They have pretty awesome yarn too. I've been told it will take a while to arrive because it comes from Uruguay, but the prices are really good as well as the quality of both the yarn and the fiber.
AJ
[ October 05, 2006, 04:25 PM: Message edited by: BannaOj ]
Posted by kmbboots (Member # 8576) on :
If that is anything like malabrigo (some of the colour names are similar) it is really beautifully, can't-stop-touching-it soft.
Posted by Raia (Member # 4700) on :
Ooh pick me! I want some too! (Maybe...)
Posted by BannaOj (Member # 3206) on :
malabrigo? where/what's that?
Raia, do you knit or crochet? If so pick a color, and if you come to visit me in Chicago you can pay me for the raw wool then, or I'll just mail it once I get payment for the raw wool. I told blacwolv and breyerchic I wouldn't charge them for making the yarn since I'm a begginner, but if I get better I might add like a flat fee of $10 or something.
AJ
Posted by Raia (Member # 4700) on :
I knit AND crochet. And will do! I have to run to rehearsal now, but that sounds fine. Thank you!!
Posted by BannaOj (Member # 3206) on :
pick some colors for me to order... and decide how much yarn you want... 3.5oz =90-100 yards of yarn, dk/worsted weight.
AJ
Posted by blacwolve (Member # 2972) on :
I'm sorry, I have a couple of major projects in the offing, none of which require wool yarn.
If you could bump this the next time you're getting an order together, I'd really appreciate it.
Posted by BannaOj (Member # 3206) on :
ok... no problem AJ
Posted by breyerchic04 (Member # 6423) on :
I just ordered a drop spindle and some silk hankies to try it out with (I also have a close place to get undyed shetland wool). So I may still contact you, but right now I think I want to try it first. If I want you to do some I'll let you know.
Posted by BannaOj (Member # 3206) on :
I've never spun silk. Let me know how it goes!
AJ
Posted by breyerchic04 (Member # 6423) on :
Ok, I will, also I'll link you to the ebay lady I got it from.
Did you get my pics of cc? His biggest concern was her topline and front legs at a stand. I'm not sure, since I haven't spent that much time reading the breed standard.
Posted by blacwolve (Member # 2972) on :
Do either one of you know how to spin linen? I have a gorgeous pattern that calls for linen yarn, but no idea how to find it.
Posted by breyerchic04 (Member # 6423) on :
I think linen would be rather hard to spin with, it's stiff. But i bet I could find you some doing enough googling, what weight do you want?
Posted by BannaOj (Member # 3206) on :
Is linen made from flax?
AJ
Posted by breyerchic04 (Member # 6423) on :
I think so.
Posted by blacwolve (Member # 2972) on :
Yes, linen is made with flax.
The reason the pattern calls for it is because it's one of the few yarns that gets nicer the more you mess with it.
Thanks for googling Sarah, you know how bad my googling skills are. I need sportweight. Lots and lots of sportweight.
The titania capelet is the pattern I'm interested in making. The yarn they used is going to be close to $60, so I'm looking for something a bit cheaper.
Posted by breyerchic04 (Member # 6423) on :
That's the least expensive linen yarn I've found, but I'll look more on ebay. It's a very stiff fiber, and most is even combined with cotton because of that (and I know most of your feelings on cotton).
Posted by blacwolve (Member # 2972) on :
I like good cotton! I told you that, right? I adore the Shine Worsted I'm working with now.
I'm sorry to hear about the linen prices, I was hoping that something cheaper wasn't unrealistic. Looks like it is.
Posted by breyerchic04 (Member # 6423) on :
That's mostly Modal, which is much softer than cotton. I thought about that after you told me that. You're feeling the Modal (beech fiber), I may hand you some Crayon sometime, it's a softer pure cotton (sport or dk weight).
I'm still looking for less expensive linen's, or possibly hemp (not looking great price wise either). I don't think having it spun would be less than that for 810 yards, it could, but I'm not sure.
Posted by breyerchic04 (Member # 6423) on :
this hemp might work, it also gets nicer after you wear it (look at a hemp necklace that's been showered in a lot). It'd be 36.
Posted by Theca (Member # 1629) on :
Hmmmmmmmmmmm.
