Saturday 18 June 2016

A Squishy Parcel

I thought my yarn stash could do with a little enhancing so I had a squishy parcel of wooliness delivered earlier this week. I blame Wool Warehouse, they stock so many lovely yarns that once you start shopping, you just can't stop so the parcel contained a lot more than I was orginally intending to purchase.


The organza bag looks quite full from the front but there's even more yarn hiding round the back.


I've been wanting to try Drops Fabel for quite some time. It's 75% wool and 25% polyamide so will be ideal for socks, hard wearing, but it's superwash treated so it's machine washable, and it's very reasonably priced. There's a huge range of colours to choose from, I went for two 50g balls in the Heather Print colourway.


I also bought another two 50g balls of Drops Fabel in the Lavender Print.


Drops Paris comes in some fabulous colours, I was spoilt for choice, but eventually whittled it down to Light Turquoise, Strong Yellow, Medium Pink, Pistachio, Opal Green and Raspberry. It's beautifully soft.


I bought some other cotton yarn too, Drops Love You 5 in Heather. This is an aran weight and is a limited edition yarn made from 100% recycled cotton.


My supply of craft cotton has recently run out so I popped another couple of balls in to my basket. I usually use this for making dishcloths. Grandmother's Favorite Dishcloth is the pattern I usually use, it's very simple and knit corner to corner.


Cascade Heritage Sock Yarn is beautifully soft, the merino in the yarn makes it that way, and with nylon added, it will be perfect for socks. I went for the butter colourway. I tend to go for multicoloured sock yarn but patterns don't always show up too well on them so this yarn will be ideal for a patterned sock design. I think it's a gorgeous colour.


My favourite purchase is this Opal Wintermond. Why? Well, because Mick has finally said that I can knit a pair of socks for him. He's resisted so far, I'm not sure why, but this 8 ply yarn will make him some cosy winter socks. I let him choose the colour himself and he went for New Years Eve, isn't that a great name for a colourway? They'll be great for tucking in to his walking boots when he takes Archie for his walks in winter.


And that's it, stash replenished after what's been taken out of it recently and a little more added too, well I had to buy enough to qualify for free delivery. That's my excuse and I'm sticking to it!

56 comments:

  1. Wow, that's some stash, I'm being so very good at the moment.... but that can change in a moment.

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    1. It's so easy to get drawn in and before you know it, there's more in your basket than you intended. Still, I know I'll use all this so I don't really mind.

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  2. I do exactly the same, I can not remember the last time that I paid postage. I used to have a regular delivery from Wool Warehouse but since finding Deb's shop I haven't had one. I will still use them, I have managed to work through most of my stash so a restock is on the cards. Love that 8 ply sock yarn.

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    1. I hate paying postage for anything so it's easy to add more to the basket to avoid it. I enjoy knitting socks in 8 ply, they're so quick to knit up and the socks are usually lovely and squishy.

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  3. Looks like you're well armed for knitting!

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    1. Definitely. I do like to be well prepared.

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  4. hello jo,
    beautiful yarn.I have drops fabel in many different colours in my stash also drops paris. I knitt my dishcloth with drops paris.love the wintermond sock yarn.
    happy knitting,
    regina

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    1. Both Drops Fabel and Drops Paris have so many lovely colours to choose from, I was spoilt for choice. The Wintermond sock yarn is so soft, I shall enjoy knitting with that.

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  5. What a beautifyl selection of colours. I love all the ones with different strands running through. Tell Mick from me he'll wish he had agreed to your socks sooner, I adore mine!
    Lisa x

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    1. I'm a big fan of self patterning yarn, it's so easy to have lovely colour changes without any work. I'm so pleased you're happy with your socks, the ones I knit for you are 8 ply, I think they're really squishy in the thicker yarn.

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  6. Jo, I have so many of those organza bags. ;-). I love all Drops yarn and Fabel is no exception. Have fun with it.

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    1. Ha ha, we all know how much of a yarnaholic we each are by the number of organza bags we have. I've got some other Drops yarn in my stash but I'm not sure I've actually used any before, I shall enjoy trying it out.

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  7. I just lurve squishy parcels.
    xx

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  8. It all looks wonderful, I am having a good sort out at the moment so not a good time to buy anymore.

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    1. I went through all my yarn stash quite recently and sorted it all out but I think it may need sorting once again, I've bought quite a bit more since.

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  9. I am not a yarny , but I so appreciate the lovely colours and textures that I can see on the wool you have bought so beautiful..hope you enjoy it lots xxxx

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    1. My problem is that I buy yarn and enjoy looking at it and stroking it so much that it takes me a while to break in to it. I've got a few projects on the go at the moment so I've got a bit of time to enjoy it all before I start knitting it up.

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  10. oooooo what a lovely post filled with delightful woollyness. I do love a nice sock yarn. Happy knitting!

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    1. I always like to see what yarn people are buying, though it does tempt me to start buying myself. I'm hoping that this lot will quell the temptation for a while now.

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  11. They all look fabulous, Jo. :o)

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    1. I'm really pleased with my choices, I shall definitely enjoy knitting everything up.

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  12. Beautiful yarn my friend, you deserve it all.
    Hugs,
    Meredith

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    1. I've got some projects in mind for most of it, I'm looking forward to getting started on it all.

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  13. What a lovely parcel and such beautiful wool. I'm a fan of wool warehouse and know just what you mean about getting some extra for the free delivery xx

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    1. They're a good company, I've always had good service from them and I like how they package everything up. It's definitely worth getting a little extra to qualify for free delivery.

