Northern AND Southern Hemisphere Markets!

Hello from Maryland -- still kicking -- painting, knitting, and writing, in the US of A.

SIOz update: while the market at Port Adelaide is still going strong -- thank you to the people who came by and had a chat and a browse with Vellan, the spinning maven, I'll be in the Northern Hemisphere at:

The Easton Farmers Market, Easton MD, for the next 3 Saturdays --

There's be some hand-painted wool, some beautiful spinning fibre, and spindles to play with. Fingers crossed, the weather should be ok this weekend!

Happy spinning and knitting to all the SIOz customers! Let us know how you are getting on and if you have any queries, keep the email coming to strandedinoz AT gmail DOT com.

Other bits: I'll be heading off the Stitches for a look at the newest gear for knitting addicts. There are some awesome tools on offer and yes, they'll be coming back to Oz with me, have no fear!

CU at the market(s). Melissa

Thank you Shenandoah Valley Fiber Festival!

A giant thank you to the organisers fo the Shenandoah Valley Fiber Festival for putting on such a fabulous weekend. Everyone was incredibly nice and I had a fantastic time meeting all the knitters, spinners, and weavers. Each wool producer there had beautiful fleeces -- it was incredibly hard to decide what to buy.

I will be posting links from a few of my favourites -- please be sure to check out their webpages and make sure you BUY wool from them. You will not regret it one teensy bit. Not only are their fleeces, roving, top, and yarns lovely, but the people who grow and make them are outstanding human beings.

What I loved best, besides the enormous show of craft talent? 3 blissful days of NO POLITICS. Besides the odd comment here and there, the show was a haven away from the media saturation frenzy inflicted upon the inhabitants of this beautiful land. I wonder if there is such a thing as media pollution? Can we get rid of it like rubbish? IN THE BIN.

More when I wake from my post-fest stupor!
m, back in Easton, MD

Silver Snowflake Wrap

Silver Snowflake Shawl in XIE from Knit 'N Style

It's hit the newstands: The latest Knit 'N Style, the big 11th anniversary issue, contains a brand new SIOz design via SWTC, the Silver Snowflake Shawl. This is a beginner project designed for the holiday season and uses 1 cone of the lovely SWTC Xie bamboo laceweight yarn.
The directions are written for laceweight, single thread, but the yarn can be doubled for quicker knitting.

Stitch info: the photographed stitch detail looks like a cat's paw, but it's not -- it's a lovely snowflake eyelet. The bamboo yarn has an incredible sheen and looks like silvery tinsel in the Gun Metal colourway. Be sure to use bamboo needles -- this stuff is slickery!

The first customer to order the Silver Snowflake Shawl kit gets free postage!

Happy knitting, crocheting, felting, spinning....
melissa, still in the US of A

Gearing up for Autumn Fibre Festival and...

Greetings from Easton, Maryland, USA -- after a fantastic time at the Garden State Sheep Breeders Show (NJ) and a trip back to Maryland, I'm gearing back up for the next wild fibre adventure:

The Shenandoah Valley Fiber Festival -- I'll be there with BitsyKnits, sharing the knitting, spinning, crocheting, and all things fibre madness. The weather is supposed to be superb, and due to it's more southern locale, the autumn colour will still be fabulous. If you didn't get a chance to come by at Garden State, we'll be waiting to talk yarn, fibre, and just about anything else, when you stop by!

Mention you've read the SIOz blog and receive a 10% discount on all Stranded In Oz items.

What's up for the fest:

A new shipment of Nepalese lace wool is on the way, along with some fresh and outrageous colours of recycled sari silks. Again, SIOz sari silk is the best around -- more thinly spun and less sheddy than most and great for knitting a crocheting. Don't get me wrong -- I love the chunky/bumpy stuff, but prefer to knit with the thinner variety. And I'll have a re-stock of the unreal, blacker than black, sari silk. I've never seen anything darker. Pure evil and ready for HALLOWEEN!

