Sock Yarn Swapsies - TNN

It swap time again in the TNN halls of residence!



I received this today - its just lovely! I am going to cast on with it immediately:


Not sure who it is from, I am OK with these things staying a secret usually. I'm not sure why, I guess I just used to get so excited about finding out what things were, I sort of wore myself out.

So there is 100g of sock wool (we specified a good quality mix this time around), a lovely little felted ball which I can't decide what to do with - definitely not for the kids.... and a pattern for socks - Peacock Tail Socks.

My swapper has done a lovely job, the colours are rich and vibrant, and with it being her first semi solid, I think she has done a cracker job.

So - to my Sock fairy in Christchurch (if your return address is genuine....) - THANKS!!!

My Precious....

Its a sad state of affairs when you have a thing for wool. I have a thing for wool. Therefore I am sad. Or pathetic. Or whatever.

Anyway - Wollmeise. Hard as anything to get your hands on, and after almost a year, this is my stash. I sold one to Sam who made a beautiful shawl, and knitted up some of my Saami, and this is what is left!



I love the stuff, and it smells great, and since I dye wool (often to sell....) I feel qualified to say her colours are intense, tasteful and insanely beautiful!

From left to right
Fratello (Yarnissima Kits)
Rhabarber
Buxkranzl (Sock Club)
Okzident (Sock Club)
Spina de Pesce (Yarnissima)
Hollerstaud'n (Sock Club)
Petit Poison No 5
Digitessa (Yarnissima)
Jultomte (Sock Club)
Rosenrot
Orient (Sock Club)
Campari Orange
Red Hot Chilli
and 2 naturals along the back.

There are 2 more sock clubs to come, and then I think I am done with buying Wollmeise. Its horribly stressful, there is lots of hoarders of the stuff, and the price is horribly inflated on places like Ebay USA. For example the latest installment of the sock club sold on Ebay for $300 USD. Now I love the stuff, but at $50NZD per skein, thats about my limit!! I cannot justify keeping more than this, nor can I justify the constant trading and selling that goes on. I wish people would just buy what THEY want, and leave the rest for other people who want to buy. I never buy more than 3 skeins at a time becuase postage goes stupid after that, and really, dropping $150 NZD on wool in an evening every few months is obscene as it is.

Recently I purchased all four kits from Yarnissima - she sells Wollmeise with a pattern in a stunning kit. They arrived today from Netherlands, and wow!! The wrapping, and the extra goodies all just show what an amazing buying experience this all is.

So watch for future projects. I think I am going to do a shawl with Rhabarber and Jultomte, and I can see a few other projects of mixing the natural and Saami. I also want to do a petit poison and Hollerstaud'd project I think as mine go beautifully.

I think the wool is worth it - its 150g skeins which in itself makes it worth minimum $30NZD (as most nice sock wools are around $20/100g, and with the colours, the quality and the gorgeous smell (Perwoll wool wash) its an enjoyable thing to collect.

Swap - How cool is murder.....

OK - I have finally read through the file and I can state that my swapper was Christine. Thanks so much. It was the flash of light I needed :)

My swap theme was I guess murder? Hard to say since I got sent a case file which I hope I dont actually have to solve. VJ did an awesome job of this swap, only 100g of wool which is awesome as I love quality, not quantity, and her colours are perfect for me. Has she been stalking???

SO the box arrives - big case file, and I was already smiling ;)


Open in up, red splatters everywhere and I see the evidence bags. Wool. Sock stitch markers on a noose. Chocolate - dark. A novel. And a case file.

Admittedly I went straight for the goodies and looked (yay - wool and chocolate and reading....) , and glances over the rest, but it was clear to see a lot of work went into this swap.


From the getgo I thought it was Christine because she does insanely themed and overcommitted swaps that makes everyone say (gee I wish she was my swapper...) and I am stoked to be on the receiving end :)



So those that know me. I am a massive murder novel freak. I love them all - name a murder author, I have probably read ;) My fave over the last few years is Karin Slaughter. (keep in mind I have small kids, so if you have a new author you think I should read, please leave a comment.)

Red is my colour. Specially the deep red that Christine got.

I love sock wool - enough said. Patonyle is awwwwwwwwwesome.

100g is perfect.

Books are good.

Choc is OK, it sweetens up him, and goes nicely with red wine ;)

Sock patterns - yes I collect patterns and wool, yet rarely knit.

Recipe - I am a closet wannabe chef so all cooking goes down well here.

Tattoo shot - yes I have a tatt, and while its not the extreme that VJ pictured, I am still "drawn upon..."

I am always losing my bloody stitchmarkers, so everytime I cast on yet another project (I currently have 3 pairs of socks, 2 dishcloths, 2 shawls, 2 tops, 2 dresses, 1 soaker, 1 blanket....) my stitchmarkers (and KP's tips) have to be stolen off one project, and on to another...


Thanks VJ - lovely swap.
PS - yes I have read the book, and I already have a new swap in mind. Yes I have read the case file, and I found the VJ hidden amongst all the comments, so gut no longer matters, I have evidence!!!!!!

Wollmeise - spolier shots!

About 4-5 months ago I signed up for the Wollmeise sock club on a bit of a lark. It was 180Euro, and realistically a poor student can't afford that luxury, but I thought if I got a place, I would pass it on.

Well I got a place, and on the day I got it, Shane and I had a jolly big row so I decided - its mine!!! Bang on the credit card, and it was kept secret for a few weeks. Actually - its the only time I have ever been completely secretive about a wool purchase!

So I have had 2 deliveries now, and they are totally gorgeous. I was going to split the sock club with a couple of others from Woolaholics - a forum I frequent - but as I do love them all, and I have been completely unsuccessful at any of the Wollmeise updates to date (and I have sat through 3!!!!!) I have decided to keep them all. Sorry girls.....

So here are some droolworthy shots now that the spoilers are all done with - I think?

From the first shipment we have Buxkranzl (Box Wreath) and Hollerstaud'n (Elderberry). Lovely!!!!!!





Not sure what I will use these for - probably not socks.....

Then last shipment (December) was Jultomte and Saami.





Now if you have never been lucky enough to get a bit of Wollmeise, I shall show you how each skein is wrapped...

So far, Saami is my least favourite, but that really doesn't say much as they are all stunning, so it was the first to be removed from the skein form.

I have decided to try the Saami on two projects - hopefully enough as each skein is 150g. I am going to try the Chickidee Cowl (rav link), and then some forget-me-not socks, and see how I go for yardage. I have actually bitten the bullet and skeined this up, and of course taken some shots ;).



I cannot wait to cast on. Its killing me!!!!! But at least having the wool balled up makes me feel a little closer to using it. The colourway is very very strong, so I am hoping the linen stitch on the cowl will break up the colour repeat, and the socks because they have a small yardage. But we shall see - I have no problem frogging if its not 100% great :)

Call that a wool delivery......

THIS is a wool delivery!!!!!

Check out the size of this box that arrived for me from Little Knits in USA this week :)



And this is what was inside....




They had Noro on sale, so I may have bought a little bit. I have all the best intentions of onselling on Trade me - not all of it of course ;) - but first I want to pat it for a while.

Sue from Little Knits was awesome. This only took about 10d to come from USA, and because it was over a certain amount, she split the international costs with me.

I also got some Brown Sheep products - Wildfoote, Lambs Pride Worsted and some Serenditpity Tweed that I think will go towards winter hats and scarves.

I love wool :)