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  14. I love to knit with cotton yarn. It never occurred to me to make my own dishcloths but it is a really goof idea...cold I have the pattern??

    I never get as much knitting done in the summer, I do miss it though!!

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    1. I'm a big fan of hand knitted dishcloths, they last much longer than bought ones. If you click on Grandmother's Favorite Dishcloth in the post, it will link to the pattern. You'd think I'd pick my knitting up in winter, wouldn't you, but it's just recently that I've got my knitting mojo back.

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  15. I wondered if it might be wool, as my parcel from Wool Warehouse was lovely & squishy. Some gorgeous looking colours in that lot and those bags they come in are cool. Take care.

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    1. I'm like a kid in a sweet shop when I start looking at yarn, there's so much choice these days, it can be hard to narrow down what to buy. I'm very happy with this lot though.

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  16. What a wonderful selection of colours you have there JO, it should keep you busy for some time.

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    1. It will certainly take me a while to knit this lot up, but I'll be very happy while I'm busy.

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  17. Hello. What a lovely bag of yarn you received. I love buying from Wool Warehouse, too. Thank you for sharing these different yarns as I'll have check them out. I recently bought some Drops merino It's such lovely quality. I'm knitting a shawl right now from Cascade heritage. I hope you are having a fabulous weekend. Pat

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    1. I love merino yarn, it's so soft, as is the Cascade Heritage yarn so I'm sure the shawl you're knitting will be beautiful. It's so lovely to be able to wrap yourself up in a bit of luxury.

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  18. I received my package of 20 plus balls from the Wool Warehouse about 2 weeks ago. Even with postage down under to New Zealand (which was only a tener), it was all so incredibly cheap to me! Stupidly cheap actually!! I have knitted one sock in the same Fabel wool in under 14 hours and am well on the way for the second using another colour way, as I'm impatient to see how they knit it. Luckily I don't live in England, otherwise I could see a lot more purchases more regularly! Great selection too. I do love Cascade wool as well.

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    1. I think the Wool Warehouse website is so tempting, they stock such a great range of yarn and as you say, it's at great prices too. I've heard lots of people from outside the UK say that the postage is really reasonable as well as fast so even if you don't live here, it can still be economical to buy yarn from here.

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  19. What a great selection of wool, and the colourways are all nice.
    I'm sure Mick will enjoy wearing his winter socks, I like the colours he chose.

    Have a great Sunday, we are out shortly celebrating Fathers Day ... I hope you and yours have a great day too.

    All the best Jan

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    1. I was quite surprised by Mick's colour choice, if I were choosing for him I'd have gone for something quite different. It looks a lovely colour to knit with though and I'm sure the socks will be nice and cosy. We're going out soon too, Daniel's coming home from York for the day so it will be a nice family day.

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  20. Ooh I love squishy parcels... what a lovely choice of colours and textures. I can see you are going to be very busy! Thank you for the link for the dishcloth pattern, I like making those from the cotton and they are great little giveaways. I have never used the Wool warehouse so I think I shall have to go and have a look. Deramores will post for free too and only charge 4.95 to send here which isn´t bad. xcx

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    1. I remember knitting dishcloths for my mum when I was really young, they're great projects for a beginner but I still knit them now, I prefer them to bought ones. I'm not sure I've ordered from Deramores before but I've certainly looked at the website, it's great when you can get delivery to another country at a good price.

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  21. I can see that's as bad a being a seedoholic! Flighty xx

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    1. Ha ha, you're right there. Unfortunately I have both afflictions.

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  22. Yes, those squishy packages are the best. I start off going to an online yarn shop for a specific purchase, be it needles or yarn, but ALWAYS end up with many more hanks of yarn in my shopping basket than I originally intend. And yes, the free shipping is a darn good excuse :)

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    1. It's so easy these days with internet shopping to spend money, isn't it? I do think it's a shame that so many 'real' shops have closed down though. I remember going to yarn shops with my grandma when I was a child, I remember her picking out yarn for a certain project and the shop would then put it away for her. She'd buy it a ball at a time as she needed it, therefore spreading the cost. There certainly wasn't as much choice in those days though.

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  23. That's a lot of wool! Fantastic colours and colourways too. Wool usually makes me itch, but I think the yarn made from 100% recycled cotton would be fine :)

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    1. There's certainly some very prickly wool which would make me itch too but some, such as merino, is just beautifully soft. Cotton does tend to be soft too.

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  24. Lots of lovely yarn Jo I'm sure you will have lots of fun with it all. I think I'm just buying to feed the yarn tubs I have - a terrible habit! x

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    1. Hmmm, I'm a bit like that too. I've shown my latest acquisition, I daren't show what's already in my yarn tubs.

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  25. Oh - lots of woolly goodness - I am so tempted by the sock wools, but I already have several balls waiting to be knitted!!

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    1. I've got loads of sock yarn in my stash, it doesn't stop me buying more though, I just can't resist.

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  26. Ooh, that lot should keep you off the streets for a while Jo!! Can't have too much yarn, can you? xx

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    1. Definitely not, though my stash seems to be increasing at an alarming rate.

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  27. That should keep you going for a while!

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    1. I'm sure it will. I do love getting lovely yarny parcels through the post.

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  28. Oh....how lovely it all looks. Looking forward to seeing what becomes of it all.xxx

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    1. I think it may take me some time to get through it all but I'll do my best.

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