Long Weekend at the Port Markets

Hiya Hiya Hiya (can you tell we watch the Muppet Show in our house?)

Since this is a long weekend and a Monday holiday at that, I will be trading at the Markets on both Sunday and Monday, 9-5.

Parking Hint: free parking is almost always available in the lots across Commercial Road (near the Foodland). It's just a block behind Commercial, and only a few minutes walk to Port Markets. There's parking usually along Commercial Road as well.

Right -- the wool is drying slowly this week. Could that actually be HUMIDITY in the air? Are we really getting rain? Wow. Swapped around my dye schedule this week to run new lots of hemp and aloo.

Aloo: available in a dark brownish ochre, Puna (light purple) and Midnight Puna (dark purple)
Hemp: a rich, warm red. This one is brighter than the last lot as the hemp order came in lighter than the last shipment.

If you want either aloo or hemp, be sure to get to the Market this weekend or email me tout suite. It tends to sell out sooner than other yarns. I haven't met that many dyers who work with these fibres. Both are $10.00 for 100gms. Why so pricey? Well, it must be scoured (I use a non-toxic textile wash) and that process takes time, but I think it is worth it. Customers advise it can't be beat for making all manner of crocheted and knitted bags. I love it knitted with another yarn to provide strength and texture.

Spinners: the new shipment included the popular un-spun sari silk fibre. This lot is really nice, plenty of wildly-coloured chunks to work with. So much fun to see how the colours work in with whatever you're spinning.

Happy Australia Day!

Special Green for Emerald City Shawl Kit (in the online shop)

Here's to hoping you and yours have an excellent Aussie Day. I started the day with some Vegemite toast. Well,  I thought it was V-toast, but it turns out, I bought the wrong thing. Have a jar of Vegemite 2.0 which looks like whipped Veggie and doesn't have ANY TASTE! Yeah, thanks Kraft foods. Look out in the UK. This is what happens when Kraft buys your fave food co. Anyway, I will be ringing the free call number tomorrow to complain and ask for a refund. Where's the real Vegemite? It's shocking. Even Lyta, my Kelpieweiler princess wouldn't eat it. 

On a brighter note, I promised Lyta a sausage for dinner in honour of Australia Day.

Yarn: I've loaded more yarn onto the online shop, including most of what's left of the purples and reds. One lovely nana-to-be bought a heap of them for a much-anticipated new grandchild. I can't wait to see what she crochets with it -- crocheted hand-painted purple baby blankie. Wow. 

The 2 kilos of aloo and hemp have already gone. No complaints from me, but it takes a lot of time to do those lots, so I have to schedule them quite a bit in advance, as I scour it, then soak it before dyeing. And yes, it is all done by me, by hand. Why do I do it? Because we're addicted to it now. There's so much inspiration from a hank of these yarns.  

Requested colours for the next lot are: Puna (light purple) and the return of Machine Gun (a deep gray/blue). 

Below is the updated mix of Devil's Playground -- I'm especially happy with this lot and see it as an updated Banana Smoothie Bag. Must paint some banana silk this week!

Jan 2010 Devil's Playground Soy Ribbon DK (100gm/200+m $15.00)

SWTC and Kollage yarns: Kollage Luscious and SWTC Jezebel are in the online shop. Both are premium yarns and worth the little extra it costs. For a vegan-friendly sock yarn, you can't do better than Luscious. I've had a number of customers not want Tofutsies due to its Chitin content (prawn/crab shell fibre), so this one is for them.  If you don't see the colour you crave, email melissa AT strandedinoz DOT com and it can be ordered.

Jezebel is the lovely kettle-dyed 2ply merino from Uruguay. FREE pattern for a scarf or sock with purchase, both by SIOz for SWTC. 

CU at the Port, Melissa

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

Waving hello from Port Adelaide

Hello -- it seems Clipsal scared away most folks from visiting the Port yesterday. Still, it was fun to see everyone who stopped by, including Leona and Trixie, an intrepid duo who are really excellent company -- I'm sure the neighbours heard us laughing.

We played with the basics of making dorset buttons and I can't wait to see what they make. Trixie loves to make things with beads, so look out! There are going to be some very nicely embellished people in the eastern suburbs very soon. And Leona is making an artwear vest in soy (colourway Semaphore). 

I'm continually grateful to all the fibre addicts who come by and talk about what they are doing. It's especially gratifying when I meet the family -- so many women come by with their mums and daughters. It's lovely to meet you all. One mum went away with a new gemstone drop spindle -- it was my latest favourite in an olive-coloured jade. Gorgeous thing it is. There are some new Chuppah Whorl spindles -- one in blue and yellow, the other Cool Britannia (just as it sounds, yup, the Union Jack done all trippy/swirly!).

I know it's a hike to the Port, but I just want to say, thank you for making it! And do come by to bring what you made. I felt terrible while I was in the USA when someone came by and I wasn't there! But fear not, as I am planning the entire winter (except my dates in Bendigo, and you'll be there, right?) here in Adelaide. I don't think of leaving 'til it warms up. I mean, summer here is just. Well, you know.

New Yarn Photos: 

Handspun Wool (70%) and Recycled Sari Silk (30%) $8.00AU per 50gm hank-- hand-dyed by SIOz in Violet semi-solid

Handspun Hemp and Wool (in Think Global)

and Handspun Wool and Sari Silk (Violet semi-solid) $8.00AU per 50gm hank

Handspun Hemp and Wool Hand-Paint in Sherwood Forest $8.00 per 50gm hank

 

Sherwood Forest Sock Wool $25.00AU per 100gm hank

Here's a beaut from Audrey in Victoria -- look what she did with some Nepalese wool singles in McLaren Vale (it was my best lot to date!):

Copyright 2009 mataharimau (Ravelry)

SIOz photos to be posted this week include a new supply of painted silk velvet (older posts have photos of these). The previous lot is gone, except for the stole in Phantom Purple, which is magically moving its way towards my bureau. The photos don't do the colours justice. 

 

Hand-Painted Autumn Colours Silk Velvet Scarf $40.00AU

Dark Semaphore Hand-Painted Velvet Silk Scarf $40.00

The banana palm silk and aloo are undyed at the moment and will get the SIOz treatment this week. The colourways will match the silk velvet, so you can knit something to coordinate. I'm planning some new mixes in darker colours for autumn and winter. If you haven't tried my banana silk, do order a hank with your next yarn order. You won't be sorry, as this yarn will inspire you to embellish something as soon as you open the package.

As always, I will try to upload photos as they are ready.