Markets this Week

Thanks so much to everyone who came by the market today. Great to see you and/or meet you all. There was another run on silk velvet scarves -- the new lots will be run when the new bamboo laceweight arrives -- VERY SOON.

In addition to the Brighton Organics and Healthy Living Market - this Thurs. 9:30-12:20, SIOz will be trading both Sunday and Monday for the Queens Birthday holiday weekend. If you have special requests, be sure to get them in to me by Tuesday for the weekend. 

From the Dyetable This Week:  

Knitting:

New Dyelot of watercolour blues/greens in Premium Sock wool Merino (80%) and Nylon (20%) $15.00AU per 50gm hank.This one sold out very quickly last time, so if you would like some, please ring or email. 

Serendipity Skeins of 5ply pure Australian wool (merino X) (this is a rather wild mix -- I was in a Jackson Pollack mood) and a nice big hank (approx. 200gm) of alpaca handpaint in reddish purples. 

New Dyelot of Pure Merino Singles $30.00AU per 100gm hank/800m. This is the soft as a baby's botty merino single you have been asking for. Colourways: blues/greens/with purple and a touch of autumny ochrey orange. Also,  a purple and grey blend that's quite dark -- def for winter.

The chunky handspun pure wool ($5.00AU per 50gm) should be dry -- FINALLY. That's in a range of winter florals. Great for hats and quick-knitting hand cosies. Fab for felting!

For the Port Sunday and Monday Markets: mystery oddballs of kid mohair blends are available for $2.99AU per ball. Oddballs only -- what you see is what was sent from the mill. These are insanely fun to knit-- 2 make a fine scarf and they're great for mixing with plain wool leftovers. Many of these gems are shot through with extremely thin glitz/lurex.

Now, I normally do not like this sort of yarn, but this stuff is seriously fun and a nice quality for the price. Don't take my word for it -- they're disappearing at a fair pace. Other oddball fun: angora/wool/acrylic/nylon blends in dk weight ($3.99AU per 50gm ball) variegated fun -- neat for socks. This stuff has been road-tested and come up a winner. If you want affordable knitting yarn without going to S-T, come on up and look for yourself.

Spinning: organic merino, soy/merino, and soy top all heading to the dyetable. The first colourway request was: BLUES -- a chance to play with some grey/blues and an outrageous sapphire blue I have just mixed. Blueblack? Greenyblue? The possiblities? Endless.

The bamboo top will be dyed when the yarn arrives next week. Colours suggested so far: Jamaican Blue (think postcard water) and REDS.

CU at the markets

This Week's Dyelots and Specials

Note as of May 29th: sunny day forecast not to be. Still cloudy and yarn, well, just still a bit damp. I don't like to do anything to hurry up the drying process so I continue to wait 'til it's READY. Apologies to those waiting for wool. Tomorrow forecast: sunny!  

Customer Requests For:

McLaren Vale -- Special Vintage -- for the purple-lover. MV without the green. I'll be dyeing up some Aussie Coloured Sheepwool and some handspun in this blend. If you have a hankering for something in particular, drop me an email or ring and I'll add your yarn to the dye lot.

Serendipity Gelati Colours in the new chunky handspun from Nepal. Pure, handspun wool -- quick knitting on 10.00mm needles! This one is a blend of gelati colours -- or a bright English garden, depending on how you look at it -- think pinks, reds, and a touch of blue. Kids look great in it. Big kids too.

In addition to the above colourways, I'll be dyeing more winter-weight yarns and fibres. The sock yarn stocks are severly depleted, thanks to the McLaren Vale colourway fans. The next dyelot request is for my watercolour blues and greens, which I haven't painted in a while.

Spinning Fibre: Just arrived: soy, bamboo, organic merino, and organic merino/soy top.  Colour suggestions are already coming in -- stay tuned as the top is dried and photographed.

Bamboo for weavers, machine knitters, and lace addicts: the shipment of new bamboo 2/10 and 2/20 is on its way. 

Thank you to eveyone who came to the Port on Sunday, including Audrey, the spinner/knitter! You go with those socks! Can't wait to see what you create. Wheeeeeeeee!

