Geelong LYS

Direct cut and paste from a Ravelry forum post I thought I might keep here for ease of reference. (I have linked all of these to their ravelry LYS page - if they have one. When I have time I'll find some more detailed weblinks.)

Twisted Threads is right in the centre of town - in the main street in fact! It has just been taken on by a new owner and would have the biggest variety of yarns. It is the only store in Geelong that is dedicated to knitting and needlework.

If you are keen to go into the suburbs, there is Busy Bee Fabrics in Belmont is an outlet for Bendigo Woollen Mills and has lots of pattern books, and there is the Belmont Drapery across the road that also has some yarns (once you get past all the old lady underwear!).

Woolsy Trading Post is in Geelong West and is a stockist for opal and Ashford products.

After that you may choose to head down the Bellarine Peninsula - there is the Ocean Grove sewing centre which has a selection of yarns, Wildpurl at Port Lonsdale - which is a homewares store with a yarn section out the back, and Coloured Jules at Queenscliff - which specialised in Hand painted mohair.

If you are heading that way you may want to stop at Drysdale. Not actually a yarn store - but Shiloh is a small farm specialising in natural coloured wool that is grown, scoured and spun in Geelong. Quite possibly a good place to get some unique souvineer wool. You will probably need to make an appointment thou (and if you are keen it is right next door to one of the main Bellarine wineries)

Depending on when you are in town you may also want to check out one of the weekend markets on the Peninsula - There are a couple of stalls (including GingerKnits - me!) that sell yarn and crafty stuff.

Heading south from Geelong along the coast you may want to check out some of our famous surf beaches, and while you’re there it would be the perfect oppotunity to check out Pear Tree Yarns in Torquay. Pear Tree also sources local producers and is scoured and spun in Geelong - and has some products to die for.

One last thing to mention - the National Wool Museum (external link) is located in Geelong and definitely worth a visit for any knitter. I don’t recommend you buy any yarn there thou - it is incredibly overprices (I think it has something like a 70% markup!). Save your pennies and go round the corner to Twisted Threads!

THIS is it!

Exactly one year ago today, I was so bored at work that I decided to start a knitting blog…

(A few short weeks later, and blogger was no longer accessible on the work network… hmmm, a tool for procrastinators, perhaps?)

Hoodathunk that single action would have had such an effect on my life… I made so many friends, some I have even managed to catch up with in the real world!

oh, and… Pierre has enjoyed the last year too – and yes, he is still a snob. He is currently interested in my newest pet skein (and a treat for myself for my blogiversary), some gorgeous buffalo gold from Mandie at Ewe give me the knits. Don’t know who is going to get socks from it, but I’m just going to enjoy carrying around and stroking it for a while J

Don’t forget to leave your comments to win prizes! (And I will not be parting with the buffalo, so don’t get any ideas too ethotic!)

PS – did you know stashes can hide passports?

Bendy spoils, but no HP spoils…

**** edited to add photos*****

I think I managed to have the most perfect weekend.

The plan was good – get into town at before 9, get book at 0901 (or there abouts), get picked up by Gwet and Clare, and then speed read all the way to Bendigo…

And then late Friday night I received a call from Gwet – Clare, for reasons beyond her control, would not be able to make it to the wool and sheep show… therefore… after deciding I would rather spend the day with my nose stuck in the book, Gwet and I decided to reschedule and head up Sunday.

I don’t remember much of Saturday – Mum at some stage tried to lure me out of Hogwarts with dinner, but I decided to finish the book before I ate (my first meal of the day…) You will find no more on the topic here….

However, Sunday was fantastic – happy, happy, joy, joy good.

I, of course, took the opportunity to dress in some of my new (and old) works –

Jo sharp Beret -

Newly blocked sea-wool clapotis –

And preparing for the worst of the central Victoria weather, my Jet sweater and crazy socks were also included in my wardrobe choices for the day. (Naturally, all of these precautions meant it was a fine and sunny day – I was even questioning whether or not my nose was a bit sunburnt last night!)

On its first trip out in the wild, the clap did not disappoint! Several requests were made for the pattern, and queries made about the yarn. I took pleasure in being able to show off – and love the fact that the marriage of a simple pattern and a great yarn could yield such favourable results!

Gwet and I decided we needed to pace ourselves, so left the Bead and Opal Queen with much restraint (although 3 balls of opal for $25 was an excellent bargain – I managed to pass.) The restraint lasted until we got to the Braeside- and Becreatif- alpaca stands. I fell in love with the suri roving, and the magic worlds “last two left” meant I had to grab one then and there. Gwet had decided to by some of the suri handpainted yarn, but due to indecisiveness, managed to leave the stand without a purchase (which lasted, mayhap, 20 minutes, before she had to go back and finalise the purchase.)

