Bendigo Yarn Haul!

Gentle reader,

I’ve caught you up with my day at the Bendigo Sheep And Wool Show, but the real thing is the yarn, right? Well, here’s my yarn haul, just for you!

For the most part I’m going to show them in the order that I bought them. I only have one clear favourite, but even then I’m super happy with all the stuff I bought. In some cases I can’t remember where I bought it, so if you were there and happened to see that yarn and remembered the stall, please let me know so I can give due credit and linkies!

I had decided that I would try to expand my boundaries and go out of my comfort zone a bit. And you might be rolling your eyes at me. Green yarn? Oh, that’s new and exciting for you, Raynor. But, I really don’t usually buy a lot of 4ply or sock yarns, so it kinda is. And when the colorway is named “Emerald City”, you’ve gotta forgive me for making serious grabby-hands. I bought this at a little hall that was set up with shops, but it wasn’t in the actual show grounds. I can’t remember what the hall/set-up was called, but the vendor I bought this from is called Gin and Tonic Yarns.

Yarn Info
Gin and Tonic Yarns
4ply (sock) organic Australian ultrafine merino yarn
“Emerald City” colorway
400m/100g
ginandtonicyarns.etsy.com

It’s super nice and squishy! I’m not sure what I’ll make with it, because I only got one skein. I’m thinking probably a really simple, light hat for myself.

Next, we went to the Bendigo Woollen Mills where I dug around in the back discount room like a cheeky mole. There wasn’t a lot that grabbed my fancy this year, but they did have little bags of this nice twisted color yarn. They were 50g balls of 8ply, 100% wool (I think?) at $2.50 each, so that was pretty decent. Beyond that, I have no idea what they are.I’ll probably use them for amigurumi.

Once we got to the actual show, these were the only things I bought on my “preview” lap. They were so cheap and cute that I couldn’t resist. The Nostalgic Crochet one is hilariously kitschy and weird, and since I want to do some fine crochet work this will give me some ideas. The Crochet Blouses one has aged super well. Almost all of the tops in it you could make without any changes and they’d still be totes nice and classy, and not at all dated or naff. It was just a really lovely book.

This yarn is the first yarn I bought when I realized that it was almost four o’clock and I was the only one who was still sticking to the “preview lap first, buying lap second” plan. Everyone else was all loaded up and I was empty handed! “Aww, hell naww!” says I and start lapping that show ground like a man on a mission. Because, of course, I was on a mission, gentle reader. A mission to “BUY ALL THE THINGS!”.

This yarn is from Kathy’s Fibers, and I adore it. I’m not hugely into variegated yarns usually (at least not for knitting) but I just really loved this one and snapped it up.

Yarn Info
Kathy’s Fibers
12ply wool
“Spring” colorway
140m/100g
www.kathysfibres.com

Again, I’m not sure what I’m going to make with it, but I have two skeins of it so I’m sure I’ll get something super neat out of it.

Since I bought some Rowan bamboo tape last year, I’ve been kind of obsessed with tapes. I have no idea what I want to do with any of these tapes, but I love them. I’m not sure which stall it was that I got this from, but the yarn is called Wigwam by Colinette.

Yarn Info
Colinette “Wigwam”
100% cotton (aran weight)
“Pharaoh” colorway
130m/100g
www.colinette.com

I love that the colors are bright crisp here, and then a bit muddy there. It’s really soft and smooth and of all the yarns I got, I’ve probably spent the most time squishing this one.

Now, I mentioned in my last post that the Stranded in Oz stall was totes my fave, and so is the yarn I bought there. So, we’ve got green and we’ve got a Wizard of Oz reference but to push my comfort zone it’s 4ply sock yarn and it has a really neat fiber blend.

Yarn Info
Stranded In Oz “Toe Toe”
4ply, 50% superwash wool, 25% soy silk, 22.5% cotton, 2.5% chitin.
“Spring Green” colorway
400m/100g
www.strandedinoz.com

Again, I have two skeins and I’m not sure yet what I’m going to make. I mean, the only thing on my shopping list was a swift which didn’t work out, so all this yarn was a bonus to me and I wasn’t planning on getting much. I just adore this yarn though, and I want to make something really special with it. Suggestions?

I somehow ended up with these buttons. I think the stall was called the “Button Lady” or something, and had tables full of buttons and some stands with old pattern books. I’d bought a few things there last year, and I really loved that stall. I looked through the buttons and found these. I like wooden buttons, and I like Mickey Mouse so at first I thought this was neat. But they didn’t have the price on them and I didn’t really love them enough to bother asking. I don’t know about you, but I have this weird thing that if stuff isn’t priced I’m not gonna ask, I just won’t buy it. I have to love something a LOT to ask how much it is. I don’t even know what that’s all about.

