Happy New Year and Thank You

Happy Holidays to everyone. And thank you to all the happy shoppers who braved the pre-xmas crowds to come down to the market last Sunday. We all appreciate your support of local artists.

The new stock of Tofutsies is IN and each ball is a beaut. Feel free to grab the basket and have a good look at each. You will have a hard time deciding which one you want. If you have colour preferences, please email me and I will set yours aside for this Sunday. The colour links are listed to the right -- have a look at the colourways link. :-)

If you haven't picked a summer knitting project, have a look at the soy yarns. I am bringing the entire lot down. Unfortunately, the online pics don't do them justice.

Happy Summer Knitting.

Melissa, Stranded In Oz

Thank you and happy holidays

Thank you to the people who came by the stall yesterday. It was nice to see you all on a beautiful day. Perfect weather for hanging out at the market and eating wood-oven pizza! Yup, we have the best pizza maker in Adelaide at the Art Market every Sunday. Deelish.

The banana silk is almost all gone and I will endeavour to acquire more as soon as the holiday season calms down. The soy yarn is still going strong. If you have colour preferences, email me at strandedinoz at gmail dot com and I will let you know e.t.a on arrival if I don't have it in stock. See yarn info links for details.

The new stock of Tofutsies is expected this week - I've ordered a diff. lot of colours this time for variety and fun, so click on the Tofutsie yarn link and check out colour sample 1.  As per previous, if you have a specific colour preference, I am happy to place a special order. 

I'm working on more recycled artwear vests -- The one below, Fairy Floss, is lighter-than-air pink mohair with green and pink trim. Size small. 

Have a great week. Knit something -- it helps relieve holiday season stress. 
Mel, Stranded In Oz 

  

 

Holiday Knitting

NEW PATTERN

Gearing up for the holiday knitting season and having fun with banana silk. It's funky fuzzy handspun like recycled sari silk, but doesn't shed. Can't beat that.

Apologies to Tofutsies fans - some plain colours left, but more shortly. If you have colour preferences, please let me know asap before my order goes in.

Just uploaded some photos from the camera that seemed to be stuck in there and voila... a gorgeous shot of Baby Beantoes. I'm really happy with this picture and hope it inspires you to make some too. Pattern available free with a Tofutsies purchase, or for purchase separately.

For those who wish to purchase baby or toddler socks, please email me at strandedinoz (at) gmail (dot) com.

Monkey Sock Thank you!

Digression from Stranded Biz: I got my MONKEYSOCK Swap pack from Lori!!!!! It totally rocks. Avalook (I had to photo the whole experience, as it was my first online sock swap.

Thank you so much Lori for your thoughtful and much-appreciated gifts. I love it all.

First, the lovely brownpaper package from the land of Yank. Thank you postie.

Then, the wrapper is off and it's getting very exciting! I would have uploaded the pack au naturale, but its got Lori's addy on it. Nice BIG box.

Eh Voila! Along with heaps of gorgeous handdyed yarn - Knittery, Whatknot, and Cherry Tree Hill, are my very extra-special All Things Heather Raspberry Swirl Monkey Socks. Are these gawjus or what? Lucky me.

And don't you think my babygirl Lyta had to check it out? That's right, my dog licked my new monkey. Went to answer the phone and came back to find a wet stuffed monkey doll. BAD DOG!

Can't blame her tho, as is so cute.


Time to go VOTE in our federal election. I still get excited about voting as an AUSSIE.

Happy Knitting, Mel

Knitting in Sunny Adelaide

Another gorgeous day down at the Adelaide Festival Centre. Thank you to everyone who came by the stall to look at the new stock -- a new bag design I'm playing with. Pics soon. And...

My New Yarn. That's right. Raw DK Soy. It may be raw, but please don't cook it! As my husband quiped: well, I'd rather it be yarn than have to eat it. Smarty bum.

This yarn isn't for everyone, but for those who like the idea of an environmentally-friendly, easy to wash and wear, vegan alternative to cotton, this is the one for you. It is a natural, creamy colour and pleasant in its undyed state. Come by the stall and have a gander.

I've also got some sample skeins of other vegan yarns, including different natural cottons, but am not stocking until I've got enough feedback. There's a real prejudice, imho, for cotton knitting in Australia. It is surely a woolisbest tradition, which is totally understandable. I feel like I'm swimming against that tide, yet I PERSEVERE!