The next place of ill-restraint was the Collinette stand. I too, was tempted by the semi-solid jitterbug so many Sydneysider knitbloggers had bragged about following the craft show, and ended up buying 4 skeins. We had a great chat with Sarah Durrant, who agreed with me that there are great similarities between jitterbug and socks that rock, and perhaps the same blanks were used by both companies.

I managed to bump into Barb – the editor of Yarn mag. She, too, was dressed head to toe in handknits (loved those legwarmers!). I was glad to catch up, because I recently sent her an email with some feedback and constructive criticism and wanted to ensure no offence would be taken. We ended up having quite a yarn ourselves! It was also quite a treat to see the samples from the magazine patterns made up!

I made one final purchase before we decided to check out the fibre beasts – Nancy Bush’s ‘Knitting Folk Socks’. I love the historical content included in the chapters before any techniques and knitting patterns.

Gwet and I both fell in love with the alpacas, but I was unable to have a couple* of the camelids follow me home (Gwet was driving and it would have been a tad bit too crowded in the golf!)

*you need to get them in pairs or more, as they are social animals

And this guy looked like he would be right at home down the coast – it is possible to teach alpaca to surf???

Follow up with a bit home-cooked tucker with Gwet’s family (and her adorable min-pin puppies) and it was a fantastic day! I’ll definitely be making the trip next year!

This little piggy won’t be going to market…

…this week, anyway!

My Pop has generously offered me space on his craft market stall, and this Saturday was the going to be the first time Pierre the Yarn Snob would be appearing in a real marketplace. However, life has interfered somewhat, and my Pop has spent the last couple of days ill in hospital, so the market this weekend has been cancelled. He’ll be going into theatre tomorrow to have a small procedure done under a local anaesthetic, so please send some get well vibes his way – especially tomorrow morning!

This means that I have plenty more time to sort out some sort of inventory – I was going to take along some handspun and handpainted yarns, as well as some stitch markers (ie- the sort of stuff on my etsy site), but will be knitting rather frantically to get some other stock happening as well (I am thinking scarves, hats and mitts may do rather well!) I have also ordered a spindle and will be attempting to ‘spin the old way’ whilst I am at the market. I figured it would be a good way to attract a few people our way and if there is enough interest I may look into adding them to the store too.

Yet another s’n’b!

Last night Gwet (one of the gals from the Black Sheep Café Knitters) and I headed down the coast to Torquay to gatecrash their knitting night at the Pear Tree Café. It was a fantastic night – there is two seating areas in the café, and the knitters completely took the back area. It reminded me very much of SSK at Bermuda café in Sydney – a rather casual affair over coffee (and very yummy bailey mouse chocolate cake) with wide range of knitters (alas, no men though). The Torquay s’n’b is a weekly event, so I am planning to get back there.

Not co-incidently, the home of Pear Tree Yarns is just across the way from the Pear Tree Café, so I had a chance to chat to the owner, Sue, about her company. Pear Tree yarns are rather scarce in the market place and this is because it is a one woman show. Sue is rather passionate about how she does business, and is trying to manufacture ecologically sustainable, luxury natural yarns, entirely processed within Australia (local to Geelong, if possible). She had some of her current stock, and new lines of yarns out last night – and I have to say they are gorgeous! There was a gorgeous yarn that I thought was cria (baby alpaca) but was actually a long staple 13 micron merino (if that doesn’t make any sense, the finest cashmere is usually about 13 microns – so this is wool on a par with that). I hadn’t tried Pear Tree Yarns before because I didn’t realise they were such high quality. Sue is in the process of setting up direct internet and mail-order sales, but in the meantime I think Taryn over at Purl Yarns still has some in stock.

A quick note on vintage hues…

Remember when I did my review on vintage hues I mentioned I wasn’t sure how it would felt (or full, for the pedants out there!) – Queen of the felted bowls, Olivia, has given it a go and said it made a nice but rather thin fabric – she has a solution for coming up with a thicker resulting fabric, so if you are interested pop over to her blog.

Shadow Tweed - yarn review!

BUT FIRST...

ETSY UPDATE!

I got around to taking some pics of my dyed yarns today, and they are all up in my Etsy shop. At the moment I have five colourways, 2 skeins of each. I am really happy with how they worked out, and if I find some free needles, may indeed take them down and start knitting with them myself!

TROPFEST GIVE-AWAY!

