HRYC

I would like to swim in a pool of Lana Grande. Like a ball pool, but with yarn. Wouldn't that be amazing? 

(I seem to have lost my photography mojo. I've you've seen it, send it back this way!)

It'll probably do better to be knit up into something incredible, though. 

Umaro by Brooklyn Tweed(image copyright Jared Flood)

Rapunzel Cowl by Tanis Grayfor Cascade

Marian by Jane Richmond 

Ovate by Tori Gurbisz

or, our favourite:

The Big Snowy Owlby the Purl Bee. 

We'll also be ordering in Spud & Chloe Outer, another great super bulky yarn, which should be here in a couple of weeks. Hooray! Have a great Friday!

Strange coincidence that shortly after having blogged about my first ever knit garment, Thermal, we've got more stock of the same yarn I used for it - Naturally Haven. 

Why did I choose it? Because it was soft, had a beautiful hand, and was machine washable. It's safe to say that after 5 years of wear, it still looks fantastic. 

In the same line, we also now have Naturally's Waikiwi on the shelves. The best thing about Waikiwi? It's PERFECT for socks. A mix of NZ merino, possum, nylon and silk mean it is designed for the wear and tear socks are subjected to. It almost seems a shame just to put it on your feet, though. Wouldn't it also make a glorious Thermal? I think so. 

I'm trying to force myself to finish knitting my second  Rocky Coast before casting on anything new...but with all this exciting stock arriving, it's proving a challenge! Knitting and daydreaming about future projects will have to do for now.

I'm having a weird old weird day. If you're having one as well, or simply feel like getting out of the house, it's knit night tonight (Thursday). Come on by for some yarn squishing, knitting and tea. And toffee pops. And whatever else I can rummage up for you. We'll be here, knitting, from 7pm - 9pm.

xx Tash

Is it 'woollen' or 'woolen'? I don't know. Either way, it's definitely time to be wearing them. I've never been much of mitten knitter. I'm not sure why. 

So I asked on Facebook for some pattern suggestions, and here's what was suggested:

Susie Rogers Reading Mitts by Susie Rogers (free!)

Birdies Mitts by Julia Davies (free pattern!)

Rainbow Kid Mittens by Emilie Williams (free pattern!)

Snap Dragon Flip-top Mitts by Ysolda Teague

And one person requested an image of kittens in mittens, so how about kittens on mittens?

Meow Mitts by Tiny Owl Knits

Happy knitting!

xx Tash

It's been a bit stormy around here lately. And following the storm, a lot of rain (and snow for some parts). Lots of people were without power, and our flat lost a skylight. Having a hole in the roof makes life a bit chilly! From where i'm sitting right now I can see a patch of blue sky, and the rest of the week is meant to be sunny but cold. 

When it's this cold I immediately turn to my favourite wearable hug - and the first garment I ever knit. The pattern is Thermal by Laura Chau from the Winter Knitty way back in 2006. It's warm and makes me happy whenever i'm wearing it.

Knitting Thermal was a big deal. Choosing out the yarn I had two options: cheap or expensive. As my first garment, I was worried about if it would turn out ok. Concerned that I would finish it, hate it and never wear it. Out of the two yarn options, neither had the colour I wanted. In the shop, tossing up between the two, it was either scratchy (cheap) or soft (expensive).

I weighed up the options. I could spend twice as much on the yarn and have something warm and snuggly. Or I could save money and knit with something not-so-nice. A 4ply jersey is a big time commitment, and I figured that even if I didn't love the end result, I could just wear it around the house. 

I spent the extra, and five years later I rejoice the moment it gets cold enough to wear it again. The yarn has stood the test of time, and I thank my past-self for selecting the better quality option. 

At Holland Road we only stock great yarn. I learned my lesson early on that investing in great yarn for projects is absolutely worth it. 

Anyway: I need another one. Or, rather, I need a pullover / jersey / sweater that is light, long sleeved, and just big enough that it will go over a top but under a coat. 

Hunting through Ravelry I have so many options!

Stasis by Leila Raabe  /  Bayside Pullover by Hannah Fettig

/ Challow by Jeni Hewlett

Raindrops by Tincan Knits  /  Framed pullover by Hannah Fettig

I think i'm leaning towards Stasis in Zealana Rimu Fingering, or Raindrops in Spud & Chloe Fine. Or maybe Knitsch Sock. Hmmm! Or both patterns? There's no such thing a too many hand knit jerseys, after all...

Oh, and when I finished Thermal - I wasn't in love with it. I was super judgey about how it fit, and all my old hang-ups about awful hand knit garments came to the surface. I forced myself to wear it anyway, and stopped caring about if it was flattering or not. Wearing something that made me happy and warm was the most important thing.

Image from They All Hate Us via Pinterest

Have a warm and happy and knitty weekend!

xx Tash

It's back! There's a new colour list the length of my arm that I want to get stuck into...and this is your chance to get your hands on them three weeks before anyone else. This yarn club is a little different to most in that we send out all the yarn in one go, and you get to choose your colours. Brand new, shiny exciting colours that you get to play with first. 

Yarn Club on sale 10am Friday 21 June

The details:

Strictly limited to 20 places

Purchasing a place will cost NZ $54 plus shipping ($4 NZ, $7 Australia, $10 ROW)

What you get:

4 x Knitsch Sock 100% merino 4ply

One week prior to shipping, you will receive an email containing images of brand new Knitsch Sock colourways. From these, you can select as many or as few skeins of each colour as you wish. 

If your yarn selection total is more than 4 x 50g skeins, we will email your final cost for payment prior to dispatch.

Yarn will be shipped all in one parcel on 18 July, 2013

As usual, your parcel will contain sweet treats!

Lucky place-getters will not only see the brand colours before anyone else, you will touch them too! 

Simple, simple, easy peasy! 

Yarn Club on sale 10am Friday 21 June