Continuing on the topic of using real wool from another recent post, I wanted to point out an exciting trend of going “back to wool” that I’ve noticed in my web travels. And I don’t mean just knitting with it, I mean interest in the whole process, from farm to shearer to spindle to needle.
1) Clara Parkes of Knitter’s Review recently accounced her Great White Bale project.
2) Juniper Moon’s The Shepherd and The Shearer
3) Kate Davies‘ love of Jamieson & Smith Real Shetland Wool.
If I had more disposable income, I’d be all over all of these.
Instead, I’ve made a slightly smaller splurge and bought Parkes’ book The Knitter’s Book of Yarn
It’s a delightful doorstop of a book, with lots of info on fibre types and sources, how it’s made, plying, and what each yarn is best used for. To illustrate the latter over 38 patterns are featured, which includes gorgeousness such as this:
I was also coveting her The Knitter’s Book of Wool:
It is equally as gorgeous, and perhaps even more detailed since it goes into great depth on sheep breeds and their wools. But since I don’t use wool exclusively (and since my budget and bookshelf can only take so many new acquisitions), the more general overview in The Knitter’s Book of Yarn won out.
Speaking of great depths, Penny Walsh’s The Yarn Book, a part of the University of Pennsylvania Press’ Textile Arts series, is brimming with all of the technical information you’ll ever need.
Baaaa
I’m also excited about…
I’m on the organizing committee for Pucks n’ Purls this year. This is our second year and we’re continuing to grow. Over 200 seats sold so far! Hockey (a Canadian tradition), ice skating (likewise), and so many prizes to win, donated by some awesome companies, designers, and local yarn stores. Just look at all of the names on this list:
Knit-O-Matic, Lettuce Knit, Old Mill Knitting, Estelle, Michelle Porter, Creative Yarns, Denise Powell, Indigodragonfly, Tanis Fiber Arts, Wool & Wicker, Linda’s Craftique, Soak, Westminster Fibers, and Fiona Ellis.
One of the prizes is temporarily living in my house until game day. So much temptation…
And now I’m finally going to share what I made for the holidays.
TravelWees (such a cute idea) for my neices.
This was the first time I’ve sewn in a while. Luckily, it doesn’t look like I forgot how. I also made my nieces each a necklace, as well as another type of necklace for my stepmom and a brooch for my Grandma.
And a holiday recap isn’t complete without mention of my awesome present:
Voilà my Pandora braclet. I’ve slowly started collecting charms, and was dismayed to find there is no knitting related one. I found this delightful yarn basket charm on eBay. It’s not official Pandora, but it fits, it’s .925 silver and it’s knitting!
I leave you with some snow-filled photos of my New Years spent up north.
Cnyttende Textiles 