Another Busy Week of FOs and WIPs

And it has been another busy week at GTS HQ. Knitting, dye studio, and more knitting. Tuesday was another intense day spent in the dye studio. The results are mostly Delight 4ply with a sprinkling of Splendor 4ply, as well a new sock base (love!). The online shop should be updated again this weekend if you don't have time to come in for a peek in the woolly flesh. 

And as I've just gotten in a new pattern shipment from Louise Zass-Bangham, I decided to cast on another Knit Night. I have continued to dream of having a bright yellow neck item, so I've decided to use Ginger's Hand Dyed Sturdy Splendor 4ply in the Liquid Sunshine colour way. This knits up as some seriously soft and squishy garter stitch, and keeps me cheery on overcast days like today. I also plan on doing a beaded cast off, as I have some aquamarine beads in the shop that would really pop. 

I spent most of yesterday evening finishing up a cardigan. This pattern is available in the latest Navia Pattern Book available at GTS, and of course I made it cropped. This only took 4 balls of the Wendy Guernsey 5ply (2 in each colour). You are meant to add a 3rd shade on for the button band and cuffs, but I chose to just stick with this classy blue. Feel free to take a look at my Ravelry project page. Sewing pieces together can be a bit soul draining, but this project just reminded me how important it is to take the time to properly finish an item. For those of you not in the know, we are running the Finishing School Workshop again in September. What has been deemed my School Days Cardi is still blocking, but how cute are these coconut shell buttons?!

Not totally unrelated to knitting, I did go see the new Maleficent film yesterday. Very magical. *No knitting was completed during film. 

The Wool of the Month, Excelana 4ply, has done really well. I am delighted to be keeping it around as a permanent instalment on my shelves. I'm still plotting another shop sample, as the Nile Green (delicious minty shade) has been calling my name. If you have been in the shop, you may have noticed I am missing 2 shades of the collection (Saharan Sand and Natural Alabaster). These should be arriving in this week. Hurrah for more Excelana!

And it shall soon be time to bring in the new Designer of the Month for June. Super duper excited for this one folks!

Wool of the Month: Navia Trio

March is the month for Navia Trio, a delicious blend of Faroese, Shetland and Australian wool. This takes on the form of a worsted weight yarn full of bounce and magic. Look at those shades!

5 shades of the Navia Trio are currently available at GTS, and I've planned on getting more in. It suits colour work really well. And now for the samples. Here is Torshavn by Susan Crawford, which is actually based on an old Faroese stitch pattern. How perfect is that?!

Torshavn by Susan Crawford

Meet VOAR by K.M. Bedigan. Voar is the Shetland word for Spring. And what could sing Spring more than bright turquoise and neon green? These fingerless mitts are actually a sample for a Fair Isle Workshop happening later in the month. There are still a few spaces available, so please do inquire if you are interested. 

Or for those of you already in the know, get the pattern. If you buy 2 balls of Navia Trio from GTS, get a coupon code for your free copy of VOAR.  

Voar by K.M. Bedigan

Speaking of Shetland, I had a lovely visitor in the shop today. Louise Scollay is a delightful wool lover with an infectious laugh. I immediately got the sense we were kindred spirits. There was bonding over tea and cake, as Louise brought along her fancy schmancy recording equipment to include moi in her podcast. 

Woolly ladies

For those of you who have never heard of the amazing Louise, she does a podcast called 'Knit British,' which supports the use of British yarns. So if you enjoy a good woolly podcast, stay tuned for Ginger Twist Studio's guest appearance!

February. Is it Over Yet?

February is my least favourite month. It is a time when I really feel the gaping hole that my best gal pal Rachel left behind. She passed away just a little over 3 years ago in the Christchurch earthquake, and was the coolest and kindest lady I've ever met. Three years is a chunk of time, and one would think it would stop hurting. Newsflash: it does not, and I don't know if it ever will.

This being so, I really threw myself into the Ravellenics, and am feeling a bit of a knitty burnout (GASP!). So yesterday I treated myself to a haircut (getting my hair washed is the BEST part). And I can highly recommend Dionne at Charlie Miller at Holy Corner in Edinburgh! What an amazing blow dry!

I've also done a bit of knitting that was not specifically for the shop. As in, I'm using up some random personal stash. This is Almandine by Anushka Tay, featured in Pom Pom Quarterly, Issue 6: Autumn 2013.

I do love a hood!

I've also just finished a pair of Wristwarmers With Contrast Rib by Anna Wilkinson. It wasn't until after I picked out the colours from my stash and started knitting, that I realized I was subconsciously been inspired by TMNT (Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles). Do you see it?

TMNT

Now I'm all ready to start on Brill from the latest issue of Pom Pom Quarterly. One can see I'm getting on a real Anna Wilkinson kick. I've caked up the yarn, but just keep staring at it and petting each lustrous cake. Is this normal?

Ravellenics & the Dye Studio

This past week has been all go-go-go. Which is definitely a good thing! In knitting news, the Ravellenics have begun, and I'm well on my way with a few more days to go. For those not in the know, the Ravellenics runs alongside the Olympics. You can join a team if you like. I'm on the Geeky Girls Knit team, and its been really motivational. The Ravellenics, like the Olympics, is about challenging yourself. In this period, one is encouraged to craft like mad, maybe trying out or working on techniques that one is not quite so comfortable with. I don't think I will quite manage to enter every category...
Here is a peek at what I've been up to.  

 







 

 


 

I've also just finished a sideways shawl (being blocked) and casting off on a set of leg warmers. I might manage to squeeze in a couple of things before Sunday's deadline.

And if that is not exciting enough, I have gotten access to a proper dye studio thanks to Yarn Pony. Gone are the days of home kitchen dyeing in my PJ's. No, I'm a serious lady yarn colourer now. I even purchased a clipboard today for my studious note taking.

Tuesday, my day off was spent joyfully schvitzing over several hot pots and lots of yarn. Och, the colours! Besides having loads more space to more efficiently produce, it is just nice to not have loads of wet yarn drying in front of the television. I had just finished a full day of manual labour and the lighting was not so photo great, but here is a crappy phone pic of the day's toils. 

I will share more after I go to pick up the dry results. I'm sure there's a few in the bunch that are in the latest issue of Pom Pom Quarterly.