I started watching the Wey Aye Let's Knit podcast a while ago and also joined the Ravelry group. I'm glad I did because I was introduced to The Yarn Tart, a range of yarn which is hand dyed by Julie who hosts the podcast. When she announced in her Ravelry group that she was having a sale on her yarn I headed over to her shop, Suffolk Socks, and snagged myself some bargains.
Both skeins are 4ply high twist superwash merino/nylon, so will be ideal for socks. The greeny coloured one is called Playground Politics and I don't remember knitting with anything in a similar colour before, there's quite a few other colours mingled in with the green so it will be interesting to see how it knits up. Oh La La is my favourite of the two, this is creams, yellows and oranges but there's also speckles of purple in there too.
Whilst placing an order I decided to add some Grundl Hot Socks Rubin yarn to the basket. I've never used this yarn before but I've heard other people mention it and I have to say that it's so soft. It's made up of 50% superwash merino, 25% bamboo and 25% polyamide. It's the yarn that I'm knitting one of the pairs of socks in which I talked about in my On The Needles post.
The other yarn which has come into my possession is from Giddy Yarns. Helen has a Flower Fairies yarn club running this year, inspired by Cicely Mary Barker's Flower Fairies, and the inspiration behind the February yarn was the Primrose Fairy. Now anyone who knows me knows that I love primroses so I really couldn't resist this yarn. The idea behind this club is that you purchase the yarn in advance without actually seeing it dyed up, all you know is what the yarn will be inspired by and you leave the rest up to Helen. I love this idea of having a surprise. The order was placed back in December and the yarn was sent out at the end of January.
I think Helen's got the colours just right, that pale lemon and green, with the odd speckle, beautiful.
I just cannot place an order without something else catching my eye so as well as the Flower Fairies yarn, two other skeins were also added to my basket.
The yarn on the left is called Eleven. Helen has some Stranger Things, a Netflix series, inspired yarn for sale at the moment and though I've never seen this programme I really liked these colours. Sold as a sock set, there's a 50g skein and a 20g contrasting skein for the heels and toes. Regeneration is the name of the yarn on the right and I'm sure that any Dr Who fan will know the inspiration behind this one. The colours in this just pop, it will be such fun to knit with.
I'm very pleased with all my recent purchases but I really need to curtail my yarn buying for a while now whilst I knit up some of what I've already got, I just hope that nothing else catches my eye in the near future.
Love your post, very interesting all the different yarns. I still am itching to knit my first pair of socks for myself. Can I ask would you do a post for me and anyone who is in the same position, ie would love to knit but where do I start. Best yarn, best pattern, best video to watch, good site to purchase from, is it best to get a kit or is there a really good sock yarn for beginners. All these things wizz around my head, I can't start until I know I have the best equipment for a good result. If this does not interest you delete this post, and thank you for reading.
ReplyDeleteI did a post last year about Sock Knitting Tips:- http://jo-throughthekeyhole.blogspot.co.uk/2017/04/sock-knitting-tips.html
DeleteI always direct any new sock knitters to Winwick Mum's blog. Her Sockalong post gives so much information:- http://www.winwickmum.co.uk/p/sockalong.html
I would say just give it a try, knitting socks is such a big thing in Blogland now that there's always someone to ask if you get stuck with anything. Good luck.
I have stopped "just looking" probably until the end of the year. I have to turn away or fast forward through podcasts when they show their new yarn. I can not trust in my self control as i have none. I did have a long slow look at yours though.
ReplyDeleteHa ha, it's all so tempting, isn't it? I do like to have a nice, healthy stash though, it's fun choosing a new pattern and then picking out the yarn to go with it.
DeleteIm so pleaswd you're happy with the yarn! I need to check out the yarn tart yarn, I've only heard of it recently myself.
ReplyDeleteI've got five skeins of Giddy Yarn in my stash now and I love it all, your colourways are always so tempting. I'm looking forward to trying out the Yarn Tart yarn, it's lovely and squishy.
DeleteSuch pretty colors, looking forward to seeing how they knit up.
ReplyDeleteI'm not good at visualising how yarn will knit up when I see it in a skein so it's always a lovely surprise when I start knitting.
DeleteThose yarns are delicious! Internet shopping is dangerous. X
ReplyDeleteIt's so much easier to part with cash these days with the push of a button and it's very hard to resist these beautiful yarns, very dangerous.
DeleteHello, I loved seeing all your lovely new sock yarn. I'll have to pop over to the websites you mentioned. I just joined The Handmade Sock Society sponsored by Helen Stewart at Curious Handmade. She'll be sending out 6 different sock pattern over the next few months. It will be a fun sock knitting experience 🧦 Enjoy your day, Pat
ReplyDeleteI've heard quite a few people mention The Handmade Sock Society, very tempting indeed, I'm sure it will be lots of fun. I may even succumb myself yet.
DeleteI can see why you're buying can get out of hand the yarns are beautiful. I love the yellow and green one, no I love the Grinding one....well I love them all. I wouldn't know which one to start first.
ReplyDeleteI could go mad where yarn is concerned, so many pretty colours and gorgeous, squishy yarn. I'm not sure which of these I'll use first, I do love that primrose one though.
DeleteI can see lots of beautiful sock in these yarns, exiting!
ReplyDeleteIt's all a case of matching the perfect pattern to each skein of yarn now. I've got a few ideas already.
DeleteThe yarns are all delicious!! I must resist, as I have so much sewing on the to-do list for the next few weeks/months/years!!!
