Wednesday, August 30, 2006

found some

I found this skein in a basket full of yarn at the back of Armadale Pottery in Sleat (South Skye). It's Merino Shetland cross with 12% mohair. The colour's come out a bit drained, even using my duvet cover as an improvised light tent. In person it's a heathery purple with blueish patches. The mohair gives it an extra softness. I'm planning to use it for a hat and gloves, probably some sort of cabley pattern.

This stuff came from Teo's Handspun in Broadford, also on Skye. It's kid mohair, beautifully soft and fuzzy round the edges. This picture really doesn't do the colour justice. It's a shiny purple, with patches of darker bluey purple and light patches of golden toned brownish purple. Er, sort of. Trust me, it's gorgeous. I think it's going to be some kind of shawl or scarf. It would be perfect for Clapotis, but I think I'd rather make it into something with a more complicated lace pattern. Not too formal though, something flowing. Still thinking, but since I've got loads of things on the go at the moment, not to mention Christmas knitting to start thinking about, it'll be a while before I get round to it.

I also bought some wine-red 4 ply from Shilasdair, which I might use for the border/ties of Arisaig. I almost wish we'd gone there first, as I'd spent my yarn budget by then. HP (little sister) bought a knitkit for a ribbed cardigan in lovely purple (see, it runs in the family) angora/cashmere/wool blend. All their stuff's gorgeous, mostly handspun and naturally dyed in smallish dyelots. They had a dyer's garden outside with things like bog myrtle, heathers and lichens.

In terms of knitting, I finished two socks (not a pair though) and got some way up the back of Arisaig. Unfortunately I left the bag with the socks in my mum's car and it's stuck in London until I next go home. Arisig made it home though, so I've still got something vaguely Scottish to work on.

5 comments:

Mary deB said...

More purple! I love the heathery mohairy one!
It's Blog Day today, and I'm linking to you!

Anonymous said...

It was a knitKIT not a knitKNIT.
Missing you. Hope work is ok and not too busy. Sorry bout the socks. We'll get them back to you soon hopefully.

Pig wot flies said...

Oh yeah, good spot. I'll fix it.
Have you finished the mingo socks yet?

Rosie said...

Good job I don't know where you live, I'd be round to raid your stash. Sounds as though you had a lovely holiday and it has brought back happy memories of my own trip to sky, back in the pre-bridge days when you took a ferry from the Kyle of Lochalsh to Kyleakin.

Anonymous said...

Almost finished second mingo sock. Did lots on train to Steve's so just a few more rows of rib needed. Steve liked them though so that was cool.
Missed seeing you :-(