The instructions for knitting with Rico’s new Can Can yarn are printed on the inside of the ball band.  However they are so tiny that it’s not very clear what you should do.  So I’ve made a video to show knitters how they can knit with Can Can yarn.

To buy or browse the shades available, please visit our website.

I couldn’t wait to have a go with Rico’s new Can Can yarn so I whipped this scarf up last night.  I mis-read the instructions and only cast on 4 stitches, rather than 7, so the scarf is a bit slimmer than it should be.  However I’m quite a petite person and would rather have a slimmer one to wear personally.

It was very easy once I got into the swing of it and I completed it in just an evening in front of the TV.  The shade I used was Purple Mix.  I’m delighted with it and can’t wait to another.

Frilly scarf made from Rico Can Can yarn

Rico Can Can yarn arrived yesterday and I got it on the website last night.  This yarn will be the “must have” yarn this winter and everyone will wanting to have one of these frilly scarves for Christmas.

The scarf is made using 8mm needles and worked over just 7 stitches, knitting every row.  I was never a fan on Rico’s Pompon yarn myself, but this is much nicer and easier to work with.  I cast on my scarf at lunch time.  I don’t think that it will take too long to complete the whole scarf.

It’s available in 8 solid colours and 4 variegated shades.  Have a look on the website to see what they are.

The instructions for the scarf are written inside the ball band, but there are quite tiny to read, so I will try to take and post my own photos over the next few days to make it easier to understand how to knit with it.

Kim Hargreaves’ fans will be excited to hear that her new book, Touching Elegance, is now available.

Here are a few of my favourites from Touching Elegance.  More photos can be seen on the website.

I fell in love with Sublime Baby Cashmere Merino Silk 4 Ply as soon as I saw it when it was launched last year.  It feels soft and delicate and an absolute delight.  This Autumn, Sublime have created two new shades: Paddle and Button.

Sublime Baby Cashmere Merino Silk 4 Ply Button

Sublime Baby Cashmere Merino Silk 4 Ply Paddle

There’s a new book too: The Third Irresistibly Sublime Baby 4 Ply Book (641)

Sublime Book 641

We’re very excited to have received our first delivery of Zealana possum yarn.  This yarn is called Kauri and is an aran (worsted) weight yarn.

Zealana Kauri Possum Yarn (Worsted)

Possum wool is produced only in New Zealand. It is a natural fibre coming from the fur of the New Zealand Possum. It is mixed with Merino and other fibres as it is too soft and short to spin it on its own.

Every year, the New Zealand government spends around NZ$50 million culling this animal because they are a danger to the environment. Zealana fibre comes only from animals which had to be culled. Money made by selling possum fur is invested into programs to sustain the unique environment in New Zealand.

What are the special qualities of Possum yarns?

The fibres of Possum’s fur are hollow. There is only one other animal on the planet with an hollow fur fibre: the Polar Bear. Both animals need to control heat, but in contrarian environments. The Polar Bear uses its hollow fibre to keep the heat, the Australian possum uses it to defend from the heat. So possum fibre is very light, super soft and temperature resistant, which means you feel cool in warm weather and feel warm in cold. It dries quickly after becoming wet.  These attributes make possum garments suitable for all weather conditions. Possum yarns don’t pill and are especially anti-allergic because of their extremely fine hairs.

Does possum yarn shed hair?

Possum yarns tend to shed a little of the fiber, this is a problem that is found with most short fibre yarns. It tends to be more apparent prior to washing the product and we always suggest all garments are washed after knitting to let the fibers bloom, this also traps some of the fiber into the garment and stops a lot of the shedding.

Why are possums culled?

The Possum is not native to New Zealand. It was introduced to the islands by a group of businessmen in the 19th century for building up a fur trade. They were not successful and released the animals into the countryside. As the possum has no natural enemies and a high birth rate there are over 60 million possums today. This animal is responsible for a major part in the extinction of many unique birds and plants and every night it eats its way through eggs, chicks and leaves and plants.

How come that the possum has been so destructive to the environment?

Before the Europeans settled on the islands, New Zealand had no mammals at all. The islands where home of the largest birdlife on earth. As these birds had no predators the majority nested on the ground and some of them, among them the Kiwi (now protected), cannot even fly. The possum as an eater of eggs and chicks and plants was introduced into this surroundings and this developed over the years into a natural catastrophe.

Why not just return the possums to Australia?

The sheer number of the population makes it quite impossible to return the animals to Australia. The possum is a night active animal and is not easy to get. Because of the colder climate the New Zealand Possum developed over the last 200 years into a more massive and muscular species than its Australian ancestor and would possibly endanger the native(and endangered) population in Australia.

What do environment and animal welfare organisations say about using Possum fur?

WWF NZ supports and encourages the development and sales of Possum based products. The WWF even leads and finances projects to limit the possum population. Sure everyone would prefer that the possum had never been introduced to New Zealand. But as you cannot put the wheel of history into reverse New Zealnaders have to do their best to defend the unique and diverse ecosystem of the island and so the possum is the one to go. Possum fur might be the only fur in the world which is endorsed by animal welfare organisations.

Sublime’s new yarn for Autumn 2010 arrived yesterday.  It’s called Sublime Chunky Merino Tweed and is available in 10 colours which you can see on our shop website.

Sublime chunky merino tweed yarn

Sublime chunky merino tweed is made in Italy using the finest quality merino wool, flecked with gorgeously tweedy neps. This soft chunky yarn has a natural warmth and creates the most perfect knits for wrapping up in the great outdoors.

There is also a dedicated pattern book called The Sublime Chunky Merino Tweed hand knit book (642) which contains patterns for men, women and children for sweaters, cardies, hats and scarves.  I like these patterns:

Rowan have published a free knitting pattern on their website as part of the Rowan Studio 20 collection.  The pattern is Flare by Grace Melville, and it’s really quite nice.

Rowan’s Studio 20 has arrived… finally!

Rowan Studio 20

Twilleys Freedom Purity is a wonderful new ‘Eco’ yarn. This soft yarn is available in natural, earthy colours which are formed by the careful blending of natural undyed wool with alpaca. The hypo-allergenic qualities of the Alpaca combine with the Virgin wool to create a beautiful high quality yarn that is just fabulous to knit with; creating one of the finest chunky yarns on the market.  At just £3.10 a ball, it’s excellent value too.

Twilleys Freedom Purity

There are some really nice patterns for the Purity yarn as well, some available as individual pattern sheets (£2.50) and others in a booklet which contains 12 designs (£6.50).  Look at the shop website for more pictures and details of the patterns.

Twilleys Freedom Purity pattern book 466