A Flowery Update

Nothing wildly exciting has been happening in my crafty little world recently, which is why my blog hasn't been updated as much recently.  I haven't picked up the needles or crochet hook for months, so sadly my current projects remain dormant.  My main focus continues to be Twisted Limone and the weekly Saturday updates.  Dyeing, winding and packaging takes up much of my time during the week.  There continues to be a little splurge of new colourways.  I tend to be crazy with ideas during the summer months!

SAFARI

SHERBET DIP
Not to be confused with Sweet as Candy - there is a subtle difference,
a peach stripe replaces the white one.

A TOUCH OF LIME

MARDI GRAS

KEY LIME PIE

The inspiration behind my colours comes largely from nature, food or anything in the environment which inspires me - this could be anything from a piece of fabric or a picture in a magazine.  Mostly, though, my ideas come from flowers and when anything catches my eye I snap away for future reference!

One day I will treat myself to a macro lens, but for now I'm reasonably happy with the effect I'm getting from a bog standard lens :)

I'm continuing to work on the re-launch of Silver Moonflowers, my Etsy earring shop.  I'm hoping to have lots of lovely new earring designs in the next month or two.  Next to knitting and crocheting, making jewellery is something I adore and is another outlet for expressing my love of colour!  More about this in a future blog, along with a sneaky peak at some designs.

Karen

Mini Update

Unfortunately there will only be a mini shop update this week. I’ve made a huge boo-boo and ordered my undyed BFL/nylon a little later than usual and sadly it didn’t arrive in time for this weekend’s dyeing. I usually buy all my undyed yarn bases as and when I need them, but I’ve learnt my lesson now, and so that this doesn’t happen again I’m keeping a surplus stock!

However, I did have a small stock of 100% Organic Merino left, which I have dyed up for part of this update. This is gorgeous, soft and bouncy yarn. If you’re heavy on your socks, and prefer extra nylon for strength, don’t forget this yarn will also make lovely gloves, hats, scarves……why not try something different ? I ALSO have some sale yarn in BFL/nylon all listed below too.

Okay, first the 100% Organic Merino, these are all variegated, although Plum Pudd does knit up into a stripey 'effect' of 1-2 rows of knitting (shown in the photo).

Myriad - So many colours, I don't know where to begin!
100% Organic Merino - Variegated

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Hot Pink Lime - Bright Pink and Acid Lime
100% Organic Merino - Variegated

Plum Pudd - Pinky Purples
Will knit up in a 'stripey effect' as
shown above.
100% Organic Merino

Next my sale BLF/nylon yarn.  In the sale because it's got a naughty knot :(  All these will knit up into mini 4 row stripes. I’m currently using this 4-row striped yarn for my Choco-Strawberry Ice socks – see side panel for a photo.

Rock Pool - Bright Turquoise and dark Charcoal Grey - 4 row stripes
75% Bluefaced Leicester/25% Nylon

Fruit Salad - Bright Pink and Acid Yellow - 4 row stripes
75% Bluefaced Leicester/25% Nylon

Conch - Dark Charcoal and light Coral Pink - 4 row stripes
75% Bluefaced Leicester/25% Nylon

Just in case you're wondering.....I find my mini stripes easier to wind into skeins than my usual balls!  So, don't worry, more balls next week :)

Finally two more stripy sale BFL/Nylon colourways to add but I've not yet balled them up/photographed them.  These are Cranberry Juice in wide 12 row stripes and Mad Hatter, knitting up into 3 stripes each 6 rows wide (see the Sold items in my shop for both colourways).  These will be added to the shop in the next day or two.

Full descriptions of all yarn is listed in the shop. Apologies this is such a ‘bitty’ update, but all should be back on track next week ;)

~Karen~

Cor Blimey!

WOW!  I updated the shop yesterday and before I even got the chance to blog about it most of it had been snapped up! ;)  Cor blimey, I'm completely bowled over :)  Thank you all you lovely people :)  So, I guess I'll just have to blog about what is left....pictured below.  This includes yarn from the last few updates.       

