Hello Again!
What a whirlwind tour! I just arrived home from Stitches, and it was fantastic! The
Alpaca Bulky sweater that I was working on at the show is coming along nicely now I that I remembered that it needed a button band. The fiber content is 65% Wool / 35% Fine Alpaca, with 8 oz / 370 yds. It is a great warm bulky yarn for a variety of projects. I put up
12 skeins. If it sells well or I receive requests for it, I can get more.
At the fashion show, Knitter's magazine entered the
Alpaca Bulky Coat, you can make this coat with between 4 and 6 skeins of the alpaca bulky yarn and I will be bringing several matched sets of the dyed yarn to Stitches East as well. The pattern is in the fall issue of Knitter's. This yarn is very easy to dye. If you dye it yourself, I would recommend dyeing it in semi-solids to highlight the pattern work in this coat. I am using 3 skeins and a free sweater pattern I found on
Ravelry to make my super simple sweater (pictured above). I dyed it in "colorways" since I am not using any pattern stitch.
I have updated my dyes web page so that you can get an idea about what the colors will look like when they are dyed. The yarn samples are Supersock DK and the dyes are mixed at "full strength". Currently I showing 20 of my 37 colors, I will put the rest up when I get a chance.
I will have these samples available for you to see and touch at Stitches East as well. People seemed to enjoy being able to see the colors in person. Raspberry became my new best selling color (though kiwi and Iris were a close second).
In other blanks news, I debuted my Supersock Select at the show and it sold out the first 2 days! The select means that the wool comes from only the best low micron count merino fleeces. Low micron refers to the kinks in the wool and the lower the count, the finer and softer the wool. It means the wool can be spun more tightly and thus wears well too. I have other customers tell me that they think the colors are better and cleaner. I find it is easier to dye, personally. So on that note I went looking for some more. I am getting 40 each of the
Sockittome Select (80% Select Superwash Merino/ 20% Nylon- fingering weight) and the
Supersock DK (100% Superwash Merino- DK weight). I don't think I will be getting anymore so the Supersock (fingering weight) Select in this year, only 50 kgs are made at a time. Cheryl (at Cherry Tree Hill) usually has the entire allotment sold before it gets to her. You will want to get these select yarns while they are still available.
I have over 30 pounds of high quality merino roving
IN STOCK and ready to ship as well. I will post the next set of blanks in the next week or so.
You can expect to see two new Silk and Mohair blends: 54% mohair/ 23% silk and 18% wool with a nylon binder. One is a boucle: 8 oz / 422 yds, the other is stranded:4 oz / 322 yds, and both with be offered at $16. The boucle is shown in the pictures, as you can see the silk gives it a wonderful sheen. I will be bringing it dyed to Stitches East as well.
I am going to have some pattern support for many of my yarns as well. I am doing a sock pattern for the Supersock/ Louet Gems/ Kraemer Jeannie/ Supersock DK. Also a hat and scarf set for the boucle and possibly a drapey sweater for the stranded version. You can buy your own blanks and dye them for the pattens or just buy an indie dyed one at the show. Either way I am sure the colors will be fabulous! These will make great gifts to your knitting friends, yarns you dyed your self, along with a pattern for the yarn.
Well, we enjoyed Stitches Midwest and we are looking forward to Stitches East. We hope you enjoy the new blanks. On another note I am looking for some more indie dyed yarns to take to Stitches and to the Ally Pally show in London. Please email if you are interested.
Happy Knitting and Dyeing!
:)
Jenna
Indie Dyer
