A Christmas Gift from SWTC and SIOz

A big thank you to Jonelle Beck and the entire SWTC family and a very Merry Christmas and Happy New Year (for those of you who don't celebrate Christmas) from them (and us) to you!

Here's the latest SWTC enticement for your needles, with a little help from Stranded In Oz.

2010 Knitter's Club members will recognize this scarf as the Dark Rainbow Scarf -- here it's been knitted in the divinely soft Infatuation by Treisur. Am I infatuated? Yuh, it's fabulously soft and has a nice stitch definition for a bamboo-blend sock yarn. Mmmmmmmm. Did I mention this is also my favourite scarf?

Customers who order 2 balls of Infatuation from Stranded In Oz 'til the end of January will automatically receive this pattern with their order, starting today. The stocks are a bit low (xmas shoppers, thank you!) but MORE is on the way.

 Infatuation by Treisur

Club Packs, Thanks SWTC and thoughts on Soysilk

The club packs for Feb are in the post. This is happiness all around. For knitters, your pack includes preview yarns of what is coming your way down the track -- knitable samples to get you hooked on SIOz. Hey, you already are, but I know I love samples, and you seem to too. So enjoy!

For the spinners, you have a nice chumpy pack of this month's fibre, along with a sample of the next fibre on the schedule, SA coloured sheepwool. OK, I was a stinker and included something un-dyed. You didn't think I'd spoil the fun and tell you the April colour did you?

Hello to the people at SWTC - who posted a hot shot of the Feb Tofutsies. Thanks for posting the piccie. I'm an unapologetic, shameless Tofutsies addict. And the knitters coming to the Port Markets are too! I've restocked the Port Shop with more variety of Tofutsies balls as well as the new Dark Orchid. The colours available change weekly. If you're online, it's best to email me if you have a colour group you would like -- trying to always keep a blue, a purple, a red, and greens available.

Also from SWTC -- the new Treisur Infatuation is a winner -- and also a terrible distraction while I'm under deadline. FIE! Here's a lovely shot of the colours in stock at the moment. My fave is the Southwestern- Americanish red, purple, green, and gold blend

Nearly everyone who touches a ball of this yarn buys it. The bright mix is perfect for a baby gift. Or a girlie pair of socks. I'm working on a shawl in this yarn as well. Well, while I'm designing a shawl in Jezebel, my other favourite SWTC yarn.

SOYSILK -- ok, I will say a few words regarding soy fibre for spinning. There are a few online vendors selling soy fibre -- beware. All soy fibres are not SOYSILK. You only will know the difference when you start spinning with the other stuff. Why? Because genuine Soysilk fibre is processed in a way that is just superior to other soy fibres out there -- it's a smooth, superfine top. Your fingers will know the difference.

Sure, you'll save some money, but it's not worth it. I have not been asked to write this, nor do I get any money from writing about it. I just want to put this out there in cyberspace for people to read. When I hand-paint soy, it's genuine Soysilk.

Where Did the Week Go?

Luxury Merino 4ply (superfine Australian, feltable and great for shawls, socks, and baby knits

Infatuation Bamboo Sock Yarn from Stranded In Oz

Finished a test sock in the new bamboo/wool Infatuation. The photo doesn't do justice to the wonderfully soft yarn! I'm rather picky when it comes to sock yarns, so wasn't sure if I'd like Infatuation. After all, I'm a Tofutsieholic. Nevertheless, if you are looking for a great wool and bamboo sock yarn blend, check it out! Plenty loaded at the SIOz online shop. Even in the blazing heat of this week, intrepid knitters have snarfled this yarn up!

Long Shot Vest (SWTC pattern by me)-- it's often the case that once I've done a design for a yarn co or mag, I don't see the garment again -- distance makes it sometimes silly for the thing to go to and fro. Anyway, while Long Shot was done a while back, I got busy working on other designs and neglected one for myself. Above are some progress close up shots. The first is a pic of the side and a better view than previous of the stitch used. It's an asymetrical chevron stitch that keeps mesmerising me. The second photo a close up of a revised edge finish. I liked the edge of the first one as it was pretty straight forward, but I like this second one better. Easier to finish if you are impatient and hangs nicely.

Am hoping to put the final touches on in time for the weekend, but I suspect that is a silly notion.

Happy Knitting, spinning, even in the HEAT of the weekend here in Adelaide. It's back to socks in this weather!

