Blogtober - The Best LYS Ever!

I am so lucky! I have the best little local yarn shop! It's about 4kms from my house, stocks a fabulous range of gorgeous yarns at a variety of prices and is owned by Tash, a beautifully vibrant and knowledgeable knitter and yarn dyer (amongst many things). Oh, and it's called Holland Road Yarn Company, found on Jackson Street, Petone, Wellington

I've just come back from knitting night there, meeting up with other knit/yarnaholics and seeing what yarns/patterns people are knitting while eating nommy food and drinking a cuppa tea. It's my idea of fun. It's close enough to home if I get a call that one of the kids is beside themselves. And you can buy anything that speaks to you at the end of the night if you like. Dangerous! But the chance to sit there without children for a couple of hours and fondle yarn is wonderful.

Actually tonight I came home with some delicious hand-dyed DK, I think it's one of Tash's first batches and it's stunning. This particular skein is destined to become a Jane for my Penny. You can also buy Tash's yarn online at knitsch

Flights of Fancy Yarn Club

This year, after releasing my Little Hoodlum pattern I rewarded myself with joining my very first yarn club. Tash from Knitsch was running her very first yarn club too - and I loved the sound of it and the choices club members would be offered and so signed up. I've bought a few other skeins of 4ply Knitsch before and love them and was keen to add a few more of them to my stash.

So, now that it's all done and dusted (apart from me knitting them all up) I thought I'd share my gorgeous packages! I should mention too that Tash offered people a 'mystery escape' option, or a 'plan ahead' as each month she dyed 2 colourways, one semi-solid and one variegated. I'm a surprise me type person, but I do love semi-solids at the moment so just to be difficult asked if I could just get the semi solid option each month.

June - the first installment

A WIP bag, 2 supervery stitchmarkers, 120gms of 4ply merino in the semi-solid colurway 'Peacock in the Parlour' and a pattern for some fabulous handwarmers.

July - the second installment

A WIP bag, cool pencil, excellent sock pattern and 120gms of 4ply merino in the semi-solid colourway 'June' (it is more reddish than the colour shows)

August - the final installment

A WIP bag, 120gms of 4ply merino in the semi solid colourway 'Victoria' a pattern for what looks like a lovely shawl and

A 'certificate' ironed inside the bag for being a founding member of the yarn club

I am someone that normally suffers from things like food envy when we're out for a meal - but I have to say I LOVE all the yarns I was sent and am really really pleased with them. Tash has said she's going to be running the club a little differently next time around - but I'm hoping to have knit some of these beauties up so I can justify signing up again next time! 

Scratching The Knitting Itch

That's the slogan of 'Knitsch' - a fabulous new yarn business! I'm a bit lucky as it's kind of my own portable LYS - when Tash and her mum Sonja come to knitting nights we might be lucky enough to have a wee fondle of some of the yarns. Last night we watched Tash label some yarns in preparation for Craft 2.0 on the 12th of June here in the Hutt - and I put together my 'must buy on the day' list.

I've actually got a couple of yarns from Knitsch already...see, about a month ago when I was taking part in a colour swap I decided I loved her 'You are my sunshine' BUT it was an 8 ply swap so Tash agreed to do some custom dyeing for me...here's the result. It's 300gms of the YAMS and 100gms of solid trim.

The funny thing is that this photo was taken today...the yarn swap was completed in May. I loved this yarn so much that I decided that I wasn't ready to gift it just yet - though I do have something in mind for it!

This I managed to snaffle last week when Tash was having a sale - it's 'Spice' and if I remember correctly Tash said that she wasn't going to be doing it again. I guess that makes it limited edition ;) And no, this yarn is not intended for me...I probably shouldn't put it up on here yet!

This is on Tash's 4 ply, it's 100% merino wool, 167 m and has a lovely tight twist to the yarn which makes it suitable for anything - including socks. It's also machine washable and lovely and soft. You might also notice that they are 50gm skeins - which means if you actually want 150gms for a larger shawl it's easy! You just buy 3.

And finally, a few wee skeins of Margaret Stove's Artisan Lace to add to my stash - boy is this yarn lovely!

We were shown a number of items knit with it last night, and some of Margaret's patterns that can be used with it. You can get a whole wee singlet out of one 300m/20gms skein, or scarf, or bonnet and booties sets. Margaret Stove is Sonja's ma and Tash's g'ma - yarn's in the blood.

Have a look here and here too if you'd like to read a bit more about Tash. She's running a sock club soon too...it promises to be extremely exciting! I'm SO in for this one!