ColourSpun In Stitches - Mock Cable

This is a great way to add a cable effect to your knitting without using a cable needle, which makes it quick and easy too.

You will need:
ColourSpun – Yarn of your choice available from www.colourspun.com
Knitting needles to suit your yarn

Abbreviations
C/on cast on
C/off cast off
K knit
K2tog knit the following 2 stitches together
P purl
Sts stitches

Instructions
C/on a number of stitches divisible by 8
Row1: (K3; P2; K3) – to end
Row 2: (P3; K2; P3) – to end
Row 3: Repeat row 1
Row 4: *P3; (K2tog; leave stitches on the left-hand needle; K into the 1st stitch again and slide both off needle); P3* - repeat from * to * to end of row.
These 4 rows make the pattern, knit until your work reaches the desired length.
C/off

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!

....back from the Sea

My soul is full of longing for the secrets of the sea,
and the heart of the great ocean sends a thrilling pulse through me.
~Henry Wadsworth Longfellow Quotes

10 days flew by and I'm home again from a lovely holiday with good friends in Plettenberg Bay. We spent some time in the Tsitsikamma forest and Nature Reserve.

There is an amazing tree in the Plaatbos Nature reserve that is a magical part of this enchanted forest, tall and strong with a kindly face it silently watches all who pass.

There are Rain Spiders who spin leaves into their huge webs that hang from the branches, the spider clinging to the underside protectively waiting for the young to hatch

 

...and how beautiful is the ocean at the Storms River mouth, it inspired the colours for the ColourSpun Cotton Club

 

 

 

Have a Happy Day :)




Yarn Clubs

At the dyeing workshop we had last week, the ladies attending convinced me to start yarn clubs. I have decided to start with 3 different ones.

The ColourSpun Mohair Club
This club will offer 150 -200g of different types and weights of mohair - fine, DK, brushed, loopy etc. (not necessarily all at the same time) and will always include an extra special yarn. All will be hand dyed in colours inspired by nature.

The ColourSpun Cotton Club
This club will offer 150 - 200g of different weights of 100% cotton yarn, from fine to chunky.(not necessarily at the same time) It will also always include an extra special yarn. All will be hand dyed in colours inspired by nature.

The ColourSpun Bits & Bobs Club
Suitable for freeform and modular knitting projects, this club will offer 150 - 200g of a lucky dip mixture of different ColourSpun Natural Designer Yarn, including Merino wool, mohair, cotton and art yarns. All will be hand dyed and some may be hand spun.

Each club will deliver 4 times a year and is limited to 20 spots and then a waiting list will be set up.
The cost of the club yarn will be discounted by 20% off the normal retail price.

The details of the each club will be posted on the ColourSpun Group on Ravelry . The first offering will be the ColourSpun Mohair Club at the beginning of February, followed by the ColourSpun Cotton Club at the end of February and the ColourSpun Bits & Bobs Club at the beginning of March.

Hope you'll join in the fun

Natural Suburbia: Giveaway from ColourSpun

My friend, Linda, has a wonderful blog - Natural Suburbia, which is filled with lots of beautiful and interesting things. This week she has a giveaway of ColourSpun yarn - dyed by moi.

If you feel like a treat pop in there for a visit.

Natural Suburbia: Giveaway from ColourSpun: "Please welcome Dana from ColourSpun... Natural Suburbia: Tell us a little about how ColourSpun began and how long you have been dyeing ..."

Cosmos

I love the wild Cosmos flowers that grow along the roadside in our little corner of the world. They usually start flowering in March, so you can imagine our suprise and delight when my friend, Carle' and I found some driving home on the R23. Cosmos was the inspiration for the little girls cardigan in my book.

Carle' was up from Philadelphia in the Cape for a little retail therapy and to present a dyeing workshop in my studio yesterday. We all had an awesome time and I can't wait to see the results. Most of the girls who were there are Ravellers and whilst chatting at tea time, they convinced me that I should have a Ravelry group for ColourSpun - you can find it here. I hope that members of the group will be inspired by my yarn and each other and that through it we will all grow and develop and find happiness in our craft.

Carle has a lovely group on Ravelry too. It's called Nurturing Fibres and if you love yarn, you should really check it out.