Name That Sock Yarn

Kraemer Sterling - Hand-Painted by SIOz

Supersocke Silk in SIOz Pretty Good Green

It occurred to me as I started running the new sock yarn lots that I needed a name for the yarn. I've labeled it Stranded Sock, my catch-all name for regular sock yarn. But I really need a name for this one.

Wanna win some new sock yarn? Just join the Stranded In Oz group on Ravelry and offer your suggestions on the Name That Sock thread. You might just get your name chosen. I welcome a healthy debate on names. Best name wins! Who decides? The group should take care of that for us nicely! SIOz knitters aren't a shy bunch.

Here's another peek at the new yarn, in a run of my Winter Florals.

100% Superwash wool -- spun for socks
This yarn needs a name!

The green yarns shown above are lone hanks I ran last week. The Supersocke Silk is a test hank -- of the new yarn base from Cherry Tree Hill. The Sterling was the last of the lot I had and it said it wanted to be green. Really!

It's back to the needles for me. Mel

Saturday Summer Distractions and Knitting

It finally feels like summer here in Adelaide. We seem to love talking about the temperature around here. I guess when you live near beautiful beaches and hills, it's important to know if you're planning a weekend outing.

I have to say thanks whenever I get the chance to those who keep sending their email good wishes regarding my healing leg. I am happy to report that while I am gimpy, I am still around the place and gearing up for painting in 2011. The leg and foot don't look great, but continue to mend and I'm hopeful the surgeon next week will think so too.

So it's now onward to 2011 painting. And first up are the club yarns and fibres. I'm getting a bit excited! Tofutsies is the first yarn to hit the dyetable and I really enjoy painting it. Jonelle at SWTC continues to indulge my love of this all-purpose 4ply/fingering weight yarn. And I keep finding new uses for it in my own knitting.

Richard, computer nerd that he is, has worked a plug-in for my webpage for those of you who check out the webshop on your mobile phones. Thank you to the people who emailed suggestions! Let me know how you go with that.

In the meantime, I think I mentioned the other day regarding yarn distractions. My friends know I'm not exactly miss glamourpuss, but I've been distracted by new yarns, including anything shiny (new metallics). It's like cooking with cayenne pepper, a little goes a long way with me. Been experimenting with colour-matching the yarn samples so that the effect is more subtle than 70's disco BLAM metallic. You may remember the full gold lame look? But hey, if that is your thing (and I bet there are people who can pull it off) then why not? It's your knitting right?

It's back to the socks and HP Tofutsies on the needles. Til next time, m

G'day from Easton, Maryland

Hello and thanks to everyone who continues to support my work at Stranded In Oz, Port Adelaide Markets and online.

Drop Spindles:

I've been advised by Eric and Richard that the spindle supplies have been sorely depleted. I'm not complaining of course. Just wanted to assure folks that I'm on the case and will be restocking asap.

There are a few Chuppah Whorl spindles left from the 2009 batch. They are here in the States and will be on display at Garden Sheep Breeders (see sidebar). My clay oven is in Adelaide, so will have fire it up upon my return to Oz!

The gemstone spindles will be available online, at the Port Markets, and at the US shows. As soon as the next lot are ready, I will post photos for you. In the meantime, if you'd like to pre-order, please feel free to email melissa AT strandedinoz DOT com and I'll add you to the pre-order list.

Yarns:

The Nepal workshop is finishing my next supply of handspun yarns and this will be shipped shortly. So check back soon for new photos and yarns. I've ordered some new blends that should be fantastic. Can't wait to tear open those cartons! Included will be new sari silks for summer knitting.

Soysilk@ DK -- new stocks of soy are on the way. The last of the hand-painted Tofutsies@ is here in the US of A. I'm advised it will be a while until SWTC gets the next lot -- and YES, I'll be placing a special order. Thank you to all the Sock Summiteers who made the HP Tofutsies one of my bestsellers.

Pure Merino 4ply: This is a lower-micron Australian merino -- it is grown, spun, and hand-painted in Australia. I'm so grateful to all the people who came by at the Sock Summit and bought this yarn, as it is very near and dear to my heart as a designer and knitter.

The fact that new customers would take the chance and by from an unknown overseas dyer, when the OCC was overflowing with every type of sock yarn imaginable, really made the trip worthwhile. I had an excellent Sock Summit and hope my customers and new friends did too. It's been several weeks since and only now do I feel awake. I think doing Bendigo and SS within a few weeks from each other really tested this hand-dyer's body.

Port Markets:

Continued thanks to Eric Corbin, wool artist and all-around fibre fiend, and to Richard, my husband, for their hard work and for manning the fort. Hello and thanks to Audrey, who has been spreading her enthusiasm for spinning and fibre -- can't wait to see what you're spinning.

Thanks again to Near and Far, Cygnet TAS for their continued support and enthusiasm for SIOz yarns. If you are in Tasmania nearby, do stop in and check out their amazing wares.

And a huge thanks to Luci at Think Global, whom I miss very much. She's an ace market neighbour and someone who truly understands what her business name means. Check out her fab stuff at her shop in Hove, and at the Port Markets and Brighton and Grange Organic Markets, all in the Adelaide area.

I will be travelling again soon and have better access to the 'net, which means I will be able to upgrade and update photos more readily in the next few weeks.

Happy Spinning and Knitting, Melissa, from the US of A