Ethereal and Faery wings

OK, NOTHING ABSOLUTELY NOTHING makes me happier than yarn, not even chocolate cake and tea.

I am always on the look out for new yarns, its Marie's fault, she used to bring me gorgeous yarns from her trips abroad, and I used to get frustrated because I wanted them, most of them are still impossible to get hold of for dyeing, but I take every opportunity to try! Of course its for you guys so you can knit with the best ;)

Anyway, I finally managed to break into the realms of something a little special, and I am hoping of more of this to come as well.

So yesterday two gorgeous yarns I have been after forever arrived in the workshop and I got dyeing immediately.

The first is Ethereal, its 65% CASHMERE 35% Silk, and its stunningly gorgeous. I have put it into 50gm hanks for now, its a 4ply weight and its 12.00 per 50gms. It is expensive, HOWEVER its spun to a phenomenally high standard in Europe and not in china and I would rather pay more and be happy, the result is also a yarn which is quite honestly amazing. I reckon 100gms will easily make a gorgeous little shawl, such as Ysolda's Ishbel.

here is some...

 

The picture isn't the best because I am not at home with my light box, this colour is imps in the glade, which is on the new arrival pages.

The second yarn is also spun in Europe, this is at the moment called Faery wings, BUT I will do a competition next week to change it, its a cute name, but not quite there. It is similar to Art yarns Silk rhapsody, but a million times more affordable, lol!

Its a singles pure silk yarn with a soft kid mohair lightly wound around it, so there is softness shine and warmth all on one hank. Its 350m per 100gms, so a hank will do a scarf easily, and its 16 pounds.

The yarn takes the colours in a most wonderful way, I didn't expect it to...

I can feel a little cardi or drapy v neck coming on. I suspect needles sizes wil make the fabric very different so today I shal swatch my little heart out for this, and Ethereal.

Both these yarns are available on the new arrivals page

Oh and I will announce the new clubs on Tuesday and the days they go on sale. They will be available for a limited time only as I won't be doing rolling sign ups any more, but they will be special :) xxxxxx

Shop update - a little early this week

OK, as I am traveling up to Scotland tomorrow, I am doing the shop update today, but it'll be sporadic because things are still drying.

I am HOPING the new ETHEREAL cashmere silk fingering weight will arrive, and we can get some wound and dyed for today, I also think we will do a naming competition for the other new yarn, its silk with a thin mohair wrap extremely gorgeous!!!!!! I will photograph it and best name wins a hank :)

Right I am flying high today, in very good spirits. xxx

K1 at the weekend

Its a little crazy round here, and I have no heating so its too cold to type, so this will be short and sweet!!!!

I am at the k1 shop in Glasgow on Saturday, and EDINBURGH on the Sunday doing a trunk show, I absolutely cannot wait. I hope to see some of you guys there!!!!!! Leave me a comment if you are coming.

I might have a new helper....one that might even help with dyeing ;) how good is that????

So today I have to finish off two massive wholesale orders and get dyeing for the update and the weekend, no small task really.

I am feeling my design mojo coming back.........I got the most gorgeous lime green sheilas aran which is calling me to make a jumper/cardi.....

yay!!!

xx

Tomorrows shop update

There has been some serious dyeing around here. Some massive wholesale orders all over the world (makes me very proud) hehe.

But it means that we have a cracker of an update for tomorrow, llots and lots of hand painted yarns and semisolids, sparkle sock, scrumptious 4ply, plenty of lace, the new scrumptious aran, and the new Sheila's aran - this is the first week for the appearance Sheila's aran. I have an absolute obsession with the twist in yarn, I pay ridiculous attention to it, and so I  asked for this aran to have the same twist as Sheila's sock yarn, its not exactly the same, as the twist seems just more relaxed, it has a gorgeous softness, I am absolutely LOVING it, I really want to make something from it, argh!! I need to get designing in the Scrumptious aran too!!! Maybe this weekend, I have already swatched, and I just need some inspiration now.

This is not the end of the new yarns though I am shifting to lots of new bases in the next few months, because I want to diversify a bit. I have 2 new yarns coming, a stunning cashmere silk yarn which is a fingering/4ply weight, too soft for socks but PERFECT for fingering weight shawls, or garments. This yarn is going to be called Ethereal, and trust me it lives up to its name, fingers crossed I will have it ready for next Fridays update. The second yarn is one I have been after for about 3 years, and I haven't been able to get it because the places I normally get stuff spun doesn't have mohair, BUT I got it finally found it, and its very special.

Ok, more soon on those

See you tomorrow for the update xxx

Mid week catch up....

Monday with Sarah and Ysolda was fab, we talked and talked and talked, I really enjoyed it, and we are lots of cakes and curry, hehe! As usual I forgot to take photo's!!! Sorry :(

Thanks to those too who popped in too :)

I am dyeing loads for the update and for wholesale so the shop should be restocked Friday, my shelves are needing an injection of SPARKLE and scrumptious 4ply and aran, its diminishing like there is no tomorrow, nice problem to have huh?

