NINA DYEING

well I should have said she was dyeing wool....this was her (she is one of our woollyWags) wanting to dye her own wool, so after keeping her waiting for long enough we finally got going on thurs night, and I am guessing she was delighted with the results,She really can't blame me as she chose all the colours as I think she is going to knit up a sweater, she dyed 10 hanks.
She looks chuffed with herself doesn't she? Go to her blog DAY TO DAY on the left of my blog and you can see the finished results of the hanks..

SPECIAL ORDER KILT SOCKS

The cable top kilt socks that are hand knitted of course are ready and should be on the way to New Zealand, just need to get them popped in the post this morning. These kilt socks were knitted using pure merino wool, and look very smart.

Custom orders taken, so if interested in a pair drop us an email. or go to http://www.calanacrafts.co.uk

and send us a message.

NEW SITE

THOUGHT I'D HAVE A BASH, IT COSTS NOTHING FOR NOW. I HAVE LISTED SOME OF MY HAND DYED ARAN WOOL ONTO IT. PRICES IN £S

http://calanacrafts.artfire.com/

LANDSCAPE DYES FINALLY ARRIVED

