Spring and new yarns!

Temperatures finally started rising in Scotland last week, just in time for the May Bank Holiday, and suddenly, everything is springing! 
There have been gorgeous little lambs in the fields around us since last month. It's the first time I've lived so close to them and they are such a joy to watch. 

Mark and I finished the Big Blanket for his mum's 60th and delivered it to her new house on the Gower when we visited after Wonderwool Wales. I'm really pleased with how it came out! The squares themselves are nice and mindless to knit and the sewing-up is surprisingly painless too as you are mostly sewing cast-on edges together, so the stitches line up nicely.  We liked having it on display so much before gifting it that we've started on another one for ourselves, this time using Ullcentrum's wealth of neutral shades with just the occasional pop of colour.

Pattern: The Big Blanket by Linnea Öhman
Yarn: Ullcentrum 3ply (17 hanks used - 48 squares)
Needles: 4.5mm

There have also been a couple of new additions to our range recently. Firstly, the gorgeous Blåne from Norway. 

This 100% Norwegian wool is made by Hillsevåg Ullvarefabrikk - a historical mill and ecomuseum just outside of Bergen. The yarn itself is a chunky weight spun from Norwegian Pelsau sheep - a breed with much in common with Gotland sheep - a natural grey colour, great drape and a slight halo - but feels rather softer to wear. With that in mind, the first thing I used the yarn for was a Tiglar sweater, originally designed for Icelandic Lopi yarn. 

Pattern: Tiglar by Védis Jónsdóttir 
Yarn: Blåne by Hillesvåg - French Navy, Olive Green and Cognac
Needles: 6.5mm

Blåne is also a perfect yarn to use for Kate Davies' Carbeth patterns that have taken the knitting world by storm this season. I chose the cardigan version in the gorgeous Deep Red colour. I extended the body by a good 12cm and chose a tighter fit rather than the recommended ease for a style better suited to my shape.  I thought I'd missed my chance to wear it as I only finished it at the end of April, but as it happens, it makes a great little jacket for the not-so-sunny Scottish spring mornings, and a SUPER FAST knit (around a week each for both this and the sweater)

Pattern: Carbeth Cardigan by Kate Davies
Yarn: Blåne by Hillsvåg - Deep Red
Needles: 6.5mm

Another new yarn that we are delighted to have in our range is something a little different. Garngrossisten who make our popular Raggsock yarn have produced a pure wool Recycled Yarn called Ulligen (Woolagain). They use fibres discarded by the clothing industry and spin them into a surprisingly soft 4ply weight yarn in a range of 7 beautiful tweedy colours. Perfect for lightweight cardigans or gorgeous, draping shawls that don't feel too bulky to wear. 

Pattern: Sunwalker by Melanie Berg
Yarn: Ulligen Recycled Wool in Red and Mole
Needles: 3.25mm

In non-yarn news, I've also been busy sewing up some more vintage fabric knitting bags using original 60s and 70s fabrics in really happy colours....all available online now.