Solitude Wool back to the Farmers Mkt: Oct 30th, Nov 6th
Howdy, and welcome to all the new folks on the list that we met at Stitches East last weekend.
How could it possibly be the end of October…how? Everything is whizzing by and the faster I attempt to go, the faster time goes. Guess I need to get some zen back and try to slow myself down, maybe that would have the desired effect…
Here is my question: we will be at the Dupont market in DC every Sunday now until Christmas (barring rain greater than a drizzle). I think I should send an email every other week and list what we will be taking for both weekends. That is my plan, but if you would rather have an email every week with just what’s on offer for one Sunday, let me know: my email is: f-fsolitude@mindspring.com. If more than a bunch say every week, I’ll do it. I don’t want to get on your nerves. This was probably the wrong week to start this because we have so much new stuff it is really getting long. Sorry, just skim it or peek at the photos…
This Sunday, Oct 30th
First, to celebrate Halloween, we will brings all yarns orange and black…and they will be 10% off. Throwing in some spinning fibers too…
We’re bringing out one of our most popular fall and winter yarns: The Border Leicester Bulky. This is a true category 5, bulky yarn spun from natural colored fleeces. It is a giant 9 oz skein and one will make a generous size scarf. This batch is near sold out, but there are three new dyed colors: a turquoise, a red/orange and deep red crimson, plus a few green skeins. A scarf would be fast to knit in this yarn and it would be a wonderful holiday gift.
The highlight of our Stitches adventure was having an entry in the Friday night Fashion Show: the felted bucket bag designed and created by Sue Burke (our longtime best customer and person who know our yarns better than we do). We will bring that bag and others this Sunday along with the Tunis yarn that pairs with Karakul for a fun to knit handbag. This is a case of one yarn plus one yarn adds up to a better kind of texture. We still can’t completely visualize what the two yarns together will look like when felted, but it is always a wonderful reveal! Here are two of the Sue’s newest creations, the first pairing a solid red Karakul and a solid red Tunis:
the second is the natural gray heather Karakul with a random handpainted Tunis:
So of course, there was a mad dash to dye new colors before the big show. Here is a shot of three skeins of random handpainted Tunis. These were all dyed together and have a common color: a blue stripe. But beyond that stripe all sorts of different things happen in the skeins. They probably change patterning from the beginning to the end of the skein and skein to skein there are whole different colors as you can see. I like them…and they are fun for me to dye, a bit of a twist.
The Karakul is both a new batch of freshly spun white yarn and newly dyed colors. It is made with the best of RedGate’s fleeces that Sue was saving up for herself…but relinquished for this spin. We’ve also adjusted the length of the skein so it better matches our other yarns and you won’t have waste when making the felted bucket bag. It is the nicest, drapiest Karakul yarn I’ve experienced. There are six new colors, plus the charcoal and really nice black lamb:
Other yarns we are bringing this Sunday: The Shropshire baby yarn, The Dorset sock kits and also the solid skeins, the Romney and the Shropshire double twist yarns. And I finally finally finally finished formatting the pattern for Joan Hutton’s slip stitch vest that uses the Romney and the Shrop double twist. I’ll wear the vest Sunday, it is very comfortable and easy to knit. Sizing is easy, so it would be a good thing to knit for someone special…
Okay, change of weekend:
Sunday, November 6th:
Here is another freshly spun, introduced at Stitches East, batch of yarn: Border Leicester aran weight (a heavy worsted) yarn. This is a white yarn with wonderful drape and great lustre. The skeins are a generous 8 oz., 240+ yds. The un-dyed white is a beautiful ivory color for $42.00 and the dyed colors are $48. This first round is a very preppy palette: maybe rugby sorts of colors. Here is a yarn that can safely be used for men’s accessories or sweaters.
We will also bring the Corriedale/Corriedale cross yarn. I have two new solids and two new handpaints in this yarn:
And maybe I’ll have my market vest (using the Corrie X yarn) finished and can wear it. We have the pattern (designed by Andrea Price)!
Rest of what we will bring: The Suffolk/Dorset sock yarn, the Tunis/Alpaca yarn and the Targhee 3/ply.
Phew. Sorry, too much new stuff makes a too long email.
Thanks,
Gretchen