First yarns for the year

Tags

100% merino, autumn, bamboo, bamboo knitting needles, crochet, handdyed, handmade, Handmake, Knitting, manos, manos del uruguay, manos silk blend, merino wool, natural yarns, nurturing fibres, silk blend, winter, yarns

It is a new year and I spoiled myself with a bit of yarny goodness.

The holidays are now a thing of the past and things are seemingly slowly beginning to return to normal.

Our weather has become much more bearable, and we have had a bit of rain as well.  This meant more knitting and crafting time.  And with that said, it means only a few more months before we start thinking about winter again.  So that meant a bit of yarn as well.  One never knows when you need something from the stash.  🙂

Carle from Nurturing Fibres always has the most stunning colourways, and I simply could not resist her latest, in Satchel and Shipwreck. Her hand dyed yarns are really beautiful, and they knit so well and quickly.

And who can resist Manos Del Uruguay!  I absolutely adore this yarn, and the merino and silk blend of these are super soft.  They knit and wear so well, and are comfy and warm all day.  These are imported into SA by Gina from Natural Yarns.

These are not really meant for me to knit with, I just loved them to much to not order a set.  Pretty bamboo knitting needles finished with a soft shiny pink bead.

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It is a new year, welcome 2016!

Tags

baable hat, Books and gifts, crochet, daughter, handmade, Handmake, Happy Holidays, Hats, Knitting, lace knitting, Little black Dog, mohair, scarf, socks, speckled yarn, yarndye, yarns

It is 2016!  A New Year!  How quickly the holidays have gone.  Thankfully I had a good break and a typical warm and sunny Festive Season here in South Africa. The most exciting thing that happened was probably Miekie having to have some of her teeth out on New Years Eve.  She recovered super fine, and is enjoying all the attention and great food and treats.

I intended to just rest and do as little as possible, but that will never happen.  🙂  I can not sit idly and let my hands do “nothing”.

So I did do a bit of this and that.  I decided I need a little splash of soft colour for my home, and worked on these three canvases.  I did the basics and some background, but I am not done yet.  They still need a bit of finishing off.  I have some pretty bronze paint to still add to them.

Thanks to AndreSueKnits and her lovely podcasts, I got totally inspired to also dye “Speckled Yarn”.  She made it look so easy and I could not wait.  These are done using food colouring, and I had lots of fun, despite having “speckles” all over myself as well in the end.  🙂

I did knit and crochet during the holidays, but only on small projects that I could take with me while on vacation.  I had been wanting to make colourful and summery coasters for glasses or mugs, and decided on these.  I also knitted the Baable Hat (Pattern by Donna Smith) This is a super pattern that I knitted up so fast.  My daughter promptly asked for one as well, so I knitted another.

Currently I am still working on my winter blanket, but since we have been having a pretty warm summer with heatwave warnings, the knitting had been few.  I am working on a pair of socks in Silverspun yarn from the Feel Good Yarn Company. This yarn has the perfect name, and I know they will be perfect gifts.  (for my daughter again)

And I am knitting with super soft Mohair from Istanbul, that my LYS had stock off, making myself a Smocked Lace Scarf.  The pattern is by Veronik Avery and is featured in the book “Knitting 24/7” that I was gifted.

And that is how my year ended and the new one started.

I wish you all a Wonderful and Fantastic 2016!  May it be an Awesome Year for us all.

Happy Crafting!

#Stitching Santa Reveals

Tags

crochet, Gifts, goodies, handmade, Handmake, kidsilk, Knitting, lace yarn, local crochet cottons, mohair, stitching santa, swaps

Before I start the new year, 2016, I just want to pop back to 2015 for a brief moment.

During the Holidays, the #Stitching Santa Swap took place.  I got to send a package to Sewchet, what a fabulous time I had putting her package together, and trying to include goodies that are local yet still to be loved in a far away country.  As all the packages had now made their way, I can show you a bit more.

These are the items I included into Sewchet’s package.

A cute pincushion, a magnet to show off our beautiful sunsets, local crochet cottons and hooks.

A little wooden angel, handcrafted from recycled materials, some of my favourite sweets, and I found these 2 stunning teacloths, from India, that I added a little crochet border to.

I could not resist the big red bag, I have some of them as well, in other colours too.  They are so versatile for market days and storage. And a few other goodies, sewing needles and local printed ribbon.

But I must tell you about the HUGE surprise I got a few days before Christmas.  My Stitching Santa package arrived just in time for Christmas.  I did open the package, but not the gifts inside, and put them under the tree until Christmas eve, which is the day we normally open gifts.

I, actually myself and my doggie, got gifts and goodies from the very kind and dear Mollie and Claire.  I was totally surprised and completely loved all of it.  I have been following Claire and Mollie for a while, and I absolutely love her blog, as I get to see her part of the world, and what she and Mollie and her family and friends get up to.  I have never been to Britain, and get to see parts of it this way.

We were totally spoiled.

A package for Miekie and lots for me.

I got an Owlie project bag, that is ready for use already.  Beautiful, gorgeously soft green lace yarn, and soft grey kidsilk mohair that Claire gifted me from her stash, so beautiful.  Also the cutest buttons, sock needles that is so pretty and colourful, which I don’t have.  Yummy chocolates, that survived the postal delivery and was enjoyed by all, and two cutest ever coasters, that is now on my desk at the office to keep it cheerful all year round.

Miekie loves her treats, and are spoiled with a treat or a snack each time she was a good girl.

Thank you Claire, and Mollie, for your most lovely Santa Package and making our holidays such a very special one.

 

ps:  Miekie (the little black dog) had 7 teeth out on New Years Eve, and are currently wishing for her treats, but as she has stitches, I am saving some for a bit later, as soon as she is healed up a bit. Here she is at the vet, hours after the surgery, that went very well.  Thank you to all the staff and surgeons at Park Vet Sunward Park that took such good care of her.