Tuesday 29 July 2008

Sock it to me!

Like a dj, I'm thrilled when I get a request. It gets my colour creation brain into high gear. This week -- the sock yarn arrived as it was TOLD to do. I've got a limited supply of Brown Sheep's Wildefoot (undyed) which will be heading for the dyetable this week.

Blues and Greens are first up people, so email me with your requests and I will paint away. There's a new batch of the original Sherwood Forest. Love the gloves dreadlord vellan is making for her pa! Why didn't I dye some for me? 

As promised, the El Grande stash sale is on this Sunday. 

In the bins:

Brown Sheep Cotton Fleece
Berroco Zen and Suede
misc Elann.com sock yarns -- solids
Philosopher's Wool Shawl pack in naturals
Cherry Tree Hill handpainted treasures -- sock yarns!
***Picks merino 2 and 4 ply yarns. Don't miss these!
ALL the Jo Sharp mohair still in the bags -- in lovely colours
Misc. lace wools -- a nice pile there...

Every ball or hank is stored wrapped, in pristine condition. Anything funky (luxury yarn oddballs) will be in the rummage basket...

Let's face it -- the stash is a fine collection, but it has to GO. So don't miss the fun. I will be putting new stuff out each week of August, so come on by for a coffee, a rummage around, and a chat about your knitting. What's on your needles?

Keep Knitting to stay warm!
mel, still stranded

Thursday 24 July 2008

Gone Bananas --- Again

That's right -- the fibre addicts at Bendigo ate all the banana... silk. So here are photos of the latest batches. I'm so taken with the depth of colours that I hate to part with it. The sun came out at just the right time to cure it to perfection.

Metalic Red Banana Silk

Leafy, Mid-Green and Magenta Banana Silks


Purple Banana Silk


There's Aloo dyed to match each colourway if you want to make a Banana Smoothie, but get in quick, as I've got orders for this week. Next week, the return of Cookie Monster/Beast Blue, Dark Foresty Teal, and a new WILD PINK!

Tuesday 22 July 2008

THANK YOU!

Thank you to everyone who came by my stall at Bendigo Sheep and Wool Show this last weekend. It was great to meet you all. Below you will find my stall "sign". Necessity!

And my apologies to all who missed out on the wool sock yarn and banana palm silk/banana smoothie kits. I have ordered more sock wool (more of the good stuff people!) and the silk is drying on the racks as I type. If you are seeking sock wool, email your colour suggestions to: strandedinoz at gmail dot com early this week.



This week's banana palm silk colours: mid-green (a bit Kermity!), reddish purple (deep beetrooty), and a deeeep red, because I get so many requests for it.

There's another batch of soy on the way, this time in a wild purple mix (by request).

Smoothie kits are $35.00 ($30.oo if you say you already have the latest issue of YARN). $5.00 postage within Oz, (sans insurance).

The Kollage Square Needles are SOLD OUT. If you would like to try a pair, please let me know by the end of the week, when I am putting in my new order.


And a special thank you to the people who came 'round to give me a loo break, a sanger, or a cup of java, especially Judith, Kate, and Vellan. That was ace.

Mel, still stranded!

Wednesday 16 July 2008

Can't talk now -- must PACK

SIOz and friends will be at the Australian Sheep and Wool show until Monday, July 21st.
Where: Osborne #33
To check out other details, go to :

Sheep Show

See previous bloggage for info on what I've got in the stash for Bendigo. Unreal: just got a box of the newest, gorgeousest wool -- the first few customers will be the first to get a new, hot off the printer pattern from me, Mel. Come by early. Hey! NO PEEKING.

See you soon, Mel

Monday 14 July 2008

New SIOz pattern exclusively from SWTC

Good Monday to you. And thank you to the fab knitters and crocheters who came by to the market yest. And a double thanks to the enthusiastic Priscilla, the Tofutsies Club demon. I must admit a soft spot in my heart for fellow sock knitters.

The Nepalese lace yarn supply is getting depleted -- see previous entry re my ode to its lovely qualities. There's some more drying today that's been reserved for Bendigo. I swear I will not stash any!