Posted by The Rabbit (Member # 671) on :
Do they have any natural roving and yarn? I'd like to experiment with dyeing it myself. I've never done any spinning but I'd love to learn.
Posted by breyerchic04 (Member # 6423) on :
That company may not but you can find lots of others that do.
I haven't spun yet so I can't give advice on which fibers are good (though I like to knit with merino and have an obsession with all things from the shetland isles which only makes sense to me and my dog).
Posted by BannaOj (Member # 3206) on :
Ooohh...I was just thinking this weekend about knitting myself a sweater. I'm starting to get a hankering for a new project.
I might be interested, but I don't have any particular pattern in mind yet for the eventual project, so I'm not sure how much I'd need. Those are very, very pretty, and very, very tempting...
*goes off to google sweater patterns*
Posted by BannaOj (Member # 3206) on :
Seriously, I'm happy to hand spin yarn for you if you will buy the fiber. I'm getting fairly good at it, I need to take pictures of my most recent stuff which is lovely and consistent, even compared to the stuff I used in these scarves.
Hmm...I've been poking around various pattern sites, but nothing's jumped out at me yet. How soon would you need to know?
Posted by kmbboots (Member # 8576) on :
quote:Originally posted by BannaOj: malabrigo? where/what's that?
Softest wool ever. If we ever manage to get together, I will make you feel it. It is gorgeous.
Posted by BannaOj (Member # 3206) on :
what are you doing over the holiday weekend anyway? we're staying local with no real plans
AJ
Posted by breyerchic04 (Member # 6423) on :
Kate, it's your fault I just looked up their dealers and found one in Indy, which means I may be changing my plans for next weekend (I'd agreed to take two babies to the library in Indy, I may blow them off, before my horse show).
Posted by BannaOj (Member # 3206) on :
there's a gourmet labor day yarn sale out in Marengo at The Fold
Oh and for the fiber... umm I guess Tuesday next week would be ok, particularly if I get to The Fold on Saturday.
AJ
Posted by Libbie (Member # 9529) on :
Neato. My sister just started her own yarn-dyeing business. It's yarnpirate.com. You guys should check it out sometime!
Posted by BannaOj (Member # 3206) on :
rotfl. I guess it's a small world. rocets1ent1st, my good friend from college (and technically my sorority sister) that got me started on the spinning thing posted a compliment to your sister's etsy shop... it's a small world!
AJ
Posted by Libbie (Member # 9529) on :
Ooh, weird! Too small a world. Posted by breyerchic04 (Member # 6423) on :
Libbie's just connected to everyone, that's all.
Posted by Belle (Member # 2314) on :
For those that want to dye their own yarn, here's a link to a couple of projects at my favorite store for all things dyeable - Dharma Trading.
quote:Originally posted by breyerchic04: Libbie's just connected to everyone, that's all.
I'm like Kevin Bacon that way.
Posted by Raia (Member # 4700) on :
Actually, AJ, I'm going to follow blacwolve and not order anything this time around. I don't have any time to use it at the moment, anyway, so I think I will wait until your next venture for yarn. But definitely keep me in mind for next time, ok?
Thanks again, though!
Posted by BannaOj (Member # 3206) on :
Not a problem... now I've got to figure out what sort of project I want to do and what colors to get!
AJ
Posted by breyerchic04 (Member # 6423) on :
My drop spindle came today!
Posted by Theca (Member # 1629) on :
I can't think of anything I should be getting wool yarn for right now, I've got so many other things here to do. But now that I've seen that etsy link with sock yarn I wanna makes socks. Or fingerless mitts. Anyone know a good pattern for fingerless mitts made with that fingering weight yarn? I've got patterns for thicker yarn.
Posted by breyerchic04 (Member # 6423) on :
I posted a picture of my first ball of yarn in Elizabeth's Knitting thread (as apposed to mine) on sakeriver.
Posted by The Rabbit (Member # 671) on :
Can you give us a link??
Posted by breyerchic04 (Member # 6423) on :
here ya go Posted by MightyCow (Member # 9253) on :
Wow, those are beautiful colors. I wish I weren't so horrible at crocheting.
I tried to make myself a scarf once. Before I was 1/3 done it looked like snake roadkill Posted by breyerchic04 (Member # 6423) on :
That almost perfectly describes my crochet, but my knitting is much better.