I have seven (7) Tropfest DVDs at my disposal, and so far, I think I have had seven (7) commenters since Monday. If you want to make it at least a little bit of a competition, leave a comment. (Yes, I realise that freebies from the newspaper may not make for exciting - I know next time I want comments I should cough up some yarn...)

AND NOW...

SHADOW TWEED REVIEW

Here is the Shadow Tweed review I have been promising - the text in italics is straight from the Patons website and is what they are using to market the yarn. Unless otherwise noted, all photos are taken by me.

Book 1263 – Shadow Tweed (picture from Patons.biz)

Patons Australia introduces Shadow Tweed – a beautifully soft ‘roving’ type yarn with multi-colour neps and a unique colour shading (have a look at all the shades click here), with a repeat occurring approximately every 60 grams. Patons Shadow Tweed is a blend of Wool with Acrylic and Viscose and available in a palette of 5 shades. Using 6.50mm needles with a suggested tension of 14.5 stitches and 20 rows to 10cm, Patons Shadow Tweed is quick to knit.

The specifics of the blend is 56% wool, 40% acrylic, 4% Viscose. This creates a lovely soft yarn, and when I purchase it, was told there was no risk of it felting. However, the label still says 'hand wash only' and 'dry flat in shade' - so I won't be throwing it in the washer and dryer without a second thought....

What Patons calls a 'roving' type yarn, I would describe as a loosely spun single ply. It is possible, by holding the yarn approx 20cm from the end with one hand, and using a 'pinching tug' to separate the yarn as one would when drawing fleece for spinning. This means the yarn can sometimes 'grab' onto itself causing a bit of a tangle, and also can be split if you use pointy needles - I'm using clover bamboo needles and not having any problems (bamboo needles generally being rather blunt)

The main overall effect of the yarn is very "noro-esque". It has long graduated colour repeats, with small "tweedy" flecks in contrasting colours. And as I have already said it is "Pierre Endorsed" I will add that it is soft enough for the pup to sleep on...

One fact not mentioned (that I could not find with a fairly thorough search) at Patons or its parent company, Australian Country Spinners, site was that this yarn is clearly labeled on the ball band as "Made in Italy. This doesn't worry me, but Australian Country Spinners seems to be promoting Australian fibres manufactured at locally at the Wangaratta Woollen Mill and it would be very easy to think this was a product of Australia, which may rub the wrong way with some patriotic knitters.

Book 1263 features 19 styles including Sweaters, a Vest, Jackets and Coats. Although contemporary in design, there is something for all ages and skill levels.

I didn't purchase this Book because I felt the designs were all cardigans or high-necked sweaters. I am making up a pattern as I go along, but if you aren't that confident (or crazy) you could probably use the yarn as a substitute for any worsted weight yarn pattern.

The latest hand knitting fashion trend of textured stitches, cables and lace are reflected throughout this book. Knitters looking for an unusual technique for a sweater should look at Style 19 on the back cover, which is created by knitting squares, forming a colour block effect.

Shadow Tweed seems to suit textured stitches, such as moss, seed and reverse stockinette, really well. The cables seem to "pop" off the fabric in a way I couldn't quite capture with my camera and flash photography. I have chosen to complete a basic v-neck sweater, with raglan shaping with the yarn I bought. To use this yarn to what I think is its best advantage, I am completing the majority of the sweater in reverse stockinette, with a gorgeous Celtic-like braid cable running up the front. The picture on the right is not a true representation of colour, however, as it was taken without flash, it shows off the cables well.

As mentioned above, style 19 is completed using mitred (magic) squares. It is very similar to Jane Slicer-Smith's designs - and creates a very striking effect.

Patons recommends knitting from 2 balls with most multi-coloured yarns. This helps avoid obvious patches of colour in your knitting. Patons Shadow Tweed has unique colour shading with a repeat occurring approximately each 60grams. Due to this long repeat, each ball will vary in the outside appearance.

I am not sure why Patons has suggested knitting with two balls, as this is something you would do to prevent pooling with variegated yarns, while shadow tweed is more a self-striping yarn - and you want colour pooling with the graduated colour changes and knitting with two balls would disrupt this effect.

Because the colour repeat occurs every 60g, Shadow Tweed is sold in 100g balls. I think this is a great idea - when I have been knitting with Jet and Inca (also marketed by Patons) I found it frustrating that with 50g balls, the yardage ran out quickly and I was forever weaving in ends where I had joined yarn. The yardage on Shadow Tweed is quoted as 133metres.

Each of the balls in the left picture is not only the same shade, but the same dye-lot.


