Wednesday, April 04, 2007

I've met my Matchmaker!

Or: 'Under the influence of others!'


Well Mum has not long left for home after a lovely (but busy) visit up here. As usual we've crammed a load in and managed to get a load of knitting bits done as well. I'll leave Mum to update on her knitting etc but I will say that both she and I have fallen off the yarn diet waggon! But I'm sure you'll understand when you hear that we visited one of my local yarn shops to see if we could get more yarn for the Poppy project as seen in an earlier post. Mission accomplished - the last 2 balls are now safely snuggled with the rest of my stash - more later about Poppy. However the lure of a yarn store closure reduction caught both Mum and me. Plus Chris from my knitting group was there as well to encourage browsing and buying! Needless to say we left the shop with more that my 2 extra balls for Poppy. But look at it - could you have resisted a half price pack of Jaeger Matchmaker DK? The colourway is called 'Watercrest' and could have been sat in the shop for years. The shop is full of old discontinued yarns sat on the shelves and is a real treasure chest of bits that haven't been around for years and newer yarns and it will be a real shame to see it go but the poor lady who owns it lost her husband just before Christmas after years of trying to get him to retire and now just wants rid of the shop and their son has no interest whatsoever in continuing to run it.


And the yarn has already got a project assigned to it from 'Lace Styles' so I at least know what I'm going to do with it and don't feel that it will be sat in the house for years trying to work out what to knit with it. That was one of the nice things about having a yarn diet, going through the stash mountain and working out what was going to be what and seeing just how many project could be made just from what I already have to hand.
Now there's more new yarn for you to see only one of which is another naughty diet breaker but firstly take a look at this beauty:

This is some of Posh Yarn's beautiful 100% cashmere lace weight yarn. Now some of you may remember I had some lovely cashmere/silk lace weight in Emerald Isle from Posh Yarns as seen in my blog header and may be wondering why I'd get more in so similar a colourway (Gem by the way). Well I had a little problem with the colour coming off on me and the lovely Dee very kindly swapped the yarn for me as the colour hadn't set properly on the first lot (something, I'll hastily add, that had occurred at times with the deeper colours but that Dee had managed to fix now so never fear!). What a pleasure it was to deal with Dee from Posh Yarns and what beautiful yarns - I still would heartily recommend them despite the green hands! Anyway, despite the change of colour this is still destined to become 'Melon' from VLT, especially as Mum's looks so beautiful and she's testing the pattern out for me!! So this will be wound into balls and cast on imminently!

Next we have some lovely merino sock yarn that kind of snuck in the house on the excuse that sock yarn was exempt from the diet! Lovely and soft and very zingy but I love it! BTW- have you spotted my colour of the month/year yet?! LOL!

This next lot of yarn I'm please to say doesn't break the diet because it's some homespun from some of Yorkshire Woollyback's beautiful Jacob sheep. It's such a lovely soft fleece that it's been a pleasure to spin up so there'll be more of this with the plan of spinning enough to make a waistcoat. I think I may be a while before I'm knitting this up though as I've only got 122m plied up so far!

Anyway on to some FO's!! I've finally finished Jaywalker number 1 which is a very snug fit - not sure if I've made a mistake, the gauge is out or that I should have done a larger size! Either way it's very tight getting it past the heel of my foot but once on is so comfy that I'm flying through the 2nd one ready to start wearing these!

And yet another FO for you (even though calling 1 sock of a pair a FO is a bit of a cheat!) is my Colinette Tagliatelle jumper from the pattern 'Either.. Or'. This is a lovely quick knit - just a shame I've been dawdling lately!


So there you have it I have finally finished things to show you all. I was going to write more but as it's such a lovely day I think I'm going to sit of the front door step in the sunshine and try to finish Jaywalker 2!

15 comments:

artyfartykat said...

Hope you enjoyed the sunshine and the knitting!
See what you mean about breaking the yarn diet! When you do something, you do it well!! ;)
Some gorgeous yarns, love PY Gem and your handspun looks fab. I think I need some tuition with spinning!
FOs look brill! Socks a lovely colour and at least its comfy when you do get it on! Jumper looks fab too. You put me to shame with your work rate!! I think I just need more practice!! :D

Chris said...

That's right, blame it on the Chris!! I see you didn't mention you two getting the poor woman running up and down the rickety ladder... how many times was it? Oh yeah, and trashing the shop, you pair of reprobates!
I'm surprised your mum didn't persuade you into another trip yesterday!
Missed you at Knitty group, I take it madam wasn't co-operating?

Artis-Anne said...

Great photos Kath must get my blog updated but am waiting until I have finished melon; on the last bit now :)

Joanna said...

Gonna start calling you queen of green!! Lovely fresh colours and yarns, those jaywalkers don't have much give in them Kath, it's not you, I made the larger size, that zigzag pattern just takes the give out of them a bit.

Kath said...

I meant to point out that the Posh Yarns was bought before the diet started but just replaced afterwards! Ah well, doesn't change the fact I fell off the waggon!

Ang said...

Oh what wonderful yarns, and the homespun is gorgeous, well done you.

Love those FO's too...

belaybunny said...

You've got some gorgeous yarn there. I fell off the yarn diet waggon - so no need to feel guilty ;) I love your tagliatelli jumper, it's nice to see it knit up, as I've been considering that for this winter!! And the jaywalker sock is great too. You've been very busy - I've been knitting out in the sunshine here as well!!

ra said...

wow, you've been busy busy busy! Lovely yarns too. Diets pah, who needs them?

Alice said...

The greens are lovely - well worth falling off the wagon for!

I tried the Jaywalkers pattern but couldn't manage to get a proper fit. Obviously I didn't try hard enough, as everyone else has managed it. I do have skinny ankles and feet though (not so with the thighs, I must add). Your Jaywalkers really look fab - nice colours. At least if they make you walk funny (with the tightness) they'll still look good...

Sarah said...

Ooh what a beautiful haul of yarns, you're definitely on a roll with the greens. Great jumper and jaywalker too.

acrylik said...

Gorgeous yarns, I don't blame you for breaking your yarn diet - how could you refuse?!? I love your Jaywalker, and hope the 2nd one is coming along nicely. Your Colinette jumper is just gorgeous.

Sarah said...

I love the jumper. Its such a lovely shape and colour. The sock looks great too.

I can't wait to see that gorgeous yarn knitted up.

RoxyK said...

Well done on the stash haul ;)

Your Jaywalker looks fab - hopefully his twin won't be far off! Lots of people have had sizing issues, so its def. not you.

Lovely colours on your Colinette jumper too. They do have the most amazing colours.

Anonymous said...

Oh Jaywalkers - if ever there was a perfect, and classic, knitting pattern. You chose a wonderful colourway. Don't you think people will still be jaywalking in a hundred years time!

yarnivorous said...

(I'm a bit late here)
Jaywalkers are known for being a bit tight around the instep/heel - people with high insteps need to make the larger size heel if they can (or I did them toe up instead).
Nice yarny purchases! Jealous!