March FO Parade

I have been really impressed with lots of projects that people are making using my yarns and I wanted to share some more with you as I think they are just wonderful. 

First, we have this lovely project knit by SarahBird22 in Lush Worsted. Sarah chose Nanook by Heidi Kirrmaier, a stylish top-down cardigan with a really exquisite asymmetrical collar. The colourway that Sarah used is called Nimbostratus and the base is a Lush Worsted which is a 80% Merino, 10% Nylon and 10% Cashmere blend.Well done Sarah, it is absolutely stunning and I bet you'll get lots of use out of it.

Next up we have IttyBitty's version of the Hecate Shawl by Kirsten Kapur. Nadia used two different yarns to create this beautiful shawl: Malabrigo Sock in Impressionist Sky and Lush Twist in Nimbostratus. These two yarns worked really well together and I love the overall effect of the subtle variegations in both.

I also noticed these brilliant sunshiny socks from Emma who is known as Treeseeker on Ravelry. The design is from Cookie A and she worked up in Lush Sock in the colourway Brassica. Emma felt that 'Cauchy', the design, was perfect for a bright colourway such as this because it is geometric enough to really hit home. I agree!

Talking of geometric, just take a look at this next FO! Ibnik worked her version of Hari by Olga Buraya- Kefalian in Super Sock in the colourway Grit. This project took less than two skeins and can be worn in a variety of ways which Iben helpfully demonstrates on her project page!

Last but not least we have this stunning shawl that FlorenceMary recently finished and is a modification of Veera Valimaki's Hidden In The Forest. Instead of garter stitch that the pattern calls for, Sarah worked her shawl in stockingette stitch. I love the results of this modification and her choice of contrasting colours in the Artist's Palette Smoothie Sock yarn and The Uncommon Thread's BFL Sock in the colourway After the Rain.

What have you been working on this month?

Nightlock

Many of you will know that Lisa Mutch of Northbound Knitting has been a supporter of The Uncommon Thread yarns for quite some time and has featured several of them in her pattern designs.Lisa has just released this amazing new pattern and I think it is absolutely beautiful. I don't think it will be long before I have one on the needles!

Nightlock is knit with both Super Sock and Lush Twist in two contrasting colourways and takes only one skein of each. Lisa knit hers in her trademark grey and black (Pitch and Cobble) and as always with Lisa, the design is graphic, moody and classic.The shape is semicircular but ends in sharp points for additional interest. There is plenty of delicious garter stitch and stripes which I have always been a fan of.

Congratulations Lisa for another beautiful pattern!

Another New Stockist

It has been a really busy few months and part of the reason has been preparing wholesale orders for new stockists. I am so pleased to be able to tell you that The Uncommon Thread yarns are also now being stocked at DoodleBug Yarns, Colorado.

There are 15 colours of Super Sock and Heavenly Fingering which are great yarns for socks, accessories and light weight garments.

I hope you will stop by and have a look in order to support our friends at DoodleBug Yarns.

All about the Lace

The Uncommon Thread Ravelry group is very active and we have lots of knit-alongs that are great for inspiration and getting sociable with your knitting. The current knitalong is running from 1st March - 30 April 2012 and is LACE. In order if your project to qualify it can be any lace pattern or laceweight yarn from The Uncommon Thread. 

So far there have been many beautiful projects cast on and I have chosen the Crocus Shawl by Hiroko Folkmann Drost. I actually was a little cheeky and cast this on early as I was impatient to start knitting it. The Crocus Shawl is an Estonian Lace inspired shawl which I initially found very intimidating despite its beauty. I think I must have underestimated my skill level as knitting it is actually going really well and I shouldn't have been put off by how complicated it initially looked. I am working this up in Heavenly Cobweb, the new base that I included in the last update. It is supremely soft and despite having to knit Nupps and other such complicated lace, I am really enjoying this project. The only tricky part I found so far is cabling without a cable needle with the fine cobweb yarn. 

I have also been working on the Imogen Cowl, a beautiful design by Carrie Bostick Hoge. I am now starting it again having frogged as I messed it up in the beginning! I'm using Silky Merino fingering weight in the colourway 'Plata'.

I would be making excellent progress in this Knit-along if it were not the fact that I have put both projects on hold as I returned to knitting on the Never Ending Socks that I am pleased to report I have finished!

Why don't you come and join in?

New Stockist!

I have been so excited about this for some time and I am so pleased that I can finally announce that The Uncommon Thread is now stocked at Loop, London. I was so thrilled to be invited to wholesale my yarns with Loop and seeing the listing was such an exciting moment for me - I have always been a fan of this gorgeous yarn shop.

