Easter Hunt and FO report

FO report and some gorgeous photos from Rockleigh on Ravelry:

A huge thanks to everyone who came by on Sunday – some to pick up club packs and show their FO's.

Alison showed off her magnificent BHM! Tofutsies socks – they are so fab and I am very jealous of her feet. The pair I've got are for shop samples and I can't wear 'em! She wore hers with a cool pair of Mary Janes to show off the lacy bit on the foot. GAWJUS!

A big hello to Raph, who's crocheting his way around a magnificent pair of house shoes, crocheted in SIOz hemp and wool in the recycled green. I'm really looking forward to seeing them as they develop and sharing a photo or two. There is nothing like this yarn – with its strength from the hemp (60%) with the wool, which takes the colour. Combined together they make an earthy tweedy handspun that is inspiring to work with. Raph recommends the 4mm crochet hook for that yarn.

Kaz stopped by with some handspun merino/lyocell in a mix of Woodland Creatures and the Garden mix. She's knitting a 2-ply version of the SIOz Milk Can bag in her beautiful handspun. It looks and feels amazing.

Thanks to Adrienne, who emailed with a query for the new club sock pattern, the Woodland Creatures sock – she's off and running now and if you knitters have a query, please feel free to contact me. I will try to update the site with comments this week, but it's a very crammed schedule I must admit.

And here are Rockleigh's mitts! She was the recipient of some Stranded In Oz ltd edition cashmere/merino dk (50/50) luxury blend. I ran some special Bendigo Sheep and Wool Show lots last year and she snarfled up the FREE pack that was the Ravelry Door Prize at the Saturday Brekkie. Aren't her mitts knitted beautifully? The colourway is Martha Stewart's Vegetable Garden.

Speaking of cashmere and spinning and all things SIOz, check out the SIOz shopblog for the update on the Easter Hunt 2011. This weekend, along with the annual 'egg' hunt, SIOz is having a special on hp cashmere yarn, just in time to make a quick Mother's Day giftie. :-)

Back to the deadlines, Melissa

It's a Club Day today!

Merino 3 Premium 200gm hanks from Stranded In Oz

Whew! It feels really great when the club packs go out. Bye bye yarn and fibre! Go to your happy new homes. Given next week is a holiday week (mega) I figured it would be wise to send out the packs 1 day ahead of schedule. Some will arrive at their destinations tomorrow -- others on Monday, of course depending on the distance it must travel. I will post photos once the packs have been received. No spoilers.

That out of the way, it's a further WHEW now that I now my latest overseas design arrived safely at its destination. No peeking, sorry, as it isn't published yet. All I can say is it's an heirloom shawl project in one of my favourite yarns. :). I am rather sad I had to part with it. *sniffle*

For shoppers, there are new yarns to go up at the online shop and some already there. Temptation photos:

Merino Laceweight 100gm hanks in Winter Floral Red
(it's a wicked, bluebloody red~)

Merino 10 Premium Winter Floral Pinks Purples II 100gm hanks from Stranded In Oz

I was in a florally mood last time I painted. I feel some greens coming on... and more Robin Hood Colours. Hmmmm.

Also, just arrived are the re- and expanded stocks of Riveting, the recycled blue jeans yarn. This has distracted me to NO END today, as I face another deadline project. My reward for finishing is a new garment in Lava Riveting.

For updates regarding SIOz at the Market and online, check out the shopblog, which I will update shortly. Included will be more information regarding the now ANNUAL Stranded In Oz Easter Egg Hunted (well, it's actually hunting for mini-hanks of wool that contain prize or discount vouchers).

Beanie Redux

Right, so husband Richard wanted a red beanie for his birthday. And he got a lovely knitted beanie in Kollage Fantastic Vixen Red. But... the beanie isn't long enough round the ears. It needs to be more 'ribby' -- *heavy sigh*. To avoid hearing him whinge, I am now working on beanie 2, this time all ribbed, in a hand-painted version.

The first beanie is quite wearable thank you very much.

Along with the knitting in progress for show season, I've been updating the shop stocks and sampling new yarns for the next year. The heavy wool teases me with its warmth while I must focus on knitting in bamboo, soy and cotton for the warm weather to come. But no matter, as it's all GOOD.

Here are the new colours from the SIOz club subs/June:

one-hank happiness wool/lyocel in Monet blue - beanie project


spindler's winter blues handspun beanie

Poochini is crying that she is wasting away --- hungry hungry hungry doggie. Must feed pup.
CU at the Port Markets or Brighton Organic and Healthy Living 2nd and 4th Thurs.

New Lots for Easter Weekend

New dyelots for Easter Weekend.

The Port Markets are open both Sunday and Monday 9-5, so come on by to see and feel the latest SIOz fibres, yarns, and designs. If you see something online you would like to pick up at the market, just email me so I don't sell out.

There will be unadvertised specials for folks who make the effort to get to the Port Markets this weekend. And those of you who've come by previously for stash sales days know, it's worth it! 

Each dyelot is 1 kilo of mixed fibres:

McLaren Vale (vineyard colourway) -- 2 different 2plys (cuz you asked, thanks!), 4ply superwash, and a lovely bunch of skeins in alpaca 8ply. 

Betty's Yarn (husband says it looks like mermaids) in 2ply, soy ribbon, 4ply superwash, and a new test run of an alpaca/cashmere/wool blend.  The a/c/w is put up in 25gm lots and is soft as a baby's botty.  Betty is less beachy than Semaphore (my beach/ocean colourway) and features greys and deeper greens.

Also, serendipity skeins in semi-solid purples and reds reds reds.

Serendipity RUN of V's colour -- browns, gold, and greys. It's a killer. There are some hanks of 10ply/aran weight Australian wool (100gm/$22.00AU) and Nepalese Handspun wool singles (100gm/$20.00AU) in that dye run.

browns/greys/golds shown in Soysilk Top $15.00AU per 100gm

Hope the Easter Bunny brings choccy to you! CU at the Port. m