ReplyDeleteThat's the problem, isn't it? So many hobbies, so little time.
DeleteI can see why you were tempted, the amazing colour combinations are a joy. I am resisting the temptation to buy any more I have so much stash that needs to be used.
ReplyDeleteI have no willpower at all where yarn is concerned. I do try to resist but there are so many pretty yarns that I end up buying more, even though I've got plenty in my stash. Oh well, it'll all get used up eventually.
DeleteSmashing, that will keep you going for a while!
ReplyDeleteIt certainly will. I've just got to choose some lovely patterns to knit up now.
DeleteGreat variety of colours you chose Jo, lots to keep you busy.
ReplyDeleteThere's some beautiful coloured yarn, that's what tempts me. I love some of the combinations that the dyers come up with.
Deletebeautiful yarns, I really love the one inspired by the Flower Faries, such a lovely colour.
ReplyDeleteLooking forward to seeing how they knit up.
I love the pale yellow in the Flower Fairies yarn. It's the first time I've bought yarn this way where I haven't seen the colour of it first but it was quite exciting waiting to see what it was like.
DeleteLovely purchases Jo & look forward to seeing a few made up. I've never watched a podcast & probably only one ever You Tube thing. Have good week & take care.
ReplyDeleteI really enjoy podcasts, they seem to be the in thing at the moment. New ones seem to pop up every week on a whole range of different subjects.
DeleteAll those yarns look amazing, Jo. I'm not going to go and look - way too dangerous! :o)
ReplyDeleteThe temptation can be too much, can't it? I must stop looking as I'm always tempted to buy.
DeleteThey all look beautiful. I hope you enjoy using them! :)
ReplyDeleteIt makes knitting all the more enjoyable when you're knitting with such beautiful yarn.
DeleteStunning colours and I Love the names.I really must have a go at socks it will be a change from Blankets.xx
ReplyDeleteHuge Cuddle for Archie xx
Sock knitting is so addictive. Whatever I'm knitting, I've always got a pair of socks on the needles too.
DeleteLove the colours of that first yarn, they remind me of caramel and butterscotch!
ReplyDeleteI like reading all the names given to the yarns and finding out where the inspiration comes from.
Lisa x
There's some yarns where you can just see the inspiration behind them, others I'm not so sure myself but I suppose it's opened to the individuals interpretation. I think it's a fun way to dye yearn though.
DeleteThose yarn types really have a gift for naming their products don't they? I predict lots of sock knitting on the horizon for you - I'm clever like that ;)
ReplyDeleteI love reading the names of the yarn, I don't know how yarn dyers come up with some of them. I think you could be right about lots of sock knitting being on the horizon.
DeleteThese are beautiful. I always have more yarn than projects. Last night I started a now project - a toy monkey using what my Mum calls an eyelash yarn, it's fluffy and will make my monkey look hairy. I can't wait to see how it turns out, I've never used a yarn like this before, and the beauty of it is if you make a mistake you can't see it! I'm sure I purled some knit rows and vice versa...
ReplyDeleteThe way I knit and the way I buy yarn has really changed over the last few years. I used to buy yarn for a particular project and then knit on that monogamously whereas now, I buy yarn without a project in mind and have several projects on the go at any one time. You must show us your monkey when you finish him, I know the type of yarn you mean, it gives such a great effect to projects such as this.
DeleteScrummy yarns. I have had a peek at some of your recommendations, even at the sock tutorial, buy will I pluck up courage to have another go that is the question! xcx
ReplyDeleteDefinitely give sock knitting another go, once you get the hang of it you'll be hooked. Mind you, I should say this with a warning when there's so many gorgeous yarns to buy.
DeleteAll of your yarns are really pretty, Jo. I especially love the red sock yarn, those will be really cute socks. I've been on a "yarn diet" for the past year or so, trying to use only what I have, but I did buy about six balls recently to augment colors that I already have. I find it's difficult to make an attractive stash-buster if you only have tiny bits of certain colors. I need a little more to make it look more balanced, I guess. I didn't want to buy more yarn, but it's only low-priced acrylic, so I can forgive myself. :)
ReplyDeleteIt's funny how stash busting projects often lead to us buying extra yarn. I know what you mean though, you do often need to balance the colours out which leads to a yarn purchase. I've got quite a bit of Stylecraft Special DK which I should really hook up into a blanket but I've also got two blankets already on the go. My crochet mojo has gone and I'm all about the knitting at the moment.
DeleteGorgeous yarns. I'm on a personal crusade to use up most of my stash (both yarn and fabric) before I go wild buying more. Enjoy knitting this lot into gorgeous things 😃
ReplyDeleteThere's one thing to be said for using up the stash, it makes space to add lots more. I must try to resist buying more now, I've got plenty to use up.
DeleteThey are all lovely, especially eleven, you should watch that programme, most entertaining.xxx
ReplyDeleteI think Stranger Things is something Mick would enjoy but we don't have Netflix so he'll have to do without.
DeleteOoh, you've got some fabulous yarns there, I'll look forward to seeing what you make with those! Thank you so much for all your recommendations to my Sockalong tutorials - it's great to have so many new sock knitters in the world and I am sure it will never lead to a lack of sock yarns to choose from! :) xx
ReplyDeleteYou're welcome. I know a few of my readers have bought your book and some are following the sockalong tutorials on your blog, I just hope they know what they're letting themselves in for with all this scrummy yarn to choose from.
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