1 Year of Stitches - 2017

I'm back - already! I've joined the 1 Year of Stitches 2017 embroidery challenge. There is a closed FB group where we'll share photos once a week and I plan to post them here too. I'll also share a daily photo on Instagram.

I decided to start on this photo of my boy. I've done the pixilation and am going to choose threads today and get my fabric ready. I was going to use one of my hand dyed cotton fabric squares but am going for something heavier. Knowing me, there will be others too!

2017 - It's going to be a great year!

Every new year I make multiple resolutions and then end up not keeping them. This year, I'm taking the pressure off - I'm not making any! That doesn't mean I don't have any plans though - I have a list full! - it just means I'm not going to tie myself in knots trying to get through my list or feel bad about plans that get changed or deleted.

Earlier this year, I joined the Bryanston Organic and Natural Market and I'm pleased to say I now have stall #50 as my permanent spot. My door is on and we plan to build lots of cupboards and shelves to accomadate all the yarn, fabric, threads and other lovely stuff. We will be back on Saturday, the 7th January and the market is open every Thursday and Saturday from 9am to 3pm and also on most public holidays.

So, if you are any where near 40 Culross Road, Bryanston, Johannesburg, pop in and visit, bring your knitting, crochet, embroidery, weaving.... sit a while, enjoy a coffee or something to eat from one of the organic restaurants and soak up the peace and creativity.

OR Keep an eye here, on ColourSpun on Face Book and on Instagram to see how my little shop grows.

Stall #50 - pre-renovations.

ColourSpun ColourWays - Stormy Sunset

I love stormy skies, they are filled with promise.

The ColourSpun Pure Cotton colours in this one are: 323; 321; 319; 025; 026; 027

get them from ColourSpun - Natural Designer Fabric and Yarn

ColourSpun in Stitches - Knit Ombre

I've recently listed ColourSpun Ombre Stacks on www.colourspun.com , here's a good way to use them

There are many ways to produce ombré or gradient knitting. You could purchase specially dyed balls of yarn which slowly change colour as you work through them. Using these yarns means the colour changes gradually as you work through the ball without you having to think about it, so they are great for both mindless knitting, when you don’t want to have to think at all and for complicated stitch patterns when the stitches need your full attention.

If you want more control over the colour change, there are ways to produce the ombré effect using separate balls of yarn in a range of colours from light to dark. This means you could knit a garment where the hem starts with a dark yarn and the colour gradually changes, getting lighter and lighter as you work up to ending the neckline with the lightest yarn.

One way of producing this effect is to choose your range of colours in a yarn half the weight (thickness) that you pattern calls for and to use it double. You need at least 3 different colours; from dark through medium to light.

1. Start with 2 strands of the darkest colour (or lightest, depending on your preference)

2. Work a number of rows – you will have to work out how many according to the number of rows in your pattern and the number of different colours in your range

3. Cut one strand of the starting yarn and join one strand of the next colour, work a number of rows

4. Repeat “3” to end.

The swatch here was worked in stocking stitch as follows:

Cast on 20 stitches using 2 strands of light yarn, work 5 rows (light + light)

Break off 1 strand and join 1 strand of medium yarn, work 5 rows (light + medium)

Break off light yarn and join 2^nd strand of medium, work 5 rows (medium + medium)

Break off 1 strand of medium and join 1 strand of dark, work 5 rows (medium + dark)

Break off medium yarn and join 2^nd strand of dark, work 5 rows (dark + dark)

Cast off.

Happy knitting!

ColourSpun Colourways - Autumn Leaves

Its that time of year again here, the leaves are starting to turn and there's a little nip in the air in the evenings. It's Autumn :)

The ColourSpun Pure Cotton colours here are:

Top row:  335, 336, 020, 030, 304,

Bottom row: 462, 429, 472, 187, 189

Find these colours on www.colourspun.com

ColourSpun in Stitches

I have a pile of swatches on a shelf in my studio that are often my inspiration when I'm not sure what stitch pattern or yarn I want to use. They are all knit in ColourSpun and show me exactly how my yarn looks and behaves in different stitches. Although I can't share the feel here, I can share the look and instructions for you to create a pile of your own. I'll be adding new ones from time to time, so check back often. All the yarn used is available here

Bamboo Stitch

Although it looks complicated, the bamboo stitch is easy enough for beginners ready to move on from stocking stitch. All it involves is passing a “yarn over” over 2 knit stitches and the result is a firm fabric with an interesting texture on both sides. It works well with all types of yarn and looks really good using multi-coloured yarn. Starting a row with a yarn over can be tricky so this sample has a selvage stitch at the beginning and end of each row.