If you are going to stick with wool, please think local and consider Knitting By Zen for your wool knitting and crocheting needs. See my links coloumn for Emma's beautiful colourways. It's affordable and fabulous. And makes great gifts if you can't justify your own stash enhancement.

One Banana, Two Banana, Three Banana, Four...

Ok, now I've really gone BANANAS! That's right, the banana palm yarn is on its way, so look out Adelaide for some very funky knitting coming your way.

And for those of you who are in anticipation of the latest issue of YARN Magazine (issue 8), it's on its way and you can pick up your copy on Sunday at my stall. Check out that cover - is GAWJUS.

Speaking of yarn, I'm almost ready to unveil my latest sock pattern using Knitting By Zen's That Seventies Yarn. It's a corkah. Check out Emma's colourways page to get an idea.

Gearing Up for Summah

Hello to all who braved the summerallovasudden weather we had at the Market on Sunday. It was great to see all the people stop by on their way back from the Walk Against Warming! Nice of you to say hello.

Mad at work on the soy vest pattern - thanks for all the positive feedback. Yes, I believe soy is much nicer to wear than to eat. And I KNOW my partner would agree.

Here's an eyelet wrap I made with soy - glammed it up with Czech silver-lined beads. Great for beach/poolwear. 

Knitting Al Fresco

Well, it was a chilly one yesterday at the Festival Centre Art Market. Had to keep knitting to stay warm. When you can see your breath in November in Adelaide, you get the idea.

Baby Beantoes continue to be a bestseller. My offer at the moment is: buy the yarn from me and you get the Beantoe pattern free. This design is worked toe up and in infant as well as toddler versions. Here's the sock with a friend, Mallory, who came to inspect my work.

If I don't have the colour you want in stock, I am happy to order it for you. Due to popularity, pre-ordering is often necessary. It's worth the wait.

See you at next week's market!

Windblown Knitter

Spent Monday in survival mode - mighty windy day down at the Art Market Sunday. Some very kewl people braved the wicked weather and came down to take a gander at the fantastic art market. My right-hand neighbor was a potter - that was new for me and it was nice to have something new to admire all day.

Thank you to my customer who brought by her old jumper. Whatever it becomes will be posted in a gallery link, so stay tuned. And she came to buy the unmentionables bag . It's a present for her nana for xmas. I'll have more for the xmas buying season.

Sold my first treasure vest, which is working off the theme of several bags that have made their way to Sydney. *wave*

Socks: I'm out of baby beantoes, so that will have to be remedied. If you would like to
purchase a pair of baby/toddler socks and have colour preferences, please email me at strandedinoz@gmail.com and I will make those for you. Please specify baby or toddler size. See previous post regarding or Knitting Links for the colourway link.

Stranded Update

Monday Market Hangover day: it was a scorcher yesterday - 35C/95F in the shade, humid, and the mozzies decided to munch on my left ankle. Just the left one.  

A Big hello to all the friendly knitters and crocheters who came by the stall on Sunday. For those who are seeking sock yarn, I've just gotten a new load of eco-friendly sock yarn in an astounding array of colours. Have a look at the sock wool. It's going FAST. Colour assortments 2 and 3 arrived, so email me at strandedinoz@gmail.com if you have a hankering - $24.95 AUS - A generous, 100gm ball and the colourways are unique to this fibre blend. You'll forget all about Opal once you've used it. 

If you live in rural SA, sock yarn is mailed free. Why? Because the SA knitters who've come by the market say they can't get anything like it near home. 

And it's not just for socks - it's perfect for baby items, as it's machine washable. 

Soy sock yarn roadtest: when I first used this yarn, I didn't like the hand at all. It felt slickery, kinda strange at first. Weird on the feet. But I like the idea of using this fibre blend, so I persisted. And after washing and blocking it, the real beauty of the yarn came out.

And for shawl knitters, take a look at the Oasis link - 2 balls makes a lovely summer wrap. I've got some in stock - purplexed, passion, and solids of black, sapphire, turquoise, pink, and rose. $19.00 AUS per ball, but don't be put off by the price- they're monster 100gm/240 yard balls of pure soy. Machine washable! Forget the mercerized cotton this summer and try some of this. 

If you aren't sure of colours, come to the market on Sunday, where I keep the colour samples on hand. 