A v. special hello to the man who came by, saw one of the painted silk velvet scarves on display and immediately put it on his Beloved. So Romantic. It looked as though I had painted it just for her! Def. the right colour. Wear it in good health and I hope you both had a great time at the Port Markets. As the weather gets cooler I'll be painting more silk velvet. It's divine. Regular silk velvet scarves $40.00AU and $49.00-$59.00AU for the larger stoles.

CU at the markets, Melissa

What's on the drying racks

Yarns:

Semaphore: in thick handspun, lace handspun, and hemp and wool (think oceans at winter)

Floral: A cooler weather blend of red-pink and a bit of grey, purple, and a touch of leaf green. This is put up in thick handspun and lace handspun

Sherwood Forest: replenishment of the hemp and wool in this colourway. 

Serendipity blend: bluey-green in lace handspun and baby alpaca

Fibres:

2 X lots of nepalese spinning/felting fibres -- blues/greens, and a wild blend of McLaren Vale (vineyard colours).

Looking forward to a nice sunny day tomorrow for drying. 

Aloo: still waiting, as the chemical man stuffed my order -- "No, I said sodium carbonate. NOT sodium bicarbonate." I was not a happy dyer.

It had to go back to mister chemical man. *sigh* Someone didn't take chemistry in high school... It doesn't help that the chemicals are packaged in the same colour and size. DOH! 

Never mind: the lot of blue/grey hemp is ready for purchase $10.00 for 100 gm. This hemp benefits from the dye process. What starts as very hard-to-handle handspun turns into quite nice hemp for knitting, crochet, braiding. Pure, handspun hemp at a fair price and FAIRLY TRADED!

CU at the Port!

This week from SIOz

In addition to my regular Sundays at the Port Fishermen's Wharf Markets, I'll be at the Organic and Healthy Living Market in Brighton -- at the Masonic Hall, this Thursday from 9-12:30. There's a fantastic organic coffee service there -- so come have a look at the natural yarns I'll be featuring and have a great cup of coffee! Oh, and there's organic fruit and veg, earth-friendly stuff for your household, lots of stuff for babies and kids, and some fab products from Think Global (Hove). 

Thank you to everyone who came by for yarn and fibre yesterday -- I look forward to seeing what comes off your needles and spindles as the winter approaches. There are some incredibly talented people here in Adelaide. And for those who are just getting started playing with wool? Enjoy the first efforts -- they're some of the most fun! Yeah, you'll drop your spindle, your stitches, your hooks and needles, but hey, you'll also pick up plenty too. A special hello to Peggy, who came by to have a quiet browse and went home with some hand-painted wool to make her grandson, Thomas, a new jumper. She hasn't knitted in years, but she's BACK. Can't wait to see what she knits!

This week from the dyetable: more wool -- there's a war of extremes waging -- the thick beautiful handspun is arguing with the lovely merino thin singles -- dye me first each says! Guess I'll just have to dye both! It may be time to paint Semaphore, my oceany, mermaidy colourway. A version for winter is on the way -  Dark Semaphore. Same colours in deeper tones, with a bit of dark seaweedy purple in the mix.

Semaphore Colourway shown in Summer Soy Version

Also, more purples and reds to come. They have disappeared from the market somehow. Ooops. Can't forget the request for more floral colourways, so there'll be a few serendipity hanks -- for fun!

Enjoy the rain here in Adelaide. CU at the markets, M

From the Dyetable This Week

McLaren Vale (vineyard colours) 100% Superwash Merino 4ply sock wool $15.00AU per 50gm hank. This one is a bit dearer as it is pure merino milled in Italy with that super high twist. V. luxurious.

Serendipity 8ply Australian wool (untreated): 100gms=$20.ooAU in Little John (greens/blues with a touch of orange and this time, purple) and a wild skein of blues/greens with purple and grey. They're put up in 200gm hanks so if you want a full hank for a jumper, this is it.