New Year's Holiday Trading and New Sock Yarn

Happy New Year! Stranded In Oz is trading at the Port Markets this weekend both Sunday and Monday, Jan 2nd and 3rd, from 9am to 5pm. Last weekend was good fun -- I love it when it gets noisy -- knitting is FUN! Special thanks to Kate and Colleen and Leslie, who dragged her sis along, and all the others who came by for a chat and some wool.

I must admit, the hot weather took all my energy today. The first really hot day of the year usually does that to me. No matter, as I hid in the bedroom with a fan, finishing the final bit of edging on my garter stitch Way Over the Rainbow hand-spun shawl. This poor project gets bumped every time I have work due, so it has taken forever to finish. It needs a good blocking! Now where are those bobbins I wound to ply that McLaren Vale laceweight, spun from Polworth? That's been sitting there, waiting to be plied for, yes, a year.

In the meantime, I'm working on the Long Shot vest -- and of course -- decided to change the edging. As soon as I'm finished, I'll blog post the edging option.

Long Shot Vest close up of stitch pattern

New Sock Yarn -- the new bamboo sock yarn, Infatuation, has arrived and is loaded on the online shop for you to peruse and purchase. I will have stock at the market this weekend for you to snarfle. Besides Tofutsies, I generally do not carry commercially-dyed sock yarns, but this one? I just LOVE it. Soft, squidgy, and in very wearable colours. For me, this yarn is not a substitute for Tofutsies, the all-purpose, all 'round excellent yarn for Aussie weather, but it is a lovely addition to the SWTC line. This yarn may just be too soft and luxurious for socks and might end up as a cami, or perhaps as baby wear. On the other hand, why not spoil your feet?

Infatuation Sock Yarn by SWTC now available

Clubbing, the fibre artist's way

Logistics, logistics, logistics. The fine art of organising wool for the 2011 Stranded In Oz knitting and spinning clubs is on in earnest.

This year, I've been trying to source Australian wools and other fibres to knit and spin. But how to keep excellent quality, emphasize AUSSIE and not bust the budget? It's a delicate balancing act. Hmmm. Balancing isn't a word I should be using, given I am hopping about on one foot, crutches, and a moonboot.

A Sock Knitter's Club To sock or not to sock? For those who know me and my knitting/spinning habits, they know I am a sucker for fine wools -- cobweb is just fine. And I have friends, like Eric Corbin, who think one should never knit with sewing thread, thanks very much!

Even so, it is with this addiction to 4ply/fingering wt yarns that I've taken the plunge and developed a sock knitting club for 2011. There's no shortage of sock designs on my desktop and no end of the types of sock yarns I continue to fall in love with.

What's missing from this picture? Alas, the ultimate, tightly twisted, worsted-spun Australian sock yarn still eludes me. But who knows, perhaps my dream will come true? Not Kiwi (though we love that too), but Aussie. Like, say, the one produced in South Africa that has a lovely tight twist and will never ever pill?

In the meantime, I've been planning a nice mix of 4ply and 3ply yarns -- some grown and spun in Australia, some from a small, family-owned mill overseas, as well as a few on the exotic side, like my fave SWTC Tofutsies, hand-painted the SIOz way.

Jonelle Beck Raffino, owner and developer of the fun, funky, and fab that is the SWTC line continues to enable me. Bless her cotton sox. Or should I say soy and bamboo sox? Yup, she's just come out with a new line of bamboo sock yarn, Infatuation. Don't worry, it's on it's way to Stranded In Oz and to you. Of course, it's in happy SWTC colours! Greeeen. Plenty of blue, pink, and all manner of sock colours to play with.

SWTC Infatuation Bamboo Sock Yarn

But still, a sock knitting club? What if you are allergic to knitting socks. That's ok; with 100gms of lovely thin yarn, there's no end to what you can do with the club pack. Right now I'm knitting a scarf in Tofutsies -- it's an eyelet chevron pattern I'm preoccupied with and will make a fine fashion accessory.

There's also a cute knitting bag pattern on the desktop awaiting editing, not to mention the shawls in various states of development. So you see, it's all 4ply all the time at SIOz.

This reminds me of that strange quote attributed to Wallis Simpson, 'you can never be too rich or too thin.'
Err... you can never knit too much or too thin?

Dye... My Pretties! M