The green/blue yarn is a super yummy hand spun by Vickevira – it's a blend
of BFL, baby alpaca and Tussah silk. That says it all, doesn't it?
Monday, October 28, 2013
Dreamforest
I have finished my Dreamforest (Dreambird) shawl and I'm very happy with it!
The green/blue yarn is a super yummy hand spun by Vickevira – it's a blend
of BFL, baby alpaca and Tussah silk. That says it all, doesn't it?
The green/blue yarn is a super yummy hand spun by Vickevira – it's a blend
of BFL, baby alpaca and Tussah silk. That says it all, doesn't it?
Wednesday, October 16, 2013
Market updates
Blogger is glitching and it's not possible to update my market list
to the right. It’s a known problem and I hope they will sort it soon.
In the meantime, here is a list of where you can find me before Christmas:
Matakana Indie Market
Sunday 27 October, 9.30-2.30
Devonport Craft Market
Sunday 3 November, 10-3
Michael Park School Fair
Saturday 9 November, 9.30–3.30
Michael Park School, 55 Amy St, Ellerslie
Devonport Craft Market
Sunday 17 November, 10-3
Titirangi Village Market
Sunday 24 November, 10–2
Auckland Art & Craft Fair
Saturday 30 November, 11-3
Titirangi Village Market
Sunday 8 December, 10–2
There might be one or two more coming, but I will keep you posted.
Sunday, September 1, 2013
Happy-go-crochet
Haha, no, I will stick to my brand name but I have finally learned how to crochet and I'm really enjoying it!
I have always struggled with crochet... After sooo many years of knitting I couldn't get my head around how to hold the hook and use my hands – they just wanted to knit!
But at KAN last weekend (oh btw it was brilliant! If you live in NZ you should go next year!) I took a class in crochet for beginners and this week I have done quite a bit of practicing.
I started with just practicing the stitches. And yes, it's a bit wiggly and askew but that's ok!
Then I moved on to 'ripple'. Lucy at Attic24 has got a very good pattern if you would like to give it a try.
I love Lucy's rainbow blanket and would love to make one but will try to be sensible and start out with a cushion. I'm thinking the red, orange and hot pink shades of my cotton yarn would look great!
I have always struggled with crochet... After sooo many years of knitting I couldn't get my head around how to hold the hook and use my hands – they just wanted to knit!
But at KAN last weekend (oh btw it was brilliant! If you live in NZ you should go next year!) I took a class in crochet for beginners and this week I have done quite a bit of practicing.
I started with just practicing the stitches. And yes, it's a bit wiggly and askew but that's ok!
Then I moved on to 'ripple'. Lucy at Attic24 has got a very good pattern if you would like to give it a try.
I love Lucy's rainbow blanket and would love to make one but will try to be sensible and start out with a cushion. I'm thinking the red, orange and hot pink shades of my cotton yarn would look great!
And one day I WILL make a blanket with all my cotton shades!
Wednesday, August 21, 2013
The Blue Dreambird
I have finished my blue Dreambird shawl and I’m so pleased with it!
It’s knitted with my hand-dyed 4ply merino/silk/nylon.
I like the feel of it, it’s quite firm and it's got a nice weight to it.
I LOVE my new shawl!
It’s knitted with my hand-dyed 4ply merino/silk/nylon.
I like the feel of it, it’s quite firm and it's got a nice weight to it.
I LOVE my new shawl!
Thursday, August 15, 2013
Happy-go-knitty Rainbow
I'm very pleased with the new Happy-go-knitty Rainbow range!
From left to right:
Variegated BFL
Self-striping BFL
Self-striping alpaca/merino
7 x 20g alpaca/merino
I'm going to KAN (Knit August Night) in Napier next Thursday for a 3 day long knitters retreat. The rainbow yarn I have got at the moment is for taking to KAN. Feedback on facebook on this yarn was amazing with lots of requests so I have started a booking list for the next dye lot. Feel free to contact me if you would like to pre-book some yarn. In the next dye lot I will probably make kits of BFL and alpaca/silk as well.
