Tuesday 28 April 2009

spindles

Some photos of spindles I'm building this week -- there are new Chuppahs on the way... even mini-Chuppahs which are great for lace and cotton spinning. Seriously good fun!

Yellow and Blue Trippy Chuppah Top Whorl Spindle $25.00AU

New Darth Vader Chuppah Whorl - Unbuilt $25.00AU 

request top or bottom whorl construction

Pink and Blue Girlie Chuppah Bottom Whorl Spindle $25.00AU 

Yellow Gemstone Spindle $20.00AU adjustable

All spindles are guaranteed and come with a puff to get you spinning. The Chupppahs are made from premium polymer clay and handmade. Spindle shafts are oak with wire hooks. If you prefer a notch to a hook, that's fine too.

I've noted on my webpage -- these spindles were born out of frustration (couldn't fine one I liked) and are now labours of love. I enjoy each one that I make and am happy and sad to see them leave the workshop. The Chuppahs just make me smile. 

Monday 27 April 2009

gulley gushers!

While I type this message, it continues to piss down with rain. It's so unusual here in SA that it's like I've dropped onto another planet. Glorious rain!

Not to fear, the wool will just take longer to dry this week -- but that's ok. 

Thank you to the fab knitters and spinners who braved the crazed weather and got to the Port Markets yesterday. Note to the person who purchased some Nepal thin singles -- this one just didn't get into your shopping bag, so do email or ring and it will go straight into the post! So sorry that happened - it's my fault. Went a-looking in the market for you, but you'd left. The yarn is safely tucked away.

The sock yarn is on the menu for this Sunday, so keep your eyes peeled for late in the week for pictures. 

Dyelots in Way Over the Rainbow, McLaren Vale, Queen Anne's Garden, and Purples and a few surprises...

Stay in, drink tea, knit. Pat the dog and cat now and then. 

M

Wednesday 22 April 2009

RAIN!

Wow -- rain forecast -- for more than 1 day in Adelaide. RAIN! until Monday. 

Good news: the banana palm silks are almost dry and will be ready for sale this week. There are new colours, including a decidedly jewel tone that looks like something from New Orleans. MARDI GRAS! There are hanks in bluish grey, 2 different greens, "New Orleans", and 2 different forest colourways -- browns and a browns/green/grey.  Autumn has an inpact on me.

Stay tuned for how dry I can get the wool for this weekend's market!

Not to worry, as the yarn that wasn't ready for sale last weekend is def. ready -- 

Soy DK in semi-solid pale pinks ($15.00AU per 100gm hank)

blue/grey/black alpaca-merino-cashmere $15.00AU per 25gm hank

autumn reds/purples laceweight -- front hank 2ply merino $30.00AU  per 100gms

Like last week, there are market-only specials -- including the oddball bin of fab fun fibre to play with. BARGAINS -- most are $2.50 per ball -- especially chosen for their fun factor, quality and affordability. These are not old stash, but direct from the mill. Included in the mix is an angora blend that knits into great thick socks. Seriously, come have a look.

There is also the regular oddball bin of assorted luxury yarn that, when I find it at a good price, I get and pass on the savings to you. There are, hard to believe, a few yarns left from the great purchasing trip of 2008 (translate as raiding Stitches). One clever knitter has been raiding the supply steadily. Thank you!

Monday 20 April 2009

Thanks!

Yarns on the dyetables this week:

banana palm silk

Australian wools in various weights 

and the new shipment of soy, including SWTC's fab Pure -- for those of you who just don't like the soy tape-type yarns, this one is plied like regular 'ole wool. Substitute it for your old wool 8ply! SWTC soy yarns are made from 100% recycled material. 

Customer colourway suggestions received this week, include Waaaay Over the Rainbow Sock, McLaren Vale Sock, and more purple.

Below are some yarn shots to entice you:

Rewound Hanks of Way Over the Rainbow 2ply merino

lace wool $40.00AU per 100gm

New Colourway - Robin Hood (I found him) shown in

Handspun Hemp and Wool $8.00AU per 50gm (below)

and Soy DK (above) $15.00AU per 100gm

Took a while to settle on which colour RH would be, but I'm pleased with this choice. 

The latest stock of McLaren Vale in Nepalese ($10.00AU per 50gm) as well as

Coloured Sheep Wool ($15.00AU per 50gm)

Some Autumnal reds with purple - shown in merino tape yarn (sample) -- This dyelot was run in 5ply Aussie wool as well as laceweight and the merino tape.  The laceweight sold on Sunday, but the other yarns are in stock.  Pure Australian Coloured Sheepwool 5ply $22.00 per 50gm grown in Victoria.

 

Friday 17 April 2009

Colours of the week

ello and happy Friday. This week's dye runs include:

Colours drying:

serendipity blues, serendipity purples (autumnal version), Sherwood Forest, and a nice big run of a wild, but darker version of Way Over the Rainbow (in a thinnish, supersquishy premium 8ply merino -- love this one for socks).  

