HRYC

August 12, 2015

August KAL: yellow!

It's no secret that yellow is my favourite colour, so I needed no convincing to have a yellow knit-along! At this point of winter yellow is the perfect antidote to all the grey, cold days - it speaks of the Spring shortly to come, and warms the soul. You can join in on the conversation on Ravelry, and sign up at the bottom of this post (taking part in a KAL sometimes means prizes, always means a special treat at the end of the year).

All you need to join in is knit with yellow! And of course yellow isn't only sunshine bright, it can be anywhere from soft lemon through to mustard.

Here's a few sunny patterns to add a touch of bright to your knitting:

Beeswax hat by Amy van de Laar

Dawlish socks by Rachel Coopey

Rattan by Libby Jonson

or, if you'd like just a hint of yellow, Joji Locatelli's 3 Color Cashmere cowl is perfect:

Join in by signing up below:

August 07, 2015

Pilling: some thoughts.

I have some rather strong opinions on the matter of pilling, and inspired by a conversation with Libby over at Truly Myrtle, we agreed to both put some words down and blog about it.

‘I’m looking for yarn that isn’t going to pill.’ is a phrase repeated often in the shop. More often than not it leaves me floundering, because that’s a fairly difficult stipulation to make when it comes to yarn.

There are some basic rules I follow as to if a yarn will end up with those little bobbles all over it, but as with any rules there are always exceptions.

A single ply yarn will pill. There’s no two ways about it - being plied helps to hold all the fibre in place, and if you’re missing that component, you’re going to get some fluff popping out. This fluff then joins up with other fluff, has a party and makes for pilling.
Soft yarns are also at a greater risk of pilling. They tend to have finer fibres (indicated by a small micron count) and a shorter staple, which means the fibre is more likely to pull itself out of the twist, and do the party thing.
If you’re making a garment, the places where the fabric will rub against itself or other surfaces will pill: under the arms, on the cuffs, wherever your bag rubs against your body as you move around.

My best advice is: accept you will have some pilling, especially if super-soft is your game. If it is something that makes you crazy, save those soft or single ply yarns for special accessories, ones that won’t be subjected to a lot of friction. Invest in a good de-pilling device. This is where I admit I don’t own one. There are so many options with such mixed results that i’ve left the hunt for one off my to-do list, and have chosen to live with the fuzz.

A couple years ago I knit a garment with Malabrigo Lace knowing full well it would pill and felt - and accepted that from the outset. I was much too in love with the colour and the feel of the yarn to worry about how it will look after a few wears. I think of it as a child would of a favourite toy - it may look a little rough around the edges from use, but it is still much loved.

Aforementioned yellow cardigan, as a WIP (and already getting a bit fuzzy).

There is a time and place for super soft, as there is a time and place for work-horse yarns. The more I knit, the greater my appreciation for a good, robust yarn. You may not get that ‘ooooh’ factor when you touch it, but it’s usually reliable, predictable and the fabric is less likely to do surprising things when blocked and worn.

When you’re selecting yarn for your next project, i’d like to challenge you. Take a few extra minutes deciding. Think about your vision of the finished item:

Could you sacrifice the super soft touch for better wear?
Will it get lots of use or will it be an occasional item?
Could you adjust your expectations as to which colour to go for in order to obtain a better fabric?
Do you love the yarn so much that you’re prepared for a little more work to maintain a nice finish?

Of course, sometimes, a yarn simply calls to you in a way that can’t be ignored. I know the song well. However, armed with a bit of knowledge, you’ll be better able to anticipate how it will wear, and that’s the most important thing.

Happy knitting!

July 27, 2015

The Indie Shelf: Nunnaba

It's been such a treat having Jenna from Nunnaba fill our indie shelf this month. From the excited person coming in to check every day to see if the last box had arrived (you know who you are!) to those discovering Nunnaba for the first time, it's been a load of fun. Here's Jenna with what makes her tick:

When you aren't busy dyeing yarn, what do you do?

