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Flying overseas soon? Don't forget to take your knitting!

You’ll need a large tote that looks like a good but big hand-bag. This is the one I chose: https://www.goodwoolhunting.co.nz/shop/product/750244/della-q-canvas-tote-bag-38-1x34-3x12-7cm/?variantId=3975892I love it! It has met all my requirements below. It comes with stitch markers, large tapestry needle (don’t take on plane!) and a small wool cutter attached to the inside of the bag. There are zipped and open pockets on the outside of the bag, and also inside.It needs to be big enough to fit...

New Shop opens this Friday!

It has been a long time in coming, but finally we have a bricks and mortar shop in the heart of the Wairarapa, New Zealand! I know that Miss Maudes is down the road and has some lovely yarns, but I wanted a shop that is 100% yarn and 100% dedicated to knitters and crocheters. I wanted a shop that is filled from floor to ceiling with colourful yarns and everything that a fibre enthusiast needs to be creative. I also wanted to have a wide range of yarns at affordable prices, available to N.Z. make...

5 questions in 5 mins with Rachel from GWH

I hear you have two Master’s degrees. Is that right?I have a Masters of Art History and Theory and a Master of Library and Information Studies. What mediums do you use in your art?I quite like using oil paints or water colours when I am painting. Recently, dyeing yarns is my creative outlet. Especially the precision of creating self-striped yarns. And knitting of course too! When did you start knitting?I started knitting many years ago with my maternal grandmother when I was in prima...

Making the most of dyeing opportunities

We've been waiting anxiously for a whole year.  We planted a few varieties of flax 3 years ago. This year we wanted to use the flax pods for dyeing and we wanted the pods to be fleshy. By scratching the pods you get a hint of the colour that will be extracted and these pods gave off a greeny-brown. A small amount of pods extracts a large amount of dye "juice". Three days ago we picked the pods and cut them up. We then put them in a pot, covered with water, to stand in the sun for a few days...

Christmas is almost here

Hello and we hope all your Christmas plans and preparations are coming along smoothly. I just thought I'd pop in, to let you know about some gift ideas for the maker in your life. We have many smaller and inexpensive items: Eucalan wool wash, to care for your lovingly hand-made items. The 100ml bottle is the perfect size for a stocking filler, and inexpensive, too!KnitPro locking stitch markers, inexpensive and practical. Every notions pouch needs a few! We also have the fancier stitch mark...

Finished Object - Half of a pair of socks!

Hello lovely makers, the weather here in Wellington continues to disappoint, but on a positive note I can sit and knit with less guilt! Recently I dyed up some self-striping yarn, which I sold out of. The colourway is called "Hyacinth Bucket", and looks very pretty in a gobstopper ball.......

Gingerbread

Normally Rachel does the blog post, but this week has been very eventful. To start, I took a four night trip to London. Yes, just four nights!! It was a business trip and I had every day packed with meetings and activities. I had booked a day to Keighley to see the team at West Yorkshire Spinners and despite it not being the primary purpose of the trip, it was going to be the most interesting and exciting part. I was keen to get their new Xmas colourway "Gingerbread". Unfortunately, with the Que...

Coming soon! A NEW shipment of yarn!

If you love Opal, Scheepjes and Lopi, you will be excited as I am about the yarn that will arrive next week! First up though, we have a new shipment of HOOOKED cotton yarns that arrived a day ago! Be sure to check out the new cottons in our online store. Back to info about what is to come next week...If you are an avid sock-knitter, you will be interested to see the new yarns that we'll have in stock. Opal's Beauty 2 is a little different from the usual Opal yarns, for it has a high quality Edel...

I'm baby knitting!

...and no, it's not for me! (I'm a bit too old). I'm the third of a family of seven children, and my "baby brother" and his partner are having their baby next month, so I've been a little focused on making as much as I can for the new arrival. So far I've made a cot blanket......

Natural Dyeing with household food scraps and plants

It's not hard to be, when it comes to dyeing with plants and food scraps. The idea of using the whole plant really appeals to me. When it comes to avocados, you not only get to enjoy eating the flesh, but you can use the skins and pips to make a beautiful dye. We also go through onions, and eat at least one every day. Once I've taken the skin off, I save it and chop and cook the rest. There's no wastage. I love that! Whenever I'm in the garden, I look at the dye potential of everything...