I created an exclusive yarn for the shop that knits up between a DK and Sport weight. Here is the description that I prepared for Loop:

With a passion for texture and colour, The Uncommon Thread’s yarns are hand dyed in small batches in the South of England. The collection is characterised by subtle semi-solids; layered overdyes; surprising spots and intriguing splashes, which knit up as short bursts of colour. With the knitter in mind, yarns are dyed to bring pleasure in every stitch and a cherished finished project. BFL Light DK is dyed exclusively for Loop and is made with 100% British Bluefaced Leicester, a breed known for its softness, strength and delicate lustre.

To celebrate I am planning a trip to Loop in order to see my yarns in all their glory and I will share some pictures soon.

After Dark

One of my favourite designers Veera Valimaki, of Rain Knitwear Designs, has recently featured The Uncommon Thread yarn in one of her newly published patterns and I love the design. 

After Dark is a simple double-breasted cardigan that is knit in one piece and features a lovely garter stitch collar and stylish but simple stockingette body. The yarn that Veera used was Silky Merino, a DK weight yarn that consists of  58% Merino and 42% Silk that gives a wonderful drape and shine. This garment will be a stylish and wonderfully soft addition to your wardrobe.

Congratulations to Veera- I love it!

News about Clubs

The final club colourways for this round have just gone out and I am writing to update you that I will not be renewing club subscriptions just yet. There are lots of new and exciting things happening at The Uncommon Thread which means I need to take time away from clubs in order to bring you all the fun things that I have planned.

To keep up-to-date with everything you can follow the RSS feed for this blog, follow me on Twitter, join the group or keep an eye on the Facebook page. 

More soon ...!

Another FO

I've been working on some great projects lately and this hat by Joji Locatelli is just lovely. The design is called 'Dragonflies Hat' and calls for a DK weight yarn. The pattern has three options: from small and snug through to a larger slouchier version.

I chose to knit the medium size in my own yarn, Sumptuous DK in Plata after I saw a lovely version of it from one of TUT's Ravelry group members, Azelie, in the same colourway. Sumptuous is made up of 40% Merino, 40% Alpaca and 20% Silk which worked well for this hat as it has a slight halo and the silk gives it a wonderful sheen. I'm really pleased with the result.

Never Ending Socks

I have been working on a pair of socks for some time and I thought I should confess all here as to be honest, they're taking forever. I don't knit socks that often as I really like garments and shawls but I made an exception for the Delicious Knee High Socks by Laura Chau.

I'm knitting these two at a time as I don't think I would ever finish them otherwise- I would definitely suffer from second sock syndrome if I'd knit these one at a time! I tried to knit a pair of knee high socks once before but they were cuff down and have been hibernating in my WIPs pile ever since. I've been really ambitious and decided that my second ever pair of socks are going to be a pair of over the knee socks. I know, it seemed like such a good idea too!

I'm actually doing really well. I have knit past the heel and now I am working my way up the leg and have just started the ribbing that should take me over the knee. However, that's a lot of ribbing and I'm wondering if just below the knee might be cuter?

The yarn I'm using is my own sock base 'Lush Sock' in the really popular 'Brassica' colourway. It's bright and cheerful and goes wonderfully with the Tosh Merino Light 'Patina' that I'm using as contrast. I just hope I can keep going!

FO Parade: Club Colourways

Last year I wrote a post about how lucky I feel some days, dyeing yarn and finding new inspiration and friends on Ravelry. I thought it would be nice to share some of that inspiration with you as I really enjoy The Uncommon Thread's group and the members are so supportive and talented. 

The Club has been a great success and each month I just love seeing everyone's reaction to their surprise package: either a bright or a neutral skein of a mystery fingering weight. The colours are exclusive to my members and won't be available until 6 months after their original production so there is always quite a buzz about them. So I thought it would be nice to share what some of the members have been making as there are some real gems.

First, Saffron (Mooncalf on Ravelry), made this wonderful Cream and  Sugar Cowl by Alana Dakos. This skein was from January this year which means she knit it up in super fast time. The colourway is called 'Pitch' and these cables really work well. The base is Lush Twist, a merino/cashmere/nylon blend. As always Saffron, your project is divine!

Image with kind permission from Saffron

Next we have the ever so talented Caroline (Koanizee on Ravelry) who made a stunning pair of socks with her October skein in the colourway 'Cobble'. The base this time is Super Sock, a 100% merino with a crisp tight twist. Caroline combined her skein with some Lioness Arts and Plucky Knitter to make these stunning manly socks. What's more - no pattern! You can read all about them on Caroline's blog, 'Knit's Cat'.

Image with kind permission from Caroline

Lastly, Zarah (ZarahMaria on Ravelry) test knit Dani Sunshine's Dry Stone Cowl pattern using November's bright club colourway, 'Beeswax'. The sunny yellow skein was Super Soft Shetland, which has a fingering yardage but is so soft and plump that it knits up like a sport weight. This is such a beautiful project Zarah, I love it!

Image with kind permission from Zarah

Stay tuned for more FO parades in the future as there's so many wonderful knits happening out there with TUT yarn that it would be sad not to share!