Fantastic Weekend Away

OMG! What an amazing weekend away!!!  Just what I needed - the only thing that could have made it better was spending more time down there in Bendigo!!

After the Tiger Fiasco of 2011, we managed to get tickets on Qantas, who really helped us out with cheaper fares.  Talk about relief!!  I have to say that while I usually have no problems with Tiger, the pressure of having to try and find new flights will probably mean I will never fly with them again, I think we will be sticking with a more reliable airline from now on... but that's a whole other issue...

Anyway, being our first weekend away together, B and I were quite excited by it all and as I love airports, it was just nice being together, having coffee and waiting for our flight.

When we got to Melbourne, we were picked up by my bestie who drove us back to her place in Bendigo.  It was just awesome to catch up with her and her husband, I have missed them so much since they moved away.

On Saturday morning, we headed off to the wool mill, where B got his first taste of yarn craziness for the day... The back room wasn't as impressive as I had seen it in the past, but I still managed to pick up a few things, such as the Pure Wool (right) which will be used for felting - maybe some clogs??  There were quite a few people in the mill, although I know a lot of people see each other and want to catch up, it's not the best thing to do in such a small shop, with lots of people - and definitely not a good thing to do in the tiny back room  where you almost need to walk around single file.  But in all honesty, it's the way it goes, and with so many online knitting friends out there, catch ups are bound to happen.

From here, we were off to the the wool show!  All kinds of excitement!!  We started at the second gate at the bottom of the hill - which meant the first stop was COFFEE!  The second stop was for Kai to go to the petting zoo (left) which we got to in a round-about kinda way... I was following Kai, and apparently she was following me... meaning we ended up heading in the wrong direction before we realised!! haha!! B was a little excited to see the Woodfired Pizza guy (can you guess what he had for lunch?) who was near the petting zoo. 


I managed to get to all of the places I needed/wanted to.  I got my sock blockers and yarn from EGMTK as well as picking up some of Ixchel's yarns, which I have never tried before.  Having B there reminding me about colour choices was good, as I only bought one heavily variegated yarn, which I have nicknamed wicked witch as it has black, purple and orange in it.  I got some really nice laceweight and also managed to pick up some lovely 50/50 wool/silk from Moseley Park.  I loved walking around and seeing all of the lovely yarns and gorgeous colours!  Being able to spend time with Kai and talking about the different options out there and what we would make or do with yarn was just absolute bliss!! The coffee was so great once again and in my opinion, there is nothing like walking around with a friend looking at all the lovely yarny goodness, gossiping and shopping with a delicious coffee in your hand.  As you can see below - the Bendigo Wool and Sheep Show was a hit!! And I can't wait for next years!!!

When we got home, Kai and I cast on our Yggdrasil blankets which we are hoping to put into a "Baby Hope Chest" for when the time comes.  We are doing a bit of a mini KAL and have both chosen greens.  I am doing mine in Braken and she is doing hers in Forest.  Both are in 4ply Luxury from BWM and I think they are going to be so wonderful once they are done!!  

To top of such a wonderful day, we went to Pizza Hut for dinner - now while this doesn't that great or special, we actually don't have a Pizza Hut restaurant here, so being able to get the Works is a bit of a highlight, especially considering it brings back memories of my teenage years.

On the way home, I did some work on my Travelling Woman - a project that was started at the end of July last year with wool that I bought from the Show last year!!  It needed to be ripped back again but it was a good project to be able to take on the plane with me.  I am happy to say that I only have 3 rows to go before I cast off, so the next blog post will probably be of the finished project!  Funilly enough, I specifically started this last year so that I could also use the blocking wires that I bought at the show at the time... Well, a year late and it's almost finished!!  Can't wait to block it out now!!!

Overall, best weekend away!!  Got to go away with the boy and spend time with him, also got to catch up with the best friends and visit my second home and on top of all that, I got to go to the Wool and Sheep Show and do a bit of shopping!!  Already planning the next visit to Bendigo - hopefully in a couple of months, and definitely will be going back to the Show next year!!

Bendigo Wool and Sheep Show

Only 17 days left until I head down to Bendigo for the Wool and Sheep Show - and I can't wait!!  There are so many wonderful reasons why I love going down there:

• I get to see my best friends again (whom I stay with while down there)
• I get to touch and play with all of the lucious yarns that will be on offer
• I get to meet new (and old) Ravelry friends
• I get to build up my stash a little more
• I get to buy more accessories that i need
• And this year it will also be my first weekend away with my boyfriend, so it just makes it extra fun!

I have been thinking about what I want to buy while I am down there, and I thought it might be worthwhile putting a bit of a wishlist together, so that if I come across any yarns, I will know how much I need for a specific project.  This list (below) will see quite long (and expensive) but this is more of a just-in-case I find some yarn that will suit the project.


Project/Wish List
Ok here we go!!

Cables and Garter Cardigan
10ply
700-800m

Yggdrasil Afghan
4ply
3x Luxury 4ply in Bracken

Haruni
4ply
440m

Honeybee Cardigan
4ply
approx 1400m

 Pepita
4ply
520m

New York Cardigan
8ply
approx 1500-1600m








This is all I have for now aside from getting sock blockers.

Looks like a lot of wool, but the truth is, its more of a reminder so that when I get there I can buy the right amounts should I find yarn that I like

Different Fibres

I have been hunting down for some information on the different wool/fibre types as mentioned in my last post, and i came across a good article today by accident!