Posted by BannaOj (Member # 3206) on :
Emailed you
Posted by The Rabbit (Member # 671) on :
One of these days I'm going to have to set up a website so I can post the pictures of the sweaters I've designed and the yarn of dyed.
Posted by breyerchic04 (Member # 6423) on :
You can get a flickr account, which will host the pictures for you. www.flickr.com Posted by Theca (Member # 1629) on :
I broke down and bought Not Just Socks to find some mitten, glove, and hat patterns for sockyarn. Well, and sock patterns. I think it was a good purchase.
Posted by Nell Gwyn (Member # 8291) on :
Banna, I think I would indeed like some yarn. I'm thinking about making these mitten-things (minus the beads) in azul profundo romm for my mom. I haven't found a sweater pattern I really like yet, but that mitten pattern looks like fun. It calls for 200 yards, so I'm thinking two 3.5-oz...er, wads? (hanks? chunks?) of wool would be enough, right?
Let me know if that's still okay and how much I'd owe you with shipping and such, and I'll email you with my address. Posted by breyerchic04 (Member # 6423) on :
I emailed AJ saying I changed my mind, and she hasn't responded, so she may be away from computer for a while.
Posted by BannaOj (Member # 3206) on :
ok... just catching up... Didn't use the computer the entire weekend. Got sick and someone in the mall knocked my ice cream out of my hands (it wasn't even my fault)
Will catch up... I haven't ordered anything yet!
AJ
Posted by breyerchic04 (Member # 6423) on :
RV acua Romm 3.5 ounces, I'll have my dad write you a check.
Posted by BannaOj (Member # 3206) on :
Do you have paypal?
I'm going to e mail you both from my work e-mail, cause I can't get to my other e-mail during the day.
AJ
Posted by BannaOj (Member # 3206) on :
Nell I'd reccommend three 3.5 oz rovings to be on the safe side. There is no guarantee the dye lots will match if we order more later.
Posted by Nell Gwyn (Member # 8291) on :
I have Paypal, AJ. And my email is jadykins81 AT hotmail DOT com.
Edit: Okay, I was wondering if I should get 3. Sounds good. Posted by breyerchic04 (Member # 6423) on :
I don't have paypal.
Posted by BannaOj (Member # 3206) on :
sent e-mail.
AJ
Posted by Nell Gwyn (Member # 8291) on :
Replied, sent to both your work email and your yahoo.
Posted by breyerchic04 (Member # 6423) on :
replied to work.
Posted by BannaOj (Member # 3206) on :
I have a friend here at work who is interested also so I'm going to hold off til Friday to order.
AJ
Posted by breyerchic04 (Member # 6423) on :
That's fine, I'd love to have yarn by Thanksgiving or Christmas, since that's when I'll see my grandma who is most impressed by my knitting.
Posted by Nell Gwyn (Member # 8291) on :
Okay, that's fine with me too. I'm sorta hoping for the same timeframe breyerchic is, but it's not vital. Enough time for me to finish the mittens before winter ends will be nice, so my mom can actually use them when I give them to her. Posted by BannaOj (Member # 3206) on :
Ok... due to my boyfriend's dental emergency I didn't get the order in last week. However a co-worker also added to the order which will make it even better. So I'll get it in today. And it doesn't take me all that long to spin up, if I do it in the evenings while watching TV. I did about 300 yards this past week, without even working on it that much.
AJ
Posted by BannaOj (Member # 3206) on :
Due to internet wierdness (I didn't realize I should have printed the page at a certain point and couldn't go back without paying twice) I may not be able to determine how much everyone owes me until the itemized packing list arrives.
I'm personally buying the paris night and polar morn with some emerald viv thrown in, I think all three blended together could be awesome.
AJ
Posted by Nell Gwyn (Member # 8291) on :
Ooohh, I didn't even think of blending different colors together! Those two were the ones I was eyeballing for myself, too, but I couldn't come up with a project to use it for. Someday I shall have to try this yarn-spinning thing myself.
Just let me know the amount whenever it's convenient, and I'll zap the cash over to you.
And I hope the dental emergency is all better now. That sure doesn't sound like fun. Posted by BannaOj (Member # 3206) on :
A lot of it has more to do with my boyfriends terror of denists than it was an actual "emergency" However he narrowly escaped a root canal and I had to be there in case they decided to do it, and he needed driving back and forth.
