Just what is lace weight yarn?

Dionne    Knitting and Crochet, What's New     2ply yarn, 4ply yarn, Botany Lace, knitting, lace knitting, lace weight, Rialto Lace

It would appear that it is entirely dependant on geography. According to our yarn suppliers, the Americas regard lace weight as a 4ply. Australia, like the Europeans and UK seem to think it is 2ply. Either way, there are some beautiful yarns being produced locally and internationally to meet a growing demand. While there is a lot to be said for a thick yarn in cold weather, … not to mention that it knits up really quickly, we have had more and more of you asking for a lace weight yarn for something light.

Rialto Lace 2ply yarn in 20 solid colours and Botany Lace 4ply yarn in 10 multicolour shades

We are now able to offer you a couple of options that we love and so have the customers who have seen and bought them. Firstly the 4ply Botany Lace yarn from Araucania. It is a multicoloured, 100% merino yarn with a current palette of 10 colourways with 6 new ones on the way. (YES I will take a picture and post it when the new colours come). We are currently the only retailer in Australia to offer the Botany Lace yarn, it comes in 100g skeins with over 400 metres of yarn to play with. Kerry has knitted up a swatch for the shop and it feels deliciously soft as well as looking gorgeous. Pattern support is great in the form of a book (imaginatively titled) Botany Lace.  We have that too, not sure I am up for the stocking patterns but there are some beautiful wraps that I am sure you will LOVE!

Yes there is more coming.....

We also have the Debbie Bliss Rialto Lace, another 100% merino stunner in a 2ply, I won’t repeat what Kerry said when I asked her if she would mind knitting up a 2ply swatch for you play with, … it is just that she is a much better knitter than me ….  Anyway, this stuff is just beautiful.  Actually, it sits in the shelf and looks like a gelato shop!  There are 20 shades and the pattern support in the form of yet another imaginatively titled book, Rialto Lace (no not the same manufacturer) features some beautiful shrugs, wraps and cardis in the lightest gossemer yarn imaginable.  Available online, or come and see it for yourself in store.

Told you it looked like a gelato cabinet at the ice creamerie.

Australian Masters Artwork on tapestry canvas

Dionne    Tapestry and Needlepoint, What's New     Australian Masters, Bailed Up, Country Threads, Down on his Luck, Fiona Jude, McCubbin, Roberts, Shearing the Rams

Thank you Fiona Jude!

There are a new series of Country Threads Tapestries from the Fiona Jude Design Studio.  Shearing the Rams by Tom Roberts always was a popular design, we have it in cross stitch but we haven’t been able to get it on canvas for years.   Another of Tom Roberts masterpieces, Bailed Up is now available again from Fiona as is Frederick McCubbin’s Down on His Luck.  All of these iconic images have been reproduced in fabulous cross stitch by Country Threads.  Now Fiona Jude has turned her considerable design talent to bringing these to the dedicated needlepoint stitcher.  They arrived in store this week and have a soft palette.

There is also a striking image of the Buddha, who has a recurring appearance amongst Country Threads recent designs.  The Chinese symbols to the right of the design are for Happiness, Longevity, Luck and Prosperity.   I don’t know anyone who would say no to a little more of any of those.

All designs are $88.00 and are available online or in store with optional thread packs.

Fab new colours for Baby Cashmere Merino Silk dk … and a new book too.

Dionne    Knitting and Crochet, What's New     knitting, sublime baby cashmere merino silk dk, sublime yarn

Introducing Sublime’s latest 4 colours for the Spring/Summer season are just the thing for a beautiful knit this year.  This is the best navy they have had yet since we first started carrying the range in 2009.  

There is also a lovely book for pattern support, The tenth little Sublime hand knit book is crammed full of the most fashionable styles, designed to dress up your little ones in a splash of gorgeous colour.

There are fabulous, stripey knits and frilled and puff-sleeved cardies for your pretty girls. And for little boys, There are upbeat orange cardies, cosy shawl collars in jolly green and a jolly crew neck sweater (and matching knitted boots) in their incredibly smart Henley navy blue.

We have the whole range of current colours in Sublime Baby Cashmere Merino Silk dk + some of the older colours left in limited quantities.