Anyway, Hal – perhaps thinking my reluctance to ask a price was more out of shyness than a bizarre shopping neurosis, bless her – took it upon herself to ask. Meanwhile, I’d decided that they were actually kinda creepy, what with the sewing holes punched through his face, so I’d moved on to patterns. The woman returned, Hal asked on my behalf, to which the woman said that the button card was $6.

“Mmm, no thank you,” I declined, thinking the price was perfectly reasonable but the buttons – and Mickey’s repeated facial trauma – were just not for me.

“Oh, look. I’m over today. I just bought myself an electric rat trap, so I’m as happy as can be! You can have those buttons. They’re a freebie,” she replied. I looked at Hal, Hal looked at me. The woman turned to another lady and began espousing the merits of electrocuting rats in her new contraption. I decided taking the buttons was the best thing to do at that point.

So, that’s my yarn and goodies haul from Bendigo! I’ll keep you posted with whatever I do with them all. Feel free to drop suggestions in the comments or on my Facebook page!

What would you make with these yarns? What are you making with your Bendigo haul? 

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O Hai! I’m Not Dead In A Ditch!

Gentle reader,

It’s been ages since I last posted. I do apologize! I’ve been meaning to get around to do a proper posts but, it just never happened. I’ve been a bit preoccupied. But, I’m back now, and here’s a recap of what’s being going on in my forest.

I did some work, and I played some games.

I finished the bunny sweater (though, I’m going to unpick the sleeves and restitch them, and fix some wonky intarsia bits with duplicate stitch)

I got an amazing parcel from my American Mom, Beth, with a bunch of lovely gifts and some of her beautiful glass work. We’re going to combine her glass pieces and my crochet into… something!

I bought some yarn. Naturally.
L to R: Rowan Colorscape Chunky, Schoppel-Wolle Crazy Zauberball, Noro Kogarashi

I got some new shoes. Green, of course.

I did some scribbles. The side two are plans for some lino block prints.

I smooched some cheeky pooses.

Listened to some tunes.
L to R: Emi Hinouchi – “Me”, Midlake – “The Trials of Van Occupanther,
The Civil Wars – “Barton Hollow”

I did some wandering around Melbs and enjoyed the turn of the season.

Aaaaand, I started some big, chunky bedsocks with the Kogarashi for my friend, Alf!
I’m using the pattern “Thuja” from Knitty.com

Phew! Did you like “My Life In Pictures” recap? Hope so! I’ll be back to posting regularly now. I think I might do more of these – unless raiding my Instagram is cheating… Hmmm…

How have you been!? Catch up in the comments! ^_^

Wanderings

Gentle reader,

I’ve been out and about quite a bit this past week, and I feel very good about it; lots of walking, lots of exploring and some yummy food. One of my favorite little wanderings was when I popped into Meet Me At Mike’s, the shop of the wonderful Pip who also has a blog which you should go and read right this moment. I picked up some awesome trinkets and I’ll definitely be going back for more goodies.

Meet Me At Mike's Haul

The lion and deer buttons and the circus tent key chain are for me, and the owl ring is for my bestie Panda (Shh! Don’t tell her! And, if you’re reading, Panda… it’s for.. erm… another Panda that I know…). I can’t tell you how obsessed I am with the lion button, obviously. Clearly it was made for me.

While I went on my many walks, I made sure to take my camera, because I really want to improve my photography. So, I took lots of snaps on my way. I’ve got a long way to go, but practice makes perfect!

My Neighborhood Under The Sky

My Neighborhood Under The Stars

You should wander around your neighborhood and see what you can see, and take some snaps maybe! Fun times!

Pierrot Yarns Haul 2.0 – It May Look Like I Have A Problem, But…

Gentle reader,

Now, I’m writing this post to present my second Pierrot Yarns haul to you, and though it may look like I may be in the fledgling stages of a serious self-control problem, I assure you it’s not the case. Or at least, I can rationalize those niggling thoughts away for now…

A good part of this haul was on behalf of my dear friends, Judith and Jules. Their interest was piqued when I showed them the bounty of my first haul and we poured over the color card together ooohing and aaahing at the delicious little snippets of beautiful yarns. And so I ordered them each two cones of Irish Linen. Naturally, I had to throw in some goodies for myself and so I chose a ball of Pop Merino, three balls of Zakka Acrylic Namibuto which are for an amigurumi project I need to get started on, and a set of Hamanaka double-ended crochet hooks.

