The Oxford Kitchen Yarns Shop is now open!

I kept thinking it was nearly done, and then it wasn’t nearly done, and then OMG it was, and I have flung open the metaphorical doors, and now everyone can nosy around and see what I’m up to:*

I dye yarn in our tiny kitchen here in Oxford.

I only dye with natural dyes, and it’s important to me that this enterprise is ethically and environmentally responsible. Already this has meant that I have experimented with dyes that will not get used within the store - they produced great results, but they came from trees that are endangered, and even though I’m a small business I don’t feel comfortable about that. But that’s ok - there are plenty of other great colours out there to use instead. :)

Sometimes this means that some of my colours will be seasonal. There are a few more skeins that I’ll add to the store towards the end of the week, that may prove to be the only opportunity to get one particular colour for this year - it all depends how my storage of the dye stuff works. I’m ok with that. If necessary I’ll make a lot more next year to keep us going while the dye stuff is out of season.

Also I dye semi-solids. There are plenty of incredibly varigated yarns to choose from. Locally even, we have the wonderful 21st Century Yarns, who made the yarn I’m knitting Tatami in. But I love the interesting depth of colour you can get in a semi solid, and it suits the natural dyeing process very well. Plus it shows off lots of stitch patterns unlike anything else.

All the yarn is currently Blue faced Leicester which is grown** and spun within the UK. To this knitter it feels very much like Merino, though I’m still trying to find out how their structures compare. Certainly it’s very soft, and strong, though I’ve yet to try felting with it.

Currently I am dyeing Sock, Lace and DK weight yarns.

Sock Yarn:

• 100% Blue faced Leicester
• 100g skeins
• 425m per skein
• Recommend 2.5mm needles
• £12 a skein (plus p&p)

Let me show you some colours!

Oxford Kitchen Yarns Sock Yarn in Raspberry £12

Oxford Kitchen Yarns Sock Yarn in Silver £12

 

Oxford Kitchen Yarns Sock Yarn in Biscuit £12

 

Oxford Kitchen Yarns Sock Yarn in Melba £12

You know, this is a pretty long post already. I think I’ll write about the DK and Lace weight tomorrow. If you can’t wait, they’re already up in the shop for you to look at and order (if you want. :)

*Can I admit that I want to hide under my duvet at this point?

**I’m still trying to work out whether ‘grown’ is the right term for a yarn. It grows on the sheep as it’s fleece, obviously. But something about saying ‘grown’ just doesn’t seem right. *shrugs*

(In other knitting related news, I am 2″ away from finishing the second sleeve on Tatami, which means, after I’ve wrestled the dropped stitch rows into actually dropping, I’m on to the final front sections, which I’m going to knit both at the same time, the way you’re supposed to. I can’t believe how quickly it has knit up. I mean - yes - it’s been the only project I’ve been working on, and I’ve logged lots of little bits here and there, but it’s also a cardigan on 3mm needles, and I really thought that would take more than three weeks to knit up. But, given fair winds I could really be done at some point next week.)

Damson Purl Beret bythe lovely people at Purl.

My Ravelry Post: here
Yarn: Blue Sky Alpacas Alpaca Silk - about 100g
Needles: 2.5mm for the band, and 2.75mm for everything else.
Pattern: Purl Beret - which can be found here. (Bonus - it’s FREE. :)
Conclusion: I ended up re-knitting this because - in trying to adjust for my large head - I ended up making something too big even for me, the first time around. So a frogged and started again, which really wasn’t a hardship given that a) this yarn is soft, and smooth and wonderful to knit with, and b) it’s such a quick pattern that it only took a couple of days to knit up.

I’m really pleased with it. :)

 This River Stole (done on smaller needles, like streetsandyos did here) has been a staple this winter, (along with the jade coloured Ballon Scarf from Scarf Style, which I knitted the winter before). It’s incredibly warm - that’ll be the mohair - and even though I don’t normally wear much yellow or gold, it works really well with the reds, damsons, and turquoises that make up most of my wardrobe.Another firm favourite is my pair of Fetchings that I knitted in November.

 These (along with another pair that Liz knit me for Christmas), have been worn pretty much every single day of winter - either while running erands or when we’re out for our early morning walk. I lengthened the finger part, which keeps more of my fingers warm when it gets really cold. They are knit in Debbie Bliss Cashmerino aran - which has held up suprisingly well (given that mixed fibres tend to pill pretty quickly.)I’ve also been wearing the hat my friend Abby* designed. But until she desides if she’s going to get it published or not I can’t photograph it. :(

(* - hey Abby - look I’m pimping your upholstery blog!)

Also finished - but not shown till now - are a pair of DK weight socks that used up the left over yarn from Theo’s Jumper.

 They are knit toe up, on 4mm (I think) - and have become my house socks of choice. :)(I have a real soft spot for DK weight socks. They are usually pretty strong, nice and thick, for padding about the house, and knit up in no time. Plus I always have half DK balls around the place just waiting to be made into stripes. I can see myself making more variations on this pair - in fact I’m suprised I haven’t done so already.)

 I also knit these, from an Angora/Merino mix by Touch Yarns which I picked up at the Knitting and Stitching Show in London. (I’m currently using up the rest of the skein to try and squeeze out another pair of trainer socks. *fingers crossed.)

 These were knit using the yarn that my mother-in-law brought back from the US for me. The pattern was something I just concocted with the help of a stitch dictionary. Another pair of thicker house socks - much needed given that only the bedroom and stairs of our house are carpeted.So there you go! I did keep myself busy while I was away. (In fact there are more FOs that just need photoing.)

In other news, my secret project took a leap forwards this week, which was very exciting. *beams*

I’m back!

Life took over for a bit, but now I’m back. I’ve been dyeing things, and it’s been too hot to knit.  Poo.

However I have made some progress on the shawl, which is good, and abandoned a pair of socks 3/4 of way through because they just weren’t working, which is not so good.  However tonight i am going to watch movies, and knit some silk up from my stash. yay!

—

My friend sent me a link to a Japanese Short film about Red Yarn Monsters - or something.

I need to take some photos of what i’ve been working on, and then I’ll be back in the next day or two to show you.

Wow it’s hot here. I kinda miss an airconditioned office.

I’ve been doing some clearing out, and there are things I don’t want any more that really, are too good to be thrown out.

These are a case in point:

• 12 copies of Everyday Food (6-15 plus 18-19)
• To Do List Magazine Premiere Issue

Anyone want to do a swap? I’ll throw in some crafty bits and bobs from my stash.
Email me: oscarcat @ gmail . com - gone

(Only proviso - you don’t spend any money, except postage. Let’s swap what we have. :)

In other news, everything is growing, i’m going yarn shopping tomorrow, and we’re having a Paris-Roubaix party on sunday. I’m digging out the pompoms, and making rocky road!