Although I generally don't take custom orders asuch, I do print of a list of colour requests each week from emails and use them as a guide, so please feel free to suggest colours if you like them, it gets me out of my comfort zone, hehe.

Ok, back to work, its been crazy, I had the insurance people out last week for the unit, and so I have had lots of work done this week making the electrics safe to use with the vats, and I have a ventilation specialist coming this afternoon to figure out something special for all the dyeing fumes etc, I was ok when I used to dye outside, but now I am indoors I need to have proper extraction systems in place, especially if I am going to run  dyeing classes from here.

Which reminds me, would anybody be up for coming to a dyeing class here in the future??

OHHH and last thing, there is something odd going on with my oostage in the shop, if you order up to 400gms its fine, but over that its going to 10, I have checked all the tables but I can't figure it out, but I have asked the webguys to take a look at it so it should be fixed by today, however, if you want to order more before then, I will refund the postage for you immediately.

xxxx

Ysolda's visit time update..

Ok update for Monday

Unit will be open from 1pm - 5pm for visitors to come for Ysolda's book signing!

It might be a bit nippy, so please make sure you have jumpers...

xxxxx

Ysolda - monday the 16th

Ok, Ysolda is coming to sign books here on Monday, she has put the time from 3 - 5, BUT I am going to see if we can make it and earlier start for those with children to get home to, I will update the details here as soon as I can please see this post for directions;. There will be cake and tea, please bring warm things to wear, because sometimes it can get a bit chilly in here.

OK the update for tomorrow is AWESOME I have sparkle, and LOTS OF IT, I also have a new scrumptious aran yarn, which is AMAZING, its so soft and shiny, and it takes the dye so beautifully. There is also plenty of 4ply, and sock yarns. As usual I will start updating in the morning and go through out the day.

xxxx

Sparkle here and sparkle there and Ysolda is coming monday....

The Woolfish fest was really fun, I love staying at Louises B and B.

I was next to Jammam, opposite Nat, saw Ysolda and Trudi, it was really nice to catch up with peeps, I will do it again for sure.

Things are as usual crazy mad, but in a good way, I am feeling very energetic and excited, so its all good.

AND

guess whats back in stock for Fridays update.....

Yup, you guessed, its sparkle sock.

Let me know in the comments if you are after semisolids, or multicoloured and quantities.....

Ok, and very importantly, Ysolda is coming to do a book signning in the unit on Monday afternoon for her new book, so if you want to come and hang out and get a book signed, please feel free, as usual, its nice to have an idea who is coming....

xxxxxx

A little coffee break treat....regretsy...

OK, I don't do as much surfing as I should, but I love twitter for getting me out there more sometimes, and thats where I found this website.

If you love etsy, sarcasm, irony, or just want to laugh your little socks off please take a look at Regretsy,

BUT WARNING, DON'T TAKE A GULP OF COFFEE UNTIL YOU PAUSE IMBETWEEN POSTS, OR YOUR KEYBOARD WILL BE SPRAYED.....

upcoming gigs....

Ok, I thought I had better post here if the next lot of Fyberspates gigs.

Starting with this weekend at Woolfish in Scotland the Wool festival on Saturday, its in St abbs, a lovely setting!!!

Also, next up Ysolda is coming to my unit to do a book signing for her new book Whimsical Little knits 2, on Monday afternoon the 16th of November so its really not long at all.....that should be lots of fun...so the unit will be open again, and YES THERE WILL BE CAKE. hehehe, I am sure I can convince my mum to make some more!

Then on the 28/29th of Nov I will be in Glasgow and Edinburgh for a K1 trunk show, 

Then we are done for this year, but the workshop is now open for visits if you would like to come and shop in person. We have sofa's, tea and coffee and chocolate biscuits, oh and oddles of well lush yarns!!

Its open from Monday to Friday from 10.30am to 3.30, but you really need to let me know if you are coming just incase for some reason I am not here, I generally am though. I am also thinking about opening a Saturday a month, which might be combined with a spinning thing too.

:) happy knitting xx

What a success!!

Aw, the open day was awesome, I was so nervous, I guess because Dr wool (he has been upgraded from Mr to Doc cause we all think when he comes to yarn making no one knows more) and Karen couldn't come I was more nervous than normal, BUT my family were so awesome, my mum made fudge cake, ginger bread men, fairy cakes with sparkles, and all sorts, it was soooo lovely, and my dad and my uncle were on the gate, (I do have some funny photos of them with hats on, but not until wed).

It was sooooo lush that people came to visit and drove from lots of places, I was really overwhelmed by peoples effort. I LOVE meeting my customers, and there are quite a few of them I consider my freinds, so thanks loads and loads and loads. And Pete, Anna (my lodgers) and Sole came all the way from Cardiff!!

I do have some photo's but I never asked anyone permission if it was ok to post them here, BUT I do have a little photo of  Anna, Pete and Sole, its a little blurry, before this weekend, they had never met each other but, I KNEW they would hit it off, and they did, and well, I can see some great tapas parties ahead.

 

Oh and Jo came with the gorgeous little ones, it was so so so so fab to see her thanks jo :) xx