Been yarn shopping again.............

OK so maybe I have got a problem. Maybe it's Yarn addiction. But like any addict I am just drawn to those situations that give me increased exposure.
So yesterday afternoon I popped on the train to Putney and then changed to a bus to get to Fulham to descend upon the 'Open House' being hosted in the name of Debonnaire (Erica Downs).
I first met Erica last year at the Colet Court christmas fayre where she had a stand of lovely lucious yarns, needles and knitting kits to name but a few items and where I humbly had a much smaller stall / table selling a few handknitted items, mostly ipod socks to pay for my yarn habbit.
Anyway I made a number of purchases yesterday (as if I don't already have enough in my stash). There were some lovely yarns in some really delicious colours. I actually bought some shades I wouldn't normally buy but some how they just called to me.
So here is the selection - some already with projects in mind and some just to admire the colours or texture until a suitable idea comes to mind.




This little lot should keep me busy for a while anyway. Potential projects so far include, scarves, fingerless mittens, a beret and a child's shrug. Can you match which yarn is for which project and which are for me and which are to give away?

I also have to say I am really looking forward to knitting with the Malabrigo as it is so soft, I would never normally pick up a colour like this but the black / very dark navy really appealed to me, especially the variation in the shade throughout the yarn.

A Skirt full of Yarn...............................

Here is my lovely new skirt from Fat face. I love the colours but wanted some accessories and a little shrug to go with it and the tops that I bought (especially as the tops weren't that insiring).
Yarn one.....

Yarn two...

Luckily the Saturday was SnB day so I bought yarn one from the lovely Jenny at Fibrespates and yarn two was already in my stash (a little christmas present last year just waiting for a specail occaision).
Yarn one is going to be a little shrug but as I only bought two skeins (100grms each ) but with a reasonable yardage finding a pattern was going to be a bit of a challenge. I couldn't find anything I really liked without the worry of running out of yarn so I have opted to design my own. I have quite enjoyed the little lace pattern that I have been doing on my socks so I have decided to use that. It is repeated over 8sts so quite easy to follow. I knitted up samlples on both 4mm and then 5mm needles. I think a prefer the 5mm sample as the stitches are more open and it has a fairly good drape to it.
4mm sample

5mm sample


With the stashed yarn I only had one skein available...

.....I decided to go for accessories. I thought I might just get a skinny scarf out of the skien if I was lucky. I used the pattern of the misty alpaca site for their Ribs and Ruffles scarf. Click here and you can download the pattern for free from their site. I adapted it and opted for just 13sts.
Here is the finished article which picks up the colours of the skirt rather well I think.


Other yarn also destined for articles of lovelyness to be worn with this skirt....



I do have a few patterns in mind for these.
For the Debbie Bliss - a collinette Banyan pattern
For the alpaca - Chrysalis by Jean Moss and also Cables and Chains Wrap Jacket from Knit on the net.

So what can I knit with this lovely yarn..........

So what can I knit with this lovely yarn. I aquired the skein of Sari silk (Mango moon) at a recent trip to a Craft Fayre in Henley on Thames. On my return home I remembered that somewhere buried in my stash was a skein that I had bid for on ebay and I thought the colours maybe similar and enough of it to compliment those in the sari silk. I think I am right in thinking that the two go rather well together. The big dilema is what to knit with them now to show off both their beautiful colours and their complimentary textures, even though they are both a silk.

There is approx 170grms (150 yards) of the Sari silk and a further 50 grms (87 metres) of the Noro blossom.

I really want a project other than a scarf if I can possibly find a suitable one.

Well despite all my efforts I didn't quite finish the laceweight silk wrap. But I have now managed a good 48" which isn't bad really. I haven't picked up the needles since Sunday evening due to work load but I am hoping to get at least an hour in this evening although I have started another project from my simply knitting magazine that hit the mat on Saturday morning. More about that in my next post.

The other bit of dyeing

This is the Kool aid colour chart I used to help me.

In my earlier blog I showed some rather lurid, neon green hand dyed wool created using my kit purchased from D and T craft. But that was not the only dyeing that I did that Eurovision evening. I have now downloaded the photos of what was actually my very first attempt. I have to say I am rather pleased with the result and the colours are more 'me' than the neon green. The only problem now is what to knit with it now I have got it.
There is 50g of lovely double knitting wool to be made into something special - oh and not a hat! Nothing against hats but I want something a bit more exclusive. I want something that will show off the blends of the colours.

So any ideas anyone?