From left to right:
Variegated BFL
Self-striping BFL
Self-striping alpaca/merino
7 x 20g alpaca/merino
 | |
| Knitted samples of the self-striping rainbow yarn. BFL to the left, alpaca/merino to the right |
I'm going to KAN (Knit August Night) in Napier next Thursday for a 3 day long knitters retreat. The rainbow yarn I have got at the moment is for taking to KAN. Feedback on facebook on this yarn was amazing with lots of requests so I have started a booking list for the next dye lot. Feel free to contact me if you would like to pre-book some yarn. In the next dye lot I will probably make kits of BFL and alpaca/silk as well.
Friday, August 2, 2013
Rainbows!
Cute little skeins that will be packed into Rainbow kits.
7 x 20g of alpaca/merino goodness.
7 x 20g of alpaca/merino goodness.
Thursday, August 1, 2013
Alpaca sock yarn
I have started skeining all the alpaca/merino sock yarn from the post below. This yarn is so lovely!
Some typical Happy-go-knitty colours
And some a bit different. What do you reckon? Do you like them?
Some typical Happy-go-knitty colours
And some a bit different. What do you reckon? Do you like them?
Friday, July 26, 2013
Sunday, July 21, 2013
So how did it go?
I have started knitting my green and black Dreambird shawl. Knitting with
a hand-spun single thread yarn is very different to a commercially spun yarn.
It changes in thickness and the colour variations are much more random
and interesting.
The feeling of the shawl is also very different, it's much more airy and light.
The yarn doesn't fill as much as the merino/silk in my blue Dreambird so
the feathers come out thinner.
See how amazing the feathers look! No, they are not feathers, they are leaves.
I'm going to re-name this shawl 'Dream forest'!
You can see the variation of the yarn in these close-ups.
a hand-spun single thread yarn is very different to a commercially spun yarn.
It changes in thickness and the colour variations are much more random
and interesting.
The feeling of the shawl is also very different, it's much more airy and light.
The yarn doesn't fill as much as the merino/silk in my blue Dreambird so
the feathers come out thinner.
See how amazing the feathers look! No, they are not feathers, they are leaves.
I'm going to re-name this shawl 'Dream forest'!
You can see the variation of the yarn in these close-ups.
Friday, July 12, 2013
I'm so naughty...
When I decided to knit a Dreambird shawl I asked my sister MiA if she could dye and spin some green/blue yarn for me. She happily said yes! MiA spins some amazingly beautiful yarn. But for those of you who don't know, MiA lives in Sweden and dyeing, drying, spinning, skeining, shipping, well it just took so long and I could....not....wait...
That's why I dyed some of my base and started the blue Dreambird and – yay – it's coming out so beautifully!
And then THE YARN arrived! And it's just divine! It's a mix of 50% BFL wool, 25% baby alpaca and 25% Tussah silk. Say no more... It's soft and squishy and just stunning.
And now I can...not...wait...
I'm so naughty but I have to start...
I will combine it with a black alpaca from Kaipara farm outside Auckland. Now that the green yarn is wound into a ball, you can see that there will be interesting things happening to the feathers!
But I'm not giving up the blue Dreambird – oh no! I have knitted 10 feathers now and I love the way they shade. I'm just going to – you know – knit both at the same time!
That's why I dyed some of my base and started the blue Dreambird and – yay – it's coming out so beautifully!
And then THE YARN arrived! And it's just divine! It's a mix of 50% BFL wool, 25% baby alpaca and 25% Tussah silk. Say no more... It's soft and squishy and just stunning.
And now I can...not...wait...
I'm so naughty but I have to start...
I will combine it with a black alpaca from Kaipara farm outside Auckland. Now that the green yarn is wound into a ball, you can see that there will be interesting things happening to the feathers!
But I'm not giving up the blue Dreambird – oh no! I have knitted 10 feathers now and I love the way they shade. I'm just going to – you know – knit both at the same time!