Yarnie delights from Japan!

The Pop Merino is a lovely aran weight single spun 100% merino wool yarn. I had actually intended to buy the #6 color way, but accidentally ordered the #7 (this happens to me far more often that is humanly probable), but I’m not at all bothered, #7 is still a very nice color way.

The Irish Linen is absolutely gorgeous; it has a beautiful texture and the most amazing sheen to it. I’ll definitely follow up with Judith and Jules to see what they think of it.

Now, the Zakka Acrylic Namibuto is an insanely soft and squishy acrylic yarn that is somewhere between an 8 ply and a 10 ply. I’m sure some of you are turning your noses up at the very thought of acrylic yarn – I know, how reprehensible of me! – but hey, acrylic is awesome for amigurumi, especially if they’re intended for children to put their grubby, unforgiving little paws on them. I’m totes not a pink person, but I have to make a pig to test out a pattern I’ve written (the pig I made while writing the pattern was stolen! True story.) and I’ve been procrastinating like WHOAH. I was pleasantly surprised by how soft and fuzzy this yarn is, so it’ll be perfect for a little pig.

And as for the Hamanaka crochet hooks… well, I’ve not even used them yet and I’m completely obsessed with them. So obsessed in fact, that I became a bit snap-happy when I was photographing, and I felt that they deserve a collage of their own.

Hamanaka Hooks

I’ll probably get started on that piggily using one of these and the Zakka. My fingers are itching to get started even as I type!

Fear not, gentle reader, this will be the last Pierrot haul for at least a while, so this blog isn’t in danger of becoming a Pierrot Super-Fan page (well, not yet…).

What online yarn companies do you like ordering from? Comment below!

Pierrot Yarns Arrived! First Impressions

Gentle reader,

Pinch me! I’m must be dreaming! My Pierrot Yarns order has already arrived. Well, that was rather quick-quack. And let me tell you, I am one VERY happy customer. As I outlined in an earlier entry, I ordered one ball each of four different yarns just to for the sake of seeing what the yarns are like and how the online English store is. I placed the order on the 27th and it was here from Japan on the 6th!

So here are my yarns:

Scrummy Japanese Yarns!

But, wait! There’s more! They also sent me a free color card (which you could buy separately on their website for 1000 yen) and a book which showcases some of their yarns and even has a few free patterns (charted, of course).

Color card and booklet

All the yarns are so soft and lovely to touch, and they were sent individually wrapped so they got to me in perfect condition. There was even a little printed letter which had been addressed by hand thanking me for my purchase.

All in all, the prices and freight are perfectly reasonable, the service so far has been of a very high standard, and find me someone who’s heart isn’t warmed by thoughtful freebies? I’ll definitely be putting another, bigger order in.

Pierrot Yarns

Gentle Reader,

I received a notification today from Pierrot Yarns that my order had been shipped. Ever since I made my green hat from one of their awesome patterns, I’ve been so curious about their yarn. So, I went to the website and was pleased to find an English store front, incredibly cheap prices and very reasonable shipping costs. They were sold out of their color cards, so I just bought a few different yarns.

I got:

Yuyake No Sora

I got one skein of color 108. It’s a fingering weight yarn, and I thought it just looked so scrummy and delicious. (Click the pictures to see the yarn page at Pierrot)

Ethnic Denim

This one is a 3 ply cotton, and I got color 55 which is a lovely warm red. They have so many nice looking cottons, it was hard to choose one.

Poka Poka Hitsuji

Poka Poka Hitsuji is an 8 ply super wash wool. I got color 3, green (naturally!). Even though it’s super wash, it still looks quite fluffy and nice. I also like the color variation.

Junmo Namibuto2

This is another super wash wool, but Junmo Namibuto2 is a worsted weight yarn. I ordered color 16, which is a navy blue. I didn’t want to just get all green yarn, since I might give some away once I’ve made grabby hands at it.

There were so many other yarns I was curious about, and lots of it was really quite cheap. All in all, it came to about $40 AU, and about a third of that was shipping, which I thought was fairly reasonable, to be honest. I don’t know what postage costs are like in other countries, but it costs a bomb to post anything in Australia, so I’m never sure what is reasonable on an international scale.

Anyhoo, I’ll keep y’all posted and will give a full review of the yarn and the service when it gets here. So far though, I’ve been very impressed with the service and the English store front.

Have a great weekend, peeps!

(All images are property of Pierrot Yarns and are linked to the yarns they depict)