The article is A Guide to Yarn Substitution by Jody Pirrello and is located at Knotions, a new website I found through Ravelry today.

These are a few things that it had to say:

Animal-Based Fibers
Wool

100% wool yarns have a good resiliency and retain their shape well. They are also very absorbent – making wool a great choice for garments that will be worn outside in the harsh elements. Due to its loft, wool yarn tends to be lighter in weight than other animal- and plant-fibers.

If the garment was made with a particular breed of sheep – e.g. Merino or Shetland – keep this in mind too. The short staple, smoothness of a merino or the long staple, grabbiness of a Shetland yarn will also play an important role in your substitution.

Alpaca

Sometimes called “poor man’s cashmere”, alpaca is a soft fiber, weightier than wool and with a beautiful drape. This drape also translates to a lack of elasticity – ribbing and cables will flatten out because alpaca doesn’t retain its shape well. Alpaca is also known for its warmth – the hollow core of alpaca fiber makes it very insulating and much warmer than a garment made of wool.

Cashmere

Known as one of the most luxurious fibers, cashmere is super-soft fiber with great insulating properties. Similar to alpaca, cashmere has a lovely drape and lacks elasticity – ribbing and cables won’t stand up in a cashmere yarn. Its short staple length – the length of the fiber before spinning – makes it susceptible to pilling as well.

Plant-Based Fibers
Cotton

Like most plant-based fibers, cotton is a non-insulating fiber with a much greater weight than its animal-based counterparts. Garments made in cotton will weigh more than garments made in a wool. If you’re in a warmer climate and looking for a substitute for wool, consider a blend instead to give you the coolness of cotton without all the weight.

Linen and Hemp

As with cotton, linen and hemp are warmer weather yarns that lack elasticity. These fibers are lighter in weight than cotton though, and they also have a lovely drape. Linen and hemp yarns are typically wet spun, giving them an almost string-like feel when knitting it up. Some knitters find the texture of these fibers to be very hard on their hands and wrists, so try out a hank before committing to a whole project. One of my favorite FOs is a linen skirt I made last year and I found the effort outweighs the final product – after wearing it I just drop it in the hamper and wash and dry it like I do my jeans and t-shirts. With each wash and dry the yarn fluffs up and softens beautifully.

Bamboo

Bamboo is an absorbent fiber with a high sheen, and a drapey silkiness. It tends to be a heavier fiber, and garments may benefit from using this fiber as part of a blend. Scarves, stoles and wraps are excellent choices for bamboo when it’s not paired with another fiber.

Soy

Another warm weather alternative, soy yarns have high sheen and great drape. As you may have noticed by now, great drape is often at the price of elasticity, and soy yarns tend to be inelastic.

Selecting a Suitable Substitution
Now that you have the basics outlined for you – gauge, fiber, weight, and ply – you may find several options worth considering. You know what’s coming next, right? Swatch, swatch, swatch.

Knit up a good-sized swatch (at least 3-4 inches wide and tall) in the same method you plan to knit (flat or in the round). Measure it straight off the needles, and then launder it the way you’ll launder the finished item. After it’s dry, measure it again. Why measure twice? If the gauge changes dramatically after washing you’ll need to take it into account while knitting. Otherwise, the first time you wash your garment it will completely change its shape.

If you’re looking for an easy care garment, many yarns are washable even though they state “hand wash only” on their labels, so this is the time to give it a try. Often I find that a yarn is washable but it loses some length in the process (often as much as 20%). I compensate by adding the length while knitting so the final garment is the right dimensions.

One other note about swatching – please, please do not edge your swatches in garter stitch! They make pretty swatches, but garter stitch has a compressed row gauge and can alter the row gauge on your swatch. The best swatch is one that just uses the stitch you’re swatching. Washing and blocking will help battle the curl of stockinette, and you can always pin in place for measuring.

Similarly, measuring too close to the bound off edge can give you a skewed gauge measurement as well, so a larger swatch is a safer bet.

Once you’ve selected a yarn and you’ve started your project, make sure you listen to your intuition. Check your gauge throughout the project, match it to the schematic, and if something doesn’t seem right, listen to that little voice and consider your options. If I’m concerned about how a piece is coming out, I’ll put it on some waste yarn and wash it to see how the finished piece looks. Often this is enough to give me the confidence that I’m on the right path. And if I’m not, it might be just the excuse I need for another trip to the local yarn store.

The right wool

It has only been fairly recently that I have come to realise how much the right kind of wool can affect your work.

While cheap wool is... well, cheap, it doesn't always give you the outcome that you wanted.

I always used the cheaper acrylic wool (eg Carnival) for my knitted toys, it was inexpensive and I didnt really need anything else. However, now that I am making clothes and such, the right kind of wool really does matter!

The right kind of wool can make the biggest difference to your work! 2 different brands of wool might both be labeled as 4ply, but they can look so different as finished products.

I have really come to notice this, but the problem is always having the money to pay the extra amount for the right kind of wool... I have found that it is generally always more expensive, but now I look at how much better my work would look if i used it.

A friend of mine from Trazling (and also Ravelry) has sent through so many links to online stores, including the mills where you can buy the brand name wools direct - meaning that it saves you money!!

The only other challenge I face now, is trying to understand what the different kinds of wool are... there are so many forms and variations, I need to know what they are and what the differences are...

The only problem is, I don't know where to start!!