Yes, that's right -- it's Halloween season in the USA and I've been indulging my love for anything black and orange. Uh-huh. This includes my love for pumpkins. And to celebrate, SWTC has released my latest sock pattern creation! (Soctober's Harvest Tofutsies Sock Club Sock) Thank you to SWTC and the fibre fanatics there for saying YAY to the pumpkin cable sock. I'm really proud of that stitch.

If you want to make some gorgeous pumpkiny goodness socks, please email me at:

strandedinoz AT gmail DOT com and we'll arrange for you to get your new SWTC Tofutsies Sock Club kit.

Thanks as always, to my partner Richard, Kaviare, and Vellan for minding the Port Adelaide Market for me while I wind my way around the US of A!

*waving hi* and thanks!

Thank you to everyone who came by last weekend to check out the latest at SIOz. Vellan, our guest spinner was there to have a chat and spin some wool. This week, Kate is on deck -- come on down, have a look at the latest yarns, fibres, designs, and tools, and have a chat with Kate. She's a knitting knut like the rest of us!

Mel in Yankland: never mind the politics, there are Wool Festivals to attend! I've listed the festivals Stranded In Oz will be at -- this year, I'm sharing a stall with my sister, Bitsy, from Bitsy Knits. You won't want to miss what we've got in store this year -- sneaky hint -- you have GOT TO get a hold of some of Bitsy's knitter's jewelery. Got a friend who's a fiber freak? Need to wear your addiction on your sleeve literally? Come check us out.

The listings are in my previous post.

Thanks as always for your support of my business. I hope you knit, crochet, spin, weave, stitch something wonderful this week.
M

In transit.... with wool and needles

Hello from Pennsylvania! SIOz is on the road at present. But for those of you in Oz, the market shop is open every Sunday as normal -- thanks to some fibre fanatic friends - Kaviare and Vellan -- and my partner, Richard. Should you have any questions regarding designs and yarns from SIOz, please don't hesitate to ask -- I'm online as usual and the stall is full of things to get you inspired to make something for you and yours. I really missed my market Sunday last week. It was strange not being there (esp. going through hot donut withdrawal).

Just finished reading the new FELT, from Interweave. Cover to cover in one sitting, 'natch. And the needlefelted beagles? You just have to have a look. No affiliation to said publication, just admiring the talent it takes to do the kind of work displayed in those pages. The last issue sold out, so if you see it on the newstand, grab it.

Festival on the US schedule:

Garden State Annual Sheep and Fiber Festival:
October 4th and 5th at the Hunterdon County Fairgrounds - Saturday and Sunday 9-5

Shenandoah Valley Fiber Festival:
October 25th and 26th Ruritan Fairgrounds, Berryville VA - 10-5 each day

In between festivals, I'll be doing workshops around the eastern seaboard of the US of A, including some freeform madness with the North Country Spinners. Can't wait to meet them.

Just when I thought I wouldn't fit in any more fun --- it's off to the North Country Fibre Fallout -- an entire weekend of inspiration. I've managed to squeeze myself into the Sandy Terp lace workshop. I'm really looking forward to it.

Thanks again to you for checking in to SIOz news. Stay tuned for photos and updates.

Sincerely, Melissa

Soy! and more Soy

Hope you are looking forward to spring -- a great time to store away your wooly stuff and think about trying something new. Plenty of new soy dk colours available -- it's great for summer garments, beach bags, and babies/kidswear -- machine washable, absorbent like cotton, but doesn't pill.

Wool storage tip: try the dry patchouli leaves available at the Honey Shoppe in the Adelaide Central Market. They're the leaves from Ache, Indonesia and they're great for keeping the bugs outta your stash. Sure, your stash will smell like hippies, but that's a good thing right? This shop is also a good source of lavender, if you just can't stand the patchouli.

On deck for this Sunday: Kate (Kaviare on Ravelry) will be in charge of the shop this weekend. What to look for this week? Check out guest spinner, Vellan's, handspun yarn. There's a special lot of skeins to be scooped up by an intrepid customer. Lovely stuff!

The palm wood Kollage square needles continue to be popular. Plenty of them still available (see the sidebar for more details).

Happy Knitting! Melissa