 

Jubilant

   

Neon

Summer Daze

Chocolate Mint

Periwinkle (sale)

Crystal Waters

As a little bit of light relief from all that time-consuming winding of striped yarn, I have been working on some bright and eye-popping variegated yarn, which I will be adding to the shop over the weekend.  So far, these are in my vivid colourways of Viola, Aztec and Carnival.  This range of yarn is called 'Variegated Brights'.  THERE WILL BE MORE - watch out for them! :)

Sneak preview...

Have a lovely weekend :)

~Karen~

The one that got away....

....Carnival Stripes.....has now found its way onto my sock needles. I dyed this one up last weekend and loved it so much I couldn't bear to part with it, so unfortunately here's one that won't make it to the shop this weekend! ;)

I even labelled it......but......no.....

....you're not having it! This one's for me ;)

I've had some lovely comments about this colourway, so I will be dyeing more, I promise!

I'm about three-quarters of the way through the first sock. Just a good plain Stocking Stitch sock to show the stripes at their best. I'm loving the way they are knitting up so far. Now all I need to do is to decide whether to keep them or put them in my shop ;)



Unfortunately due to all the rain here in wet Manchester, last weekend's dyeing exploits are still hanging up and drying, but I promise this week's update will be coming soon. I have some more subtle shades this week, as well as brights (of course!) and a repeat colourway.

~ Karen ~

Shop Update

Just a teeny weeny update of self-striping yarn for this week, which I will be adding to the shop on Friday.

Four new colourways for this week......

Pink-a-Dink in Tangy Sock
(a lovely rich Emerald green and bright pink)

Blue Grass in Zingy Sock
(Lime and bright blue)

Summer Daze in Tangy Sock
(definitely my favourite, lovely bright shades of lime, orange and pink - knit it if you dare! I've already had an extra order for this yarn, so it may be popular!)

Windermere in Tangy Sock
(inspired by my trip to the Lake District at the weekend and all the lovely blues and greens on Lake Windermere)

....and this weekend I will be doing repeat colourways for Aztec and Grasshopper, a custom order and maybe a few new colourways ;)

All these yarns will produce approximately 1" stripes, if knitted at a tension of 16 sts to 2" over 64 sts. This is a slightly wider stripe than I've previously dyed, but I thought they'd be fabulous for shawls and scarves, as well as socks. I hope to do a test knit on a shawl soon just to see how they knit up. However, if you fancy giving it a go before I do, feel free :)

~ Karen ~

Shop Launch

Well it took A LOT longer than I anticipated on Sunday, but I eventually got there in the end and managed to list 'most' of the shop contents.

I spent a very exhausting day and into the evening getting extremely 'goggle-eyed', by late evening I was decidedly cranky so I decided to have a nice glass of Chardonnay and call it a day! The only items I have left to list are my hand knitted socks, which I hope to do some time next week.

My self-striping sock yarn seems to be going down quite well, with a few sales and some enquiries. I am now down to my last two balls, so I will be dyeing some more lovely new colourways in the next few days, ready to list in the shop next week.

These are the two very lonely balls of yarn left, looking for a lovely new home ;) They're in colourways Colbalt Orange and Viola.

There's still some variegated yarn left though...

and don't forget my little hand knits ...

Socks and new self striping yarns coming very soon.....

~ Karen ~

Almost there...

Oh my goodness is it really December since I last blogged? Doesn't time fly? Well the excitement of the imminent opening of my Etsy shop has galvanised me into action and I'm itching to blog about it.

The last few months have been filled with lots of knitting, designing and dyeing yarn. I have been really busy knitting little knitted goodies for my Etsy shop which I (finally) hope to open on Sunday. Time has flown, but I have enjoyed every minute of it; I am at my happiest when I am doing something creative and the incentive to get my shop up and running has kept my creative juices flowing!

As you will gather from previous blogs, I am addicted to sock knitting, so my shop will be stocking some of my hand-knitted sock creations, along with my other little knitted designs, such as fingerless gloves, felted bags and wash/spa cloths and hand-painted yarn. A little peek of these is pictured below:

A pile of socks.....





Fingerless mitts......



Due to the interest and encouragement I have received on Ravelry, I will also be stocking some of my hand-painted yarn. Specialising in self-striping yarn, but there will also be some variegated and semi-solid yarn available, all in my favourite, gorgeous and bright colours.

Self-striping yarn....


Variegated and semi-solid yarn.......

There will be another little shop update tomorrow and then the grand opening on Sunday :)

Karen :)