You will need

ColourSpun Pure Merino Aran - available here

4.5mm Knitting needles

Abbreviations

K             knit

P             purl

YO          Yarn over 

PYOO2  Pass YO over 2 stitches

St            stitch

Instructions

Cast on an even number of stitches

Row 1: K1; (YO; K2; PYOO2) to last st; K1

Row 2 and 4: Purl

Row 3: K2; (YO; K2; PYOO2) to last st; K2

Repeat these 4 rows for your pattern.

Cast off on row 2 or 4.

Happy Knitting :)

ColourSpun Colourways - Parasoles

How lovely are these parasoles. If you look carefully you'll notice 2 are made up of all the colours.

The ColourSpun Pure Cotton colours here are

from left to right: 477 160 030 106 078 057

:) Enjoy!

ColourSpun Colourways - Beverly's Mandala

beautiful sea colours in ColourSpun Pure Cotton

055 318 170 058

:)

ColourSpun Colourways - Beverly's Cushion

and since I'm playing catch up, here's another one

The ColourSpun Pure Cotton colours for this one are:

Top row: 029 084 478 009

Bottom row: 424 066 072 304

:)

ColourSpun Colourways - Margaret's Granny

Last week, not one but both of the undersea cables that help provide our internet went down. We also had one of those notorius highveld storms with thunder and lightning and so when everyone else was reconnected, we weren't. we had little spurts of connectivity and so never realised the problem was with our hardware. Anyway after much to-ing and fro-ing  we are finally all up and working again. I have received quite a few pictures and so have some catching up to do. Here's the first one, from Margaret Pretorius.

The ColourSpun Pure Cotton colours used here are

Top row: 051 319 328 406 329 039

Middle row: 124 042 047 054 470 307

Bottom row: 309 090 060 103 116 Natural

Have fun!

ColourSpun Colourways - Ria's Flower

This one's for Ria - whatever this colourway is used for it will be beautiful!

The ColourSpun Pure Cotton colours in this one are:

Top row: 478 412 148 154 160

Bottom Row: 445 068 416 011 136.

:) I love it!

ColourSpun Colourways - Ice and Fire

Having seen the other ColourSpun Colourways on my FB page, Beverly vT asked for a ColourSpun yarn match to the colour scheme she has chosen for a project. Here it is :)

Top to bottom left to right the ColourSpun Pure Cotton colours are:

Row 1: 161 422 459 460 324 318

Row 2: 324 459 166 438 149

Row 3: 440 458 438 149

Row 4: 172 328 478

If you have photo that you would like a ColourSpun Colourway for, I would love to do one for you.

love Dana

ColourSpun Colourways - Hibiscus Flower

Also on the Official CCC Social Goup on FB, Maureen asked for a palette for this Hibiscus flower. so here it is

The ColourSpun Pure Cotton colours in this one are

1st row: 105 122 118 051 153

2nd row: 065 148 478 451 024

3rd row: 424 071 078 060 178

This is getting addictive! :)

ColourSpun Colourways - Lilac Breasted Roller

A post from Zoe Etches on the Official CCC Social Group popped up on my FB news feed this morning. She is looking for a colour pallette for a photo of a Lilace Breasted Roller that was taken by Sharifa Jinnah in the Kruger National Park in South Africa.

Here is my colour pallette in ColourSpun Pure Cotton:

From Left to right

top row 162 057 434 322 310

bottom row 148 154 423 066 041

ColourSpun Colourways

I am often asked by my customers to help put together colourways for their projects. I love doing this and so I thought it would be fun to share them. I aim to post a colourway as often as possible and will  give my yarn/fabric/embroidery thread colours with each one so they will be easy to find on my website - www.colourspun.com

Today's colourway was put together for the Playing Hooky crochet group for a blanket CAL. It's lovely and bright and summery and pictured here in ColourSpun Pure Cotton.

Clockwise from the top left, the colours are: 004 017 029 036 402 152 160 424 165 172 183 454