AJ
Posted by BannaOj (Member # 3206) on :
It has arrived!!!!!!!
Nell do you want single or double ply?
AJ
Posted by Nell Gwyn (Member # 8291) on :
Yay!!
Um...what ply do you think would work best for mitten-things? I guess double would be more durable, right? Posted by BannaOj (Member # 3206) on :
Double will hold up better... I'll go ahead and do it double.
Nell's dark Blue is absolutely gorgeous too... I'll get some pictures as soon as I get the first batch spun up. The spinning makes the colors pop more than just in the roving.
The rovings also smell slightly vinegary... I'm betting that's what they used to set the dye. Breyer's bled a bit when I set the twist with the hot water but I rinsed it pretty good, so I'll let you know how it smells afterwards.
AJ
Posted by sarcasticmuppet (Member # 5035) on :
hey Banna, you might have already posted this, but what kind of spindle do you have? One of my bishopric raises alpacas and is willing to give me hair to play with, and I was thinking about trying spinning. I've seen some drop spindles on the internet for 10-20 bucks that I might try, but I wanted input from someone in the know first. Posted by BannaOj (Member # 3206) on :
Nell you got 3 rovings, with shipping figure $7 each which would be $21, plus $4, for when I mail to you, would a round $25 be fair? paypal is bannaoj at yahoo.com
Also for both of you, when I send it, if you could figure out what you would have paid for it on an "open" market I'd appreciate it. I'm considering opening my own etsy site.
AJ
Posted by BannaOj (Member # 3206) on :
the one I learned on is a Knundert and they run $35.
The Louets are cheaper and run $15-20ish but they are definitely more bare bones, I like the Kundert because it has a little knob at the bottom making it easier to spin, while the louet is just a plain dowel rod. They are decently balanced though.
I've heard cascade spindles are good too.
AJ
Posted by BannaOj (Member # 3206) on :
bumpity... where's Nell??
AJ
Posted by Nell Gwyn (Member # 8291) on :
Here I am! Sorry, I wasn't online at all yesterday. Double ply and $25 sounds fine, and I shall Paypal the funds over to you forthwith. Posted by BannaOj (Member # 3206) on :
Oh my, that's beautiful stuff, Banna. It makes me wish you'd send me a whole bunch. I'm also really really torn over which is my favorite, the purple, the green, or the blue... Or the purple. Or the blue. Or the green... Or the purple. Hmm. You make it tough. Posted by ctm (Member # 6525) on :
Banna those yarns are lovely, the colors are beautiful and they look so soft!
FYI-- I recently bought some hand-spun, hand-dyed wool from a friend, it was double-ply lamb/sheep wool, 150 yards for $17.50.
Posted by BannaOj (Member # 3206) on :
Do you say mare-in-o or marine-o?
I've been hearing different pronunciations....
It depends on who is dying it, the type of fiber, and where it comes from, as to the cost of the raw rovings. Average is about $11.00/4oz for merino.
The south american place is only $7 (including S&H) for 3.5oz of merino. So it's considerably cheaper, however you aren't necessarily getting the same sort of variety of exotic color that you get from the small scale U.S. folks.
What I was sort of thinking of, is doing cost plus $10 which sounds close to what your friend is doing. Or, for a friend, just agree on a flat fee like maybe $30, for a larger quantity of yarn. But I need my hatrack guinea pigs *grin* to actually get their yarn and see what they think of it before I can make a realistic assesment.
AJ
Posted by breyerchic04 (Member # 6423) on :
Mur-Eee-no
Posted by BannaOj (Member # 3206) on :
see I've always said mare-i-no
Posted by Nell Gwyn (Member # 8291) on :
Ooh, they're all so pretty! *glee*
I say merino almost like Breyerchic does, only more like "muh-REE-no"...which I suppose is pretty close to "marine-o". I've never actually heard anyone else say it, though, so I'm not sure where my pronunciation came from.
Posted by BannaOj (Member # 3206) on :
Nell your second roving is finished... haven't stretched it yet to set the twist, will do that tonight, to find out how much is there.