There are also some luxury skeins thrown into the mix -- cuz that's just part of the fun. The colour runs are mixed -- different types of yarns in the one colourway. I'm always intrigued by how different fibres take the dye in their own ways.  

laceweight silks(I got distracted by its sheen) $15.00AU  for 50gm -- serendipity colours -- some very pale shades as well as a darker, wilder hanks in foresty colours. 

hemp and wool (including a new Robin Hood colourway) $8.00AU for 50gm Ok, so normally I don't get all cute with the yarn names, but this group of colours got stuck early on with the theme, so I'm sticking with it.  They're inspired by the sensitive, new age, criticise the war in Iraq BBC series. 

cashmere/baby alpaca/merino 4ply in serendipity colours (mostly blues) $15.00AU for 25gm

 

VERY REDS cashmere/silk laceweight 50gm $30.00

The red cashmere silk is what's left from a design project. I wanted to see how the yarn would take colour, so into the dyelot it went. It's 50/50 so it isn't super squishy like pure cash, but it has real strength to it. There are also hanks of 8ply that went into this lot. 

alpaca/merino laceweight 2ply $17.50AU per 50gms

The pinks/greens/blues in these hanks really scream HAPPY YARN. They're not my usual colours, but I was inspired to paint them just the same. You can't have too much colour. 

The banana isn't finished from the set yet and I fear will not be dry for Sunday, but there are still some hanks left including, deep red, persimmons and moonta (orange/brown) as well as the luxury sari silks (they're just wicked).

For the Sunday market -- more unadvertised specials. All sorts of goodies in the treasure bin.

CU at the Port Markets. 

Tuesday 14 April 2009

Too Much Bunny!

After a long weekend at the markets (thanks to everyone who came by to buy yarns and fibres!), I arrived home and decided, after a JUNKFOOD dinner, to eat some chocolate bunny. Bad idea. 

But, I have learned, it's a good Aussie tradition to eat too much chocolate on Easter -- and who am I to argue?

New Yarns:

Look for another dye run of Sherwood Forest -- and thank you for liking it so much.

In addition, I am planning new lot of:

banana palm silk, new chunky handspun wool, and a few surprises. 

Piccies posted as lots are ready.

Melissa, looking for the ear-less bunny

Thursday 9 April 2009

New Lots for Easter Weekend

New dyelots for Easter Weekend.

The Port Markets are open both Sunday and Monday 9-5, so come on by to see and feel the latest SIOz fibres, yarns, and designs. If you see something online you would like to pick up at the market, just email me so I don't sell out.

There will be unadvertised specials for folks who make the effort to get to the Port Markets this weekend. And those of you who've come by previously for stash sales days know, it's worth it! 

Each dyelot is 1 kilo of mixed fibres:

McLaren Vale (vineyard colourway) -- 2 different 2plys (cuz you asked, thanks!), 4ply superwash, and a lovely bunch of skeins in alpaca 8ply. 

Betty's Yarn (husband says it looks like mermaids) in 2ply, soy ribbon, 4ply superwash, and a new test run of an alpaca/cashmere/wool blend.  The a/c/w is put up in 25gm lots and is soft as a baby's botty.  Betty is less beachy than Semaphore (my beach/ocean colourway) and features greys and deeper greens.

Also, serendipity skeins in semi-solid purples and reds reds reds.

Serendipity RUN of V's colour -- browns, gold, and greys. It's a killer. There are some hanks of 10ply/aran weight Australian wool (100gm/$22.00AU) and Nepalese Handspun wool singles (100gm/$20.00AU) in that dye run.

browns/greys/golds shown in Soysilk Top $15.00AU per 100gm

Hope the Easter Bunny brings choccy to you! CU at the Port. m

Monday 6 April 2009

Too Thin? Nevah!

Where have all you fantastic 2ply knitters come from? Thanks so much for buying 2ply wool from SIOz. This week, the new lots will be on the dye table. In particular, there is a purple drought -- YAHOO! I've found people who love purple as much as I do. 

So, all things purple are going to be hitting the racks and the web -- stay tuned. And don't worry, McLaren Vale will be back in stock. With some new permutations. 

If you have a colour request, email strandedinoz AT gmail DOT com.

Cheers, m

Saturday 4 April 2009

This Sunday at the Port Markets

It's just the end of Hemp and Wool Handspun and all things green and ethically-traded month (not that I don't promote this all year 'round). There's a wide selection of Hemp and Wool (5-ply equivalent in both hand-paints and semi-solids. 50gm/$8.00AU --  and comes with a free beanie or hand-cosy pattern. This yarn is handspun in Nepal for SIOz, then I hand-paint it here in Adelaide. It's unplied so it's great for felting and for hand-plying with other fibres.

Kollage Crochet Hooks  -- They're in stock and if you can't get to the Port on Sundays, you'll find them at Barb's Sew and Knits. $20.00AU. 

All Kollage needles and hooks are$20.00AU, including sock needles, handmade wooden straights, and the awesome K-Kable circs.  

Thank you to the spinners and knitters who visited me at the Brighton Organics and Healthy Living Market. We'll be back there on the first Thursday of May. 

CU at the Port!