Why I'm stocking yarn: After several months at the Art Market and numerous queries from customers, it seems the logical thing to do. I will only sell fibres that I use and have rigourously tested. And after many conversations as to the lack of availability in SA, I'm pleased to provide this service.  

Market Hangover

The market was buzzing on Sunday due to the Tasting Australia/Adelaide happening in Elder Park. Met some fantastic people who were nice enough to come by the stall and have a look at the latest Stranded In Oz items, which include the beta version of a new baby sock.

Awaiting the arrival of Tofutsies and Oasis and will advise on stock for soy yarn as soon as it is here.

Back to soy vest project.

Finished Monkeying Around

Feeling very virtuous, as completed my monkey socks for the Monkey Sock Swap 3. Awaiting news from my buddy on where the monkeys go.

Feeling doubly virtuous as I managed to stay awake in a 4-7pm web development workshop, the very hours of the day when my brain is on sleep mode. I managed to take notes even.

The good thing about business dev workshops are that they give you heaps of ideas. But you wake up the next morning realizing just how much more work you have to do and it all gets on top of you.

Next stop, redrafting 3 sock patterns and prepping for market day!

Recovering from THE SHOW

Recovering from 2 days at the Royal Adelaide show, where I hung out with the Adelaide Festival Centre and sold my recycled wool bags as a member of the Festival Centre Market. If you haven't been, check us out - 10am to 4pm every Sunday. Free live music, a good coffee bar... It's all good.

Make sure you check out the SACSOS booth at the show as well as the Adelaide Handspinners and Weavers in the Old Ram shed.

Got my Kenteco tea showbag, which rocks. Check them out.

I'm slow on my monkey socks - had to prep for the Royal Show and had good sales last weekend, so stock is low. Monkey BUDDY! I promise I will be on time.

In between working on 3 new patterns and the Market, I've been to Emma's Tupperware party. Very kewl. Check out Knitting By Zen for much yarny goodness.

Gearing up for summer - recycled and ecofibres on the menu, so stay tuned.

birthday cake hangover

Recovering from birthday lunch with knitpals. Gifts included gorgeous mohair, yummy Heirloom alpaca, and handdyed loveliness from Emma for a new pattern. YAY!

My friend Eleanor makes an awesome french lemon tart. Ooooooooooooooh.

Also recovering from a mad trip into the Adelaide Hills to peruse the woolly goodness to be had at the annual South Australian Coloured Sheep Association's annual wool and fleece fair in Mt. Pleasant. Stocked up on Bennett and Gregor, SABLE, and some beautiful Susie Horne handdyed Finnish sheep yarn.

Back to the felted bag I'm working on for my market Sunday.

Mel

You've got that blogging feeling...

Welcome to my ozblog. Thanks for visiting.

Now that I've dipped my toe into the blogpond, I figure I might as well just dive in, so I'm going for it:

My FIRST BLOGSWAP (or whatever it's called):

Since my husband is always calling me sock monkey, I thought it would be appropriate to join the MONKEY SOCK SWAP!

That's right! Check out the monkey sock swap - signups are until Aug 31st, 2007.

Monkey SOCK 3 Questionnaire:

The basics:
Do you consider yourself a beginning sock knitter, an intermediate, or have you been doing this so long you could probably knit a pair in your sleep?

Definitely a Sock-Monkey-in-my-sleep-er.

The measurements:
Shoe Size: US7
Foot circumference: 8 inches
Foot length: 9.5 inches

Yarn Preferences:
What colors do you love?
Bright colours, especially oranges, purples... Love northern hemisphere autumn colours.

Do you prefer solids or variegated?
Variegated

Do you prefer wool, cotton or acrylic yarn?
Wool of course

What colors would you never wear?
Yellows and kelly green

What are your favorite brands of yarn?
Knitting by Zen, Hillcountry Yarns, Interlacements

Are there any new brands you would like to try?
Anything indie handdyed - support your local yarn artists!

Cookie A. Patterns:
Which of her patterns have you already knit?
I'm a Cookie A. newbie.

Which pattern(s) would you like to knit and don’t already own?
Whatever my sock monkey buddy recommends.

Other pertinent information:

Would you be willing to have an international Monkey Pal or do you prefer one in the US?
International.

Do you have any allergies?
No

Will your knitting be exposed to smoke or animals?
No smoking. I have a GAWJUS dog named Lyta.

Are you on Ravelry yet? If you don’t mind having new friends, what is your Ravelry name?
Nup.