Saturday, July 6, 2013
Progress
My Dreambird shawl is growing and I'm very pleased with the shading of the feathers!
I can recommend this pattern, the shawl is so much fun to knit! I just wish there were more hours in a day...
I can recommend this pattern, the shawl is so much fun to knit! I just wish there were more hours in a day...
Sunday, June 30, 2013
Blue Dreambird
Remember the beautiful Dreambird shawl my sister MiA sent me a month ago? I'm not really a shawl knitter myself but I am so fascinated by that beautiful shawl! I have never done any short row knitting before and decided it was time to make something new. I bought the pattern from Ravelry and knitted a test feather. It was much easier and even more fun than I had imagined so I decided to give it a go!
I dyed some merino/silk sock yarn in two denim blue shades – one darker, slightly variegated for the background and a lighter with a quite long gradient for the feathers. And then I started knitting.
I have just finished two feathers and funnily enough the lightest shade have ended up right in the middle of the feathers! I'm not sure how much it will move as I go, I just have to knit and see what happens.
The shift in colour in the feathers is not as noticeable as I had anticipated and I'm slightly worried that the shawl will not end up as exciting as I thought... Will a whole shawl like this look beautiful but boring...?
I'm also trying some new needles – Cubics from KnitPro. Yes, they are square and I have to say that I really like them!
I dyed some merino/silk sock yarn in two denim blue shades – one darker, slightly variegated for the background and a lighter with a quite long gradient for the feathers. And then I started knitting.
I have just finished two feathers and funnily enough the lightest shade have ended up right in the middle of the feathers! I'm not sure how much it will move as I go, I just have to knit and see what happens.
The shift in colour in the feathers is not as noticeable as I had anticipated and I'm slightly worried that the shawl will not end up as exciting as I thought... Will a whole shawl like this look beautiful but boring...?
I'm also trying some new needles – Cubics from KnitPro. Yes, they are square and I have to say that I really like them!
Sunday, June 23, 2013
Luscious lace weight
I have added lots more merino/silk lace weight to my felt shop.
Click the links below to check them all out.
Click the links below to check them all out.
Friday, June 14, 2013
Wednesday, June 12, 2013
Shop update
I have updated my felt shop with lots of yummy yarn!
BFL sock, merino/silk sock and merino/silk lace.
Semi-solid, variegated, self-striping and a few balls of colour changing.
Welcome!
BFL sock, merino/silk sock and merino/silk lace.
Semi-solid, variegated, self-striping and a few balls of colour changing.
Welcome!
Monday, June 3, 2013
Showcase
I'm running a showcase on facebook that will end tomorrow night.
Pop over and check it out if you like.
Pop over and check it out if you like.
Tuesday, May 21, 2013
I am so lucky!
I have an incredibly talented sister – MiA! She dyes and spins and crochets and knits and everything she makes comes out absolutely stunning!
A little while ago she posted pics of an amazing shawl she had knitted – the beautiful 'Dreambird'.
My jaw dropped when I found the shawl in my letterbox today. She has sent it as an early birthday present although my birthday is not until October! But it's getting cooler here in Auckland so I will start using it straight away.
Am I lucky or what! Thanks so much, MiA!
If you would like to make this beautiful shawl, MiA spins the perfect yarn for it and you can buy it in her etsy shop. The pattern can be found on ravelry.
Below are some skeins she's got available. Pop over and grab one before they disappear!
A little while ago she posted pics of an amazing shawl she had knitted – the beautiful 'Dreambird'.
My jaw dropped when I found the shawl in my letterbox today. She has sent it as an early birthday present although my birthday is not until October! But it's getting cooler here in Auckland so I will start using it straight away.
Am I lucky or what! Thanks so much, MiA!
If you would like to make this beautiful shawl, MiA spins the perfect yarn for it and you can buy it in her etsy shop. The pattern can be found on ravelry.
Below are some skeins she's got available. Pop over and grab one before they disappear!
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