your loved ones warm. They might look a bit daggy, but they'll be warm.

So I was a bit surprised when I spotted a spot about knitting in the November issue of Notebook. It was a story about a group of women who knit for charity. The Mona Mews knitters have knitted more than 700 items for charity. Impressive. Even more impressive when you discover that this group of 20 women range from 60 to 92 years old and live in the same retirement village! Clearly failing eyesight and arthritic joints aren't slowing them down.

I got to wondering. Maybe our Crafty Friday group could knit for charity?

Crafty Friday is a small group at work that meets every Friday lunchtime in one of our meeting rooms and knits, crochets, cross stitches, eats, and chats for 1.5 hrous. It's divine. We have experienced knitters and newbies. I have introduced four people (a boy and three girls) to the joys of knitting and they have loved it. One of them knitted a scarf in just over a week and has made three scarves in total. Another even tackled double knitting after he got the hang of knit and purl. I'm not sure how we'll go now the weather is warmer, but maybe if I get them into charity knitting...

And to further reinforce the old lady image of craft, in the same issue, on p152, they feature hand-crocheted dishcloths by a non-profit network of isolated seniors. If that sounds intreiguing check out their website.

If you are after a bit of your own dish cloth/wash cloth action sans the social isolation and the biddy, here's my favourite recipe. I've included the knitting instructions, but you could just as easily do crochet - I suggest single crochet.

Easy knitted wash cloth

ingredients:
1 x ball/skein of cotton* (8 ply or similar)
1 x pair knitting needles (whatever size suits the cotton you have choosen)
1 x wool needle

method:
1. Cast on enough stitches to make approx 20 cm width (the info on the ball band will tell you how many stitches make 10 cm - you do the math)
2. Knit every stitch in every row (aka garter stitch.) You could do a fancy stitch pattern if you feel so inclinned.
3. Cast off when the number of rows you have knitted equals the width of the wash cloth. In other words, it should be a square - or as square-ish as you can make it.
4. Sew in the ends.
5. Give to someone you love. Or keep it for yourself.

* Yarn note: you can use a cotton blend, use linen or even try bamboo. Just not wool or it will felt on the first use!

new green scarf for spring

WIP #9: Green cotton scarf, feather and fan stitch. Perfect for Spring, that's if I get it finished in time!

I'm quite a fan of the feather and fan stitch. It's an easy repeat to remember. Only one row out of 4 is tricky and requires any degree of concentration and it knits up really quickly. 

The increases and decreases create a lovely undulating texture, creating waves along the length of the knitting.

I'm doing this one in variegated green cotton. For a girl who has green as a favourite colour, do you know I don't actually have a green scarf? A knitted or crochet one I mean. I have several green fabric scarves, but its not the same is it?

And the winner is...

Di! Contact me with your postal details and let me know what you want – notebook or card set.