We are on Pinterest!

To follow us on Pinterest, click HEREWe're organising our ideas and sources of inspiration thanks to the wonders of Pinterest. If you'd like to follow us, click on the link above.I'll be sharing knitting ideas, inspriration, yarn dyeing and natural yarn dyeing ideas via the blog and on Pinterest. Keep warm and keep on knitting x...

Making the most of the weather

It is a super day for knitting, isn’t it?!! Wet and cold outside. So that is what we should be doing today. Instead, Rach is making some more project bags. We first started selling them at the Capital Fibre Festival two weeks ago and they have been flying out the door. I am sure there will be time to finish off these gorgeous socks (see picture). It has a heel flap and gusset and is knitted from the top down. The pattern is available from Anna Knitter Yarns and is her Helgen Soc...

Greytown Fibre Co!

For the longest time I've enjoyed experimenting with colour. Having a dedicated dye space makes things a whole lot easier logistically. In the early days of yarn dyeing, I used to have a couple of crates with my dye supplies and tools, and bring them from the garage to the kitchen whenever I wanted to do some dyeing. What a pain that was! The stress of setting everything up, keeping the area tidy(ish), and packing up by dinner-time was a hassle. Many people manage to dye out of their kitchen, bu...

Updates and an announcement!

If you've recently been to our website, you'll see that we recently added Countrywide's "Mandala" in 4ply to our store. Due to popular demand, we will also be stocking "Mandala" in 8ply. We are awaiting a delivery from the courier for this, so be prepared to see it available soon. New additions also include Broadway Hand dyed DK in an assortment of beautiful colours. We also have the Knitcol DK yarn from Adriafil, which knits into jacquard stripes all on its own! I've seen beanies, sca...

Crucci sock yarn has arrived!

Boy....what a long wait it was. But it was worth it! We currently have six of the colour patterns available, and I'm really eager to cast on a pair. However, I have a self-imposed rule of "one sock project at a time". I guess i'd better get cracking.If you've never tried knitting a sock, give it a go. When I first started, I found it a little daunting. But honestly, take your time. You will eventually find out your preferred type of sock, be it cuff-down or toe-up. Crucci has made a free sock pa...

Just arrived! A massive shipment of Scheepjes and other beautiful yarn!

Today we had a massive shipment of yarn arrive from the Netherlands! Included in this are the brands: Scheepjes, Opal and Lopi. There were two things that I thought of while checking everything off with Bruce. First of all, it was hard to not divert some of these new yarns into my own personal stash. The Scheepjes Whirls are absolutely beautiful, and I'm sure you'll love them, too. Secondly, many of the Scheepjes yarns had an art movement/artist theme, which reminded me of my Art History da...

West Yorkshire Spinners has arrived!

I was on my way home from the dentist today (always an exciting time!) when I heard that a delivery of two pallets of yarn were arriving in an hour! It's always an exciting time, as a knitter, when you have so many boxes of yarn to unpack (seventeen, to be precise!) Four hours later, I'm recovering from the excitement of seeing so many colourful skeins of yarn, including BFL (Blue Faced Leicester sheep) yarn. What is BFL? BFL is short for Bluefaced Leicester wool, which is a specific s...

Sock knitting - what yarn to use and what kind of heel to make?

Socks? Don't be intimidated at the prospect of knitting your very first sock. Every sock-knitter has to being somewhere, and a lot of the time the knowledge that we gain is through trial and error. In this post below, I hope to demystify sock knitting through addressing some of the questions you might have around yarn and method to use. Firstly, you have to use a yarn that you love. I, personally, find it highly unmotivating to use a yarn that I don't like the colour or feel of. "Second sock syn...

Exciting times ahead!

Eight years ago, crochet saved me. Back in 2013 I rediscovered the health benefits that come with being in the moment, and using a hook or needle to turn yarn into something both beautiful and practical. Initially, I crocheted scarf, after scarf. Too many to count. I then joined a group of craft-minded women with a goal to fundraise for our local primary school. In this group I made a life-long friend. This dear friend of mine then got be back into knitting again. She had the good sense to stop ...