Thursday 29 January 2009

This week's colourways and...

Little John: bluegreen, deep orange, and olives/browns
McLaren Vale: vineyard colourway
Queen Anne's Garden: pinks/reds and lt olive

I dare not go outside at the moment to photograph -- apologies for that, but it's like 45degrees out (115 for Americans). No joke. I dislike the heat, but it's fantastic for painting fibre. The colours are POPPING.

If you don't mind the heat, come on up to the Port to the Market.

Kollage Square Circulars: Continue to be a popular item. Sizes 3.75, 4.00, 4.50, and 5.00 in stock.
Straight Circs: Still a few available in 3.75, 4.00, 5.5o, and 6.00. Lovely palmwood.

The newest shipment from the workshop in Nepal is on its way and includes some new hemp yarns and some new spinning fibre! Stay tuned for photos next week of new stock.

As always, thank you for your support and enthusiasm. If any of my yarns and fibres inspire you to take up needle or hook, my work is done.

Tuesday 27 January 2009

Never Too Hot to Knit?

Judging from the lovely people who came by to pat yarn, have a chat, talk fibre, the answer is still... No.

For all the intrepid lace knitters who came by, the new laceweight yarns are in hand and are heading for processing this week. Due to popular demand, there will be a new lot of McLaren Vale -- my take on vineyard colours, so if you were holding out for this one, let me know -- fibres in stock include:

soy dk
alpaca/silk 2ply
merino/lyocell 2ply
alpaca 2ply
peruvian aran weight
soysilk lace
spinning sliver


McLaren Vale in mohair boucle

For each colourway, there are variations -- I call them colour groups -- the variations are mostly due to artistic license and weather -- I like to dye in the elements. The hot weather makes for some extremely vivid mixes.

There are more fibres available, but those listed above are headed to the dyeing table first. Some of this week's goodies will be samples of yarns I may stock in the future, depending on how they come up. These little serendipity skeins are put out for sale at the market. Come by early to get first pick, as they go in the am.

There will be new lots of banana palm silk and hand-painted organic cottons. Haven't decided on the colourways -- whatever strikes me as promising will result, but there will definitely be more blues, purples, and I'm thinking that the Persimmon was killer and needs to be run again.

See previous posts for more colour photos.

Wednesday 21 January 2009

New Fibres and Yarns

Whew -- it was a warm one last Sunday at Port Market. Thank you to the visitors from Queensland! It was lovely to see you and I hope you had fun at the Semaphore Greek Festival. It was packed out when we ventured down that way.

The new yarns have arrived and are in the planning stage for dyeing -- check back next week for pricing and colours in:

YARNS: Alpaca/Silk 2ply, Merino/Lyocel 2ply, as well as 100% Lyocell -- made from sustainable tree fibre. In the mix will be some Peruvian aran weight as well as a few surprises. 

The Tofutsies is continuing to be a bestseller -- still only $20.00 on sale and available in a rainbow of colours. Free pattern with purchase.  For online customers, Paypal orders accepted and FREE MAILING on Tofutsies orders - email strandedinoz AT gmail DOT com.

NEW STOCK OF GEMSTONE SPINDLES: the new stock of gemstone spindles are ready. Come on up to the Port and try 'em out. I strongly suggest trying 'em out before buying, as it's personal preference thing which one feels right to you. There's a little bit of the Overlook Manor Farm top left -- in blue/green or autumn tones - $12.00 per 100 grams.

Handspinning Fibres are on the way -- so stay tuned for the latest. 

In Stock: undyed soy natural top, organic Aussie wool top (not much left!) and some hand-dyed SIOz roving are all available. There are some GEMS coming in from overseas. You won't wanna miss 'em.

MONDAY is a public holiday and I'll be at the Port Market -- so come on down. 

Monday 12 January 2009

New Colours



New Purple Colourway - Puna (Poo-nah) shown in Banana Palm Silk and Organic Cotton



Machine Gun --Quantaco Shown In Banana Palm Silk (lft) and Aloo (rt)

This version of Machine Gun has a decidely gunmetal with marines green tinge. Goes well with the green/blue range of SIOz soy yarns. The new runs of SIOz organic cottons are a limited summer release -- mill-direct, organic cotton in a lovely 4-ply equivalent. It's silky smooth and has great stitch definition.



Moonta colourway -- shown in devore silk wrap (upper) and organic cotton (lower). The cotton is actually darker than it appears on my screen -- think reddish ochrey copper colour.

Monday 5 January 2009

Thank you and New Year Knitting

Thank you to everyone who came by the market on Sunday. It was a lovely day at the Port -- plenty of people taking advantage of the dolphin boat tours and the Maritime Museum.

There will be some new silk shawls and scarves for the weekend as the dye lots come through (see previous recent posts). 

Summer Sock Knitting: 

Tofutsies on special until the end of the month of Jan: $20.00AU per ball. There are lots of new colours, including the Harvest Sock and Bees Knees (blues/grays). If you haven't tried Tofutsies, don't take my word for it - this yarn is the perfect sock yarn for Australian weather -- a touch of soy, cotton, wool, and Chitin -- it's cool in summer and just warm enough for our winters. Most of the new colourways are semi-solids and variegateds, so not so many self-stripers, which makes it ideal for baby's clothes and light-weight garments.

Awaiting:

New Stock of yarns, including tree pulp (a sustainable viscose) and linen blend, some lovely alpaca/silk laceweight, and assorted other gorgous, lighter-weight yarns that will head to the dyeworks upon arrival.

Colours slated for this week: 

Banana Palm Silks in blues, reds, copper, and the popular Machine Gun (kinda charcoal, metalic tinge, v. punk).

New Lace Merino and Pure Alpaca

I'll be updating with photos later in the week.

CU at the Port.