POSH in Jezebel

New Pattern:  the very pink POSH scarf in Jezebel is available from SWTC via their Shopatron links. Go to their webpage and click on BUY NOW. It's listed under patterns, Jezebel - Jezebel is their new hand-dyed, semi-solid colour range of Uruguayan 2ply wool. I must admit this yarn makes my heart SING, as I love South American kettle-dyed yarn. The enviro issues relating to importing wool to Australia (coal to Newcastle) are many. HOWEVER, it is spun from non-mulesed sheep and the income generated for the Uruguayan economy make this yarn very special indeed. Since I work from the US as well Australia, some of my designs are in their market. Don't think I don't love being Australian --  best thing I ever did was make Oz my home. But I do work in the US of A (though I admit I shake my head a lot when I visit) and yes, it makes my mum happy when I work from the motherland. 

How do you know you are Aussie? When the Athens olympics were on, I was screaming for the Australian swimmers - not a conscious impulse. My partner, Richard, just laughed and laughed.

See you at the big SHOW or, say hello to my partner, Richard, at the Port Market on Sunday. He's the one who looks like Shrek.

m, still stranded

Saturday 12 July 2008

Quick Knit Projects for Hemp and Wool Yarn

From the design desk this week: some free patterns for Hemp and Wool Yarn customers:



SIOz's Hemp and Wool. The Duelling Beanie is shown in colourway Think Global and the Hemp and Wool Hand Cosies are shown in a semisolid orange, one of my fave colours! and I hope you like it too. The patterns are free with the purchase of SIOz Hemp and Wool Yarn.

There is also an 8ply merino version of the hat:
(the 8ply photo is care of kaviare) There are some kick ass hanks of 8ply in Sherwood Forest (DARK version) as well as some new colourways of hemp and wool, all ready for sale this week.

Also on board: new Nepalese laceweight colourways -- I've been test knitting with this -- at first, it looked like it was a felted-type yarn. But it's not -- it has a tremendous halo and feels like mohair. I've been knitting a shawl with it and it's got a lot of sproing. There are two families of this yarn available -- bright and bold and some more subtle, soft colourways.

Come by at Port Adelaide Fisherman's Wharf Market on Sunday, or see you at the Australian Sheep and Wool Show.

Knit something warm for someone you care about.

m, still stranded

Thursday 3 July 2008

Yarn Hot Shots and Bendigo Show

Tofutsies Heaven:

I've been advised I'm too slack at posting yarn photos, so here are some for the week.

Above is an enticing display of Tofutsies -- go on, you know you want some!

A semi-decent shot of the green/blue/browns in 5ply wool. Love this colourway. The blue/greens, blue/reds and gelati-coloured wools are all NZ dk unplied hand-paints.



The wool from the dyeworks is drying, with another lot ready for processing. Look out for the wild wool this week -- I did serendipity/dyer's choice skeins this week. Some coloursways will not be repeatable in their present state, so get in early if there's something that strikes your fancy.

Included in this week's selection: a rare hank of mini-boucle mohair (at present, I am unable to order more), a very cool wool boucle lace yarn, some premium quality 80/20 sock wool from my fav. small Pennsylvania mill, and some dyer's choice hemp and wool.

The rest of the latest shipment of Nepalese lace yarn has been dyed in some outrageous colourways. My fave: light shades of teal, green, brown, and reddish purple.

Below is a shot of the winter soy colours -- outrageous red is sold out, but more is on the way.



For those of you headed to Bendigo Sheep and Wool Show, please come by and say hello. SIOz will be in Osborne #33.

In addition to the pile of yarn hanks, I will also have Kollage Square Needles -- the first lot arrived last week. These needles are great for people who have arthritis or pain in their hands from knitting.



I will be posting pre-show information next week on the webpage.

Below right, you'll find Judith Avery's version of the Hailstone Jumper from Yarn Magazine. I dyed semi-solids in natural 8ply for the project. Didn't she make the cutest jumper for her grandson, Angus? And isn't Angus a great name for a grandson?

mel, still stranded