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Cashmere socks: I was afraid that would be the answer. Thank you very much, commentators, for saving me the money and the knitting-time. The German sock yarns, various brands, that I swear by all have 20-25% man-made fibre, although they feel completely like wool. I suspect that must remain the answer – even if I reinforced cashmere, it wouldn’t amount to such a percentage.
Fleegle, I ordered from HipKnits only once, Malabrigo, and was disappointed with the slow service but not with the yarn when it eventually came. I put their tardiness down to the stress of their big opening, which happened at about the same time. I’m stalking them at the moment because of Google’s, and their website’s, hint that they are soon to sell Louet Gems Merino. But their website claims that everything will be “up and running” after the holidays “by the end of the week”. Like, today. And it's not. Which might seem to indicate a tendency to bite off more than they can chew, similar to my earlier experience.
I had a look at Jojoland. Yes! But where on earth – literally – are they? How would their cashmere-and-merino sock yarn wear? The colours are not very gentlemanly, but that might not matter for bedsocks. But it's still 100% natural fibres.
Tamar, don’t you think the vertical Fair Isle you were thinking of, might be the “Sand Lodge lumber knitted in Bressay” in McGregor? It’s knit in the ordinary way – it’s just the pattern that’s vertical. It’s in the “Designing a Fair Isle Garment” chapter, page 42 of my edition. I knit it once, for Alexander I think, attracted by that very feature. So much Fair Isle comes out in horizontal stripes. I’ll try to dig out a photograph for tomorrow.
Actual knitting
I’m a bit further on. At least when I’m Princess-ing, I can report precisely what row I’m in the middle of. This project seems completely bogged down in tedium. It’ll be better soon, and will seem to go faster, when I start on a sleeve.
Non-knit
Google Analytics and Blogger now seem to be singing from the same sheet – and showing readership up to previous levels. I notice that someone logged in from Saskatoon yesterday. Swapna, could that have been you?
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JoJoLand is in Texas. They have an eBay store that sells the most lovely pastel variagated merino lace yarn. Their store is here:
ReplyDeletehttp://stores.ebay.com/JOJOSQUARE
For soem reason, they do not offer the lace yarn on their web site. You can see how it knits up from this horrible URL:
http://cgi.ebay.com/knitting-pattern-shawl-scarf-kit-purple-peach-wool-yarn_W0QQitemZ320036387808QQihZ011QQcategoryZ36599QQcmdZViewItem
The cashmere/merino will wear better than pure cashmere, but clearly it isn't the sort of yarn you want to use for hiking socks. It is a luxurious yarn and not terribly expensive.
If you really hate the colors, skein it off and drop it into a pot with some dark green or blue food coloring. If I like the yarn itself but the color isn't quite right, that's what I always do.
I bought a set of paste food coloring (it's very strong) and have found it invaluable for overdying. Non-toxic and you can make, say blue mushroom soup with it too :)
Kerrie of Hipknits is thirty weeks pregnant, running the store, dyeing the yarns, MagKnits (her online mag) is just out and she`s doing the knitting etc for the second issue of he paper mag Yarn Forwards. Plus she has two small children.
ReplyDeleteYou can read all about it here..
http://kerriesplace.co.uk/weblog/
And yes, there`s been several mentions out in the knitting cyberland that the shop service has been erratic. I think she tries to do so much that inevitably some of it isn`t done as well as it should be. Not great in business. But she does seem to be a very sweet person.
Happy New Year, btw, and the Calcutta Cup sweater is looking amazing. Now if I`d only known last summer you wanted to see the real Calcutta Cup I could have got you down on a visit to our local community museum (also home of our local knitting group.) We had it perched in a case in the corner for a couple of days.
Fleegle - there is a website called ww.tinyurl.com which shortens horrible urls like that. That one converts to http://tinyurl.com/yfeg6x Very handy when posting to blogs.
ReplyDeleteI've got some glorious raspberry coloured HipKnits cashmere sock yarn, but it's far too gorgeous to be shoving on my feet - I've stashed it for something fabulous in the future.
ReplyDeleteI don't think there's any manmade fibre in these yarns (100% superwash merino), but the colours that have been painted in each skein are really stunning:
http://pieceofbeauty.co.uk/index.htm
I haven't ordered from her, and probably won't for a little while as I'm going to be concentrating on that GA lace Christening shawl you found for me, but I am v. tempted to buy a couple of skeins for a non-baby coloured Baby Surprise Jacket.
Another place (and it's based near you, in Berwick - can't remember which one) is Poshyarns.co.uk - Dee does all sorts of different sock yarns. I've used her 'Lucia' a 30% cashmere/ 70% merino sockyarn for stranded mits and it knits up beautifully and feels quite strong - not yet much wear though to advise on that. She also does Eva (45cashmere 55silk), Sophia and Serena (both just cashmere), Emily (80 lambswool, 10 angora and 10 cashmere) Helena (organic merino) all in sock weights! (As well as some similar ones in all sorts of other weights from cobweb to chunky).
ReplyDeleteHer colours are lovely and I've found her service to be rapid and helpful.
just a quick note - you can also buy the JoJoLand stuff in the UK from Angel Yarns
ReplyDeletehttp://www.angelyarns.com/jojoland_yarns.php
Of course it was me! I've been looking all over for my darned digital camera, but I think I left it at my brother's place.
ReplyDeleteI actually knit something over the holidays and have been wanting to see you ooo and ahhh over my pathetic little project!!! And of course I had to come over and check out your new look...I do think we are ushering in this new year in style.
Btw,since you noticed me peeking from Saskatoon, did you notice what time it was. Apparently sleep is not on the menu for those going through nicotine withdrawal. On a brighter note, it is day 6 and I'm actually feeling rather chipper.
Okay, I'm off to find that camera...pics will be up before the end of the weekend, I promise!
Hugs