Hand-Dyed Handspun Hemp and Aloo-- a new batch in Machine Gun (a blue/gray). These fibres are fantastic for weaving, crochet, and knitting -- great for working with a softer yarn to make stronger bags, as in the Banana Smoothy Bag from Yarn Mag. $10.00AU per 100gm hank

Hand-Dyed Handspun Aloo -- in Puna (purple). I thought I'd be clever and put some hemp in the mix -- WOW! Talk about chemical reactions -- the dye went DARK. It's fabulous, but not the normal light purple Puna! Sorry folks, but this is a very sinister purple. You'll love it. 

Hand-Painted Handspun Banana Palm Silks - serendipity purple and ochre red as well as a serendipity multi-colour in purples with Machine Gun. $10.00AU per 100gm hank.

Thank you to all the mum's who came by the Port Markets on Sunday! I especially loved meeting the couple who brought their very sweet mum in to buy sock wool.  It's good to meet sock knitters, young and old! Mum preferred the regular navy wool, while daughter went for the enticing hank of Sherwood Forest. Their feet will be well-clad this winter.

A big thanks as well to Raphael -- who came by to display some FAB BAGS in recycled sari silks and a bag I'm coveting -- it's crocheted aloo! It will, I have no doubt, last forever. R is a keen crocheter and I'm always eager to see what he's created. Must remember camera for his next visit.

Spinning: the new shipment of spinning fibre is on the way, so please stay tuned for its arrival. I will be posting pricing when it's ready for purchase. 

CU at the markets. M

Mother's Day Special for Port Markets Sunday

This week's Port Markets Special -- Buy 100gms of hand-painted yarn on Mother's Day Sunday and get a Free Pair of lovely bamboo knitting needles (the sustainable wood for knitters!). This offer is good for online purchases as well.

There are plenty of hand-painted hanks of 8ply and 5ply to choose from -- great for accessories and for mixing with plain colours.

For a quick gift idea, why not give Mum a hand-painted silk velvet scarf -- reg size $40.00AU.

Hand-Painted Silk Velvet Scarf in Autumn colours

McLaren Vale -- shown in 2ply Australian Wool and Handspun Nepal Singles

Markets

New Merino Singles 100gm/800m (approx.) $30.00AU 

Shown in Serendipity Floral and Blues/Purples

Thursday and Sunday Markets this week:

Thursday: Brighton Organics and Healthy Living. I'll be bringing the natural wools, esp. Nepalese fibres and the bamboo (sustainable wood) knitting needles. There'll be some Kollage Squares (great gift for mum) as well as a new batch of drop spindles. 

Handspun Wool Singles in Queen Anne's Garden $10.00AU per 50gm hanks

Handspun Wool Single in Betty's Yarn $10.00AU per 50gm hanks

Sunday: Mother's Day I'll be at the Port as usual -- it will most likely be a quiet day, so if you have a knitting question, do come down if you're not doing the mum's day thing. Last weekend was sock knitting Sunday. Love you sock knitters! I've got a shop copy of Socks A La Carte from SWTC,  so do come in and have a look. It's chock full of sock fun. I'll be ordering a pile of them shortly, so let me know if you'd like a copy.

Italian Sock Wool (75/25) shown in Friar Tuck $25.00AU per 100gms

On the horizon -- I'll be getting ready for shows -- the BIG SHOW at Bendigo, as well as a few overseas in the US Autumn. Stay tuned for pre-show specials for BSWShow! 

Happy knitting, felting, spinning, crocheting... CU at the markets.

Drying

Dyelots drying:

New pure merino singles in blues/purples $30.00AU per 100gms. This is the merino single laceweight you've been asking for.

Italian 100% superwash wool for socks $15.00AU per 50gms -- this week's colourway is Dark Rainbow -- think Grateful Dead colours for your feet. Trippy Maaaan.

Merino 8ply (thin) great for socks $9.00AU per 50gms. I've reprised a Dark McLaren Vale in a variation of the purples -- it's gorgeous.

Nepal Laceweight -- in Dark McLaren Vale and Queen Anne's Garden. $10.00AU per 50gms

It's cloudy and dark at present -- so decent photos pending.

New Chuppah Whorl and gemstone spindles are ready for sale. Most have oak shafts with polycoating for good wear and abuse.  There are a few lightweight gemstone spindles with pine shafts (ran out of oak!) and those are less expensive.

CU at the markets! Mel