HRYC
Yarn Review: Spud & Chloe
A long time in the planning, this is the first in a new series of blog posts from us. Regular blog posts! Hooray! We stock a number of unusual and interesting yarns, and we know it can be a bit tricky to figure out how they might behave. Starting now, we'll be posting regular yarn reviews. This one is done on my lonesome, but we'll have the immensely passionate Shelley on board for a second opinion for future posts.
First up: Spud & Chloe Outer
Yarn details:
65% superwash wool / 35% organic cotton
100g / 55m
2 - 3 stitches per inch on 8 - 10mm needles (I used 12mm)
Outer sits on the shelf alongside our other super bulky yarns, Lana Grande by Cascade and Blue Sky Alpacas Bulky. While those two are super warm, Outer has the advantage of 35% organic cotton. The cotton gives it a surprising lightness despite the chunky weight. I was surprised to find wearing the Leftovers Cowl (made with Spud & Chloe Sweater, and a similar fibre mix) that it wasn't overly warm even on a 20 degree day, and while I haven't worn the Outer, I imagine it'll be about the same. The cotton balances out the wool and adds an extra element of managing temperature.
Constructed as a 2 fold yarn, that is 2 singles twisted together, Outer has a glorious ropiness that I absolutely adore. It is bouncy as a trampoline, and comes in beautiful clear colours that Spud & Chloe are so great at producing.
Being a super bulky yarn, it does have that awkwardness to knit - big needles (I used 12mm) and chunky stitches do mean a bit of extra wrangling, but it grows so quickly I was able to work through an entire 100g skein in a couple of hours.The loose twist means little bits of fluff escape as I go, attaching itself to the knit fabric rather than my clothes. I expect it will probably continue to lose more fluff for a little longer until all the short bits have worked their way out.
I haven't finished knitting yet - it seems to have decided to be a baby blanket for the shop, mostly because I cast on during Knit August Nights and my brain couldn't cope with anything that required more thinking. It'll be interesting to see how it washes and wears, but should make for a really great gift - warm enough for winter, cool enough for summer but super quick to knit up and machine washable.
I'll update this post when i've actually finished and have an FO to share!
Meet Margaret Stove in-store!
It is a big week for us this week - our family is celebrating Margaret Stove's investiture with the Queen's Service Medal. We'd like to invite you along to a reception to celebrate this amazing achievement - and see some of her work up close and personal.
Thanks to being occupied putting together the exhibition, this is about the shortest blog post ever. Hopefully see you tomorrow!
This is what a knitter looks like
Each year Holland Road Yarn Co provides the tote bags for Knit August Nights, and i'm just back from the super amazing and inspiring weekend that it always is. If you ever have the chance to go, you absolutely should. I'm still recovering but have managed to get all the yarn back on the shop shelves...including masses of Knitsch:
with some new and limited edition colours which will be online soon...
and new colours of Zealana Air (also online very soon)
l-r Bright Gold, Grey, Cobalt Blue, Ink
But most exciting of all, is our brand new tote bag design thanks to Colleen of Dear Colleen:
You can pick up one of your own for $15 or get it freeeeee if you spend $100 or more. Hooray!
Madeline Tosh: Dandelion
Days like today are why I opened Holland Road Yarn Co. Days where I pick up a newly arrived yarn and mutter 'oh, you're so beautiful'. When I want to pinch it all off the shelf before you get a chance to fondle it. But then I remind myself of the other reason - to share the joy of such amazing yarns with you.
Madeline Tosh's Dandelion is that yarn. My obsession with anything containing linen continues, and Dandelion has me smitten. It is lustrous and light and bouncy and I can only imagine how wonderfully it will drape. MadTosh's colours simply shine out of each skein, making my woolly heart sing.
clockwise from top left: Fern, Lepidoptra, Parchment, Fathom
But what to make with it? Each skein is about 80g and 295m, and because I can't justify taking more than one off the shelf for my own selfish needs, i've tried to find one skein patterns.
Different Breeze by Sachiko Uemura
It was worth the pain of waiting so long to get our hands on it! Now to decide which colour i'm going to claim for my own....
It's been a week.
It really has. Some silly person (that would be me) arranged to move house in the middle of what is always our busiest month of the year. All moved now, and it seems a good time to catch up on what else has been going on at HRYC.
Moving house always means stress, and so called for super simple knitting. I'm going to call these my Happy Socks, because how could one not be happy with bright colours like these on your feet?
Using leftover bits of Knitsch Sock, and the pink is Wollmeise. Using our Super Simple Sock pattern which is free!
Also over the weekend we were very very pleased to host the amazing Rachael Herron. A full house of very happy readers and knitters made for one of the best afternoons ever.
Rachael (left) treated us to a reading of the first chapter of her new book, Fiona's Flame.
With special treats thanks to Sweet Bakery and Karma Cola!
In other news (I really am trying to cover everything in one go today!) I'm about to go and pick up our Madeline Tosh order. At last! So it's all up online right now if you want some of your very own to snuggle.
Madeline Tosh DK in Fluoro Rose
and we finally have the super popular craft scissors back in stock, and this time they've made it online!
And last but not least we have Knitsch Sock Isobar kits up for pre-order again. Hooray! This time in a fun new range of colours...
Phew! I think that's it for now! xx