I'm going to have a bunch of things I need to mail, I'm hoping I can get it all done by Saturday and make one huge trip to the post office, but we will see.
AJ
Posted by breyerchic04 (Member # 6423) on :
AJ, about how much was the shipping on the roving? I'm really considering ordering some to try more spinning myself.
Posted by BannaOj (Member # 3206) on :
rats, I don't remember breyerchic ... it wasn't too bad. btw Nell, your yarn is in the mail.
AJ
Posted by Nell Gwyn (Member # 8291) on :
Woo-hoo!
That was really fast!
Posted by BannaOj (Member # 3206) on :
it arrived???
Posted by BannaOj (Member # 3206) on :
or you mean that it is on its way? I only mailed it last night...
AJ
Posted by Nell Gwyn (Member # 8291) on :
LOL! No, not yet. I was just expressing my surprise at how quickly you were able to make the yarn. Sorry for the confusion! Posted by BannaOj (Member # 3206) on :
*is antsy and anxious* I think Nell's yarn should arrive by tomorrow...
AJ
Posted by Nell Gwyn (Member # 8291) on :
I will keep an eye out for it, then. Posted by BannaOj (Member # 3206) on :
Ok, I had two packages going to NY that I mailed on the same day. The one that wasn't to Nell has been delivered according to the confirmation number. Here's hoping Nell's gets there today too!
AJ
P.S. It just updated... I don't know if tracking numbers are a good thing since I got rather neurotic about checking...
"Your item was delivered at 2:45 pm on October 05, 2006"
Posted by Nell Gwyn (Member # 8291) on :
I haven't seen it yet, but I didn't get home from work till late tonight, so it's quite possible that it did get delivered and my landlord held on to it since I wasn't home. (I don't have my own mailbox.) I'll ask him about it tomorrow and let you know.
Posted by BannaOj (Member # 3206) on :
will do... AJ
Posted by Nell Gwyn (Member # 8291) on :
Fiber has arrived! And it is gorgeous - I can't wait to work with it!
Thanks, AJ!
Posted by BannaOj (Member # 3206) on :
*grin* Glad you like it!
AJ
Posted by BannaOj (Member # 3206) on :
oh... you might want to do another hot water pre-shrink before using it. I'm not sure how much it is going to shrink otherwise.
AJ
Posted by Nell Gwyn (Member # 8291) on :
That sounds like a good idea, plus the dye might still bleed a bit, too.
How exactly would I go about preshrinking it? Do I just soak it in really hot water for a few minutes and then let it drip dry? Should I leave it as it is or somehow unwind it and shrink it without getting it tangled in the process? I've never tried to preshrink yarn, so I wouldn't want to accidentally ruin it.
Posted by BannaOj (Member # 3206) on :
Yup I'd leave it as is, just do really hot water. Don't agitate it too much or it will felt on you. I did rinse it pretty good once already in hot water and got quite a bit of dye out.
I've got it wound into a center pull ball so I'd just leave as is, making sure the hot soaks all the way in to the center.
Was thinking of trying to microwave it in a bowl of water ir something.
Maybe make your pattern a few stitches bigger if possible to allow for shrinkage at the end too.
AJ
Posted by breyerchic04 (Member # 6423) on :
I got mine today, oh man that's gorgeous AJ. I'm not sure what I want to do with it yet. I could make a felted bag which is like my specialty but then you'd lose parts of the texture (it'd still show as gorgeous texture wise). Thank you so so much. Do you know about how many yards that is?
Posted by BannaOj (Member # 3206) on :
I'm estimating 150 yards... might be as much as 170 though. The larger roll should be about 100.
AJ
Posted by BannaOj (Member # 3206) on :
I found a fiber I don't like. I bought more of it, before I got the first shipment and now I'm kicking myself.
So much for the "I love alpacas" commercials.
I hate alpaca fiber. Is it really that bad? Probably not, but after spinning merino grade wool this stuff is considerably coarser.
I can't believe it costs so much more!!!
AJ
Posted by breyerchic04 (Member # 6423) on :
Hmm do you know what grade of alpaca it is? There are several different ones. I've only used superfine and suri, which were both great to knit with, but I didn't spin them.
Posted by BannaOj (Member # 3206) on :
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I have to run to rehearsal now, but that sounds fine. Thank you!!
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