Some garments in this book have been knitted beginning each new panel at a similar point of the colour repeat at the hem. Others have been knitted beginning each new panel at a different point of the colour repeat at the hem. Beginning each panel at different points of the colour repeat at the hem will result with a more individual and unique garment. Neither method is ‘correct’ – it is entirely up to your preference.

I'm going with the flow and knitting with the first ball I can grab when I run out of yarn. This is the same sort of problem you run into with Noro and any other graduated yarn with long repeats - you get to figure out what you do yourself!

Patons suggests knitting from the outside of each ball, so you can more easily determine the colour point you are using. When joining in a new ball in a panel, Patons recommends selecting the next ball beginning with the same colour as just completed from the last ball. This will result with a more even ‘flow’ of the colour shading in each panel. However, in Book 1263, Style 17 has been knitted beginning new balls with a different colour from the just completed ball. You will notice more contrasting striping occurring, which we also think looks fabulous!

Also - I would recommend knitting from the outside of the ball as you get tangles from the yarn "grabbing" when you start from the centre of the ball.

Note – When joining in a new ball, be sure to always join yarn at the side edge. Where knitters decide to begin panels with specific colours, Patons suggests purchasing an extra ball, to ensure you have enough yarn for this method.

Overall, I would recommend this yarn for anyone who wanted a quick knit. It retails for about $8 to $9 for a 100g ball - and although it doesn't quite have the luxury fibre content of Noro, you get a similar effect for approximately 25% of the price. The colour range is still fairly limited (5 shades) but I fell in love with most of them and, even though there wasn't my usual green, gladly stepped outside my usual palate to play with the fantastic autumnal red. I'd suggest looking at the pattern book to get a better idea of the shades, as the swatches on the Patons site don't go through the full colour repeat and may be a bit misleading.

"Summers - you drive like a spaaaaz!"

After I get home from work I like to spend time in front of the telly, watching DVDs, completing mindless tasks. (Yes, I am weak and need to develop a bit of endurance, stamina, whatever to have enough energy to get through a whole day!)

Such as sock knitting. Or skeining yarn I have dyed....

Like this:-
Inspired by last nights viewing whilst skeining this purdy self-striping yarn I present PTYS colourway...

"BAND CANDY"

Band candy and its buddies (pictured below)will be appearing in my etsy shop over the next couple of days - as soon as I get some decent light for pictures. These are machine washable fingering / sock weight Australian merino wool in 100g skeins.
REAL YARN CANDY - minus the fibre ;)

I also was sent this cute picture from "Shoobie" - my bestest friend from high school. She made this confection for her daughter's 3rd birthday - and I think it is such a masterpiece that I have to share it with the knitblogging world. Kitten-purr-purr! (in the words of Little Miss Shoobie)

Of course, Pierre, not wanting to be outdone curled up in the yarn valley on the couch last night. He was actually sleeping with his head on the yarn, but as soon as I turned the camera on he wanted to know what was going on!

Giveaway update...

Any comment made on any post this week will count as an entry (so comment on every post and get more than one entry) - but only one entry per person per day.

Yes - I will be happy to pay the postage to send the DVDs overseas! Foreigners comment now!

Tropfest is a short-film festival held in Sydney each year. Each film has to contain a central theme - this year it was a SNEEZE. More info on Tropfest is here!

final sp9 goodies!

So, funky arty sideways picture... but these are the goodies I got from Raquel, my SP9 pal.



Kinda hard to see if you can't turn your monitor on its side - so here are the details:-

• 2 skeins of yummy sunshine yarns - one with matching stitch markers (you know how much I love stitch-markers)


• heaps of kool-aid (in the mesh pouch) to help in my dying adventures - just like I asked for.


• Yummy cookies!


• Some chardonnay salt truffles!


• some buttered popcorn flavoured lip gloss


• and lots more American candy (the "Take 5" disappeared very quickly - why don't Australians mix pretzels, nuts, peanut butter, caramel and chocolate? its soooo delish!)

Mucho enjoyment from this no-longer secret pal of mine.

And completely unrelated - first day of real work today. At the cafe. With real customers. And real orders. Went well, but I my feet are feeling the 8 hour shift - guess the last job, sitting behind the computer all day has made me a little wussy.

Miss V boobrock fund update - $US75. Only 2 boobrock stitchmarker sets left, and 3 days for them to go before I have to cough up bonus funds! I think I may have to make another batch!

And just in case you were worrying - I haven't been too busy to look after Pierre. He had to have a bath a couple of days ago - and didn't enjoy it very much!