Anything yarn related fits around 4 kidlets, so they take up most of the non-dyeing time, but I do like to sneak in a bit of knitting, sewing and cooking too. My eldest is a very keen cook, so that gives me a great excuse to hang out in the kitchen…. and eat lots of tasty food…

What is your number one favourite part of being an indie dyer?

Can I have a couple of number one favourites? I don’t think I could choose just one! It would have to be a toss up between experimenting and playing with different blends of colours, and the relationships that you get to form being part of such a close knit (pun totally intended) online community. The experimenting is what keeps me loving what I do so much, seeing the ways that different combinations play off against each other or discovering new colourways through happy accidents is just a whole lot of fun! I just love it! When I am planning the preorders each month, the best part is developing the colourways because there is that freedom to play and let accidents happen and enjoy the results. And the friendship that I have been blessed with as a result of people working with my yarn are just an extra special icing on the cake, there are so many wonderfully talented (and lovely)people in the world!

How did you get into knitting? Are you a process or a product knitter?

I was taught as child, but have been pretty hit and miss up until a few years ago when I was pregnant with my second. No wait, that was six and a half years ago! Oops! Whenever it was, I was too big to get down to the floor to make the quilt I had planned for him (actually that’s a lie, I could get on the floor, just not back up again), and knitting seemed a much more accessible and friendly option. I still very much consider myself a beginner though as I am ridiculously slow. And I’m a little bit of a process and product knitter, probably more so a product knitter, but being unable to sit still for very long means that I enjoy just have something to do with my hands when I am knitting.

Do you have a particular fibre or fibre blend you love to dye more than any other?

It probably comes as no surprise, but I really love White Gum Wool. The kindness and care that Nan gives her sheep comes out so clearly in the beautiful, fine yarn that they produce. It really is such a deliciously soft, squishy yarn! I’ve enjoyed playing with some exotic blends too, but I do keep coming back to White Gum Wool as my favourite.

We all have colour tendencies - what's yours? Do you find this comes through in your dyeing?

It’s quite funny really, the colours that I go for naturally are not the colours I go to when I am dyeing, which I hadn’t even realised until you asked this question! My wardrobe and my home are filled with blues, greys and neutrals, very soft, homely colours, and I suppose dyeing gives an outlet to all the other colours that I like, but wouldn’t necessarily call a colour tendency. As a result of dyeing I now have a thing for golden mustard and deep, rich reds, so perhaps my colour tendencies are more fluid than I would have thought they were.

If you could go on holiday anywhere in the world, where would it be? Why?

Iceland. In a heartbeat. I’ve seen some absolutely amazing photos of the landscape there, so would love to see that in person one day. But I don’t like the cold at all, so would have to invest in some seriously hardcore woollies before setting off on that adventure!

Anything else you want to share with us?

Absolutely! I’d love to say a big mushy thank you to everyone who has ever bought a Nunnaba yarn and a just-as-big mushy thank you to Holland Road for letting Nunnaba come for a visit this month. It is such an amazing privilege to be able to call my creative outlet, my job, and I can only do that thanks to everyone who has encouraged me along the way. Naww! You guys are the best!! :) And come say hi if you are going to KAN, I’d love to meet you!

July 23, 2015

Give us your best pun!

It's that time of year where I sit down to organise the tote bag design for Knit August Nights. This year, both Colleen and I are completely stuck for knitting puns. So we're throwing it out to you, excellent yarn lovers!

We've had Knit Me Baby One More Line

and

This is what a knitter looks like

But we need something fresh, funny and yarn related.

So, give us your best puns! Entries close 5pm Thursday 30 July and the best pun will win a $50 Holland Road Yarn Co voucher and a tote bag with the new design on it! Hooray!

July 02, 2015

July KAL: Slippers!

We are officially half way through the year! After the great success of our garment KAL, this next KAL should be a bit faster although just as toasty and warm. You can sign up to join us here (which means if i'm organised enough for prizes you'll go in the draw!) and you can find our chatter about project in the Holland Road Yarn Co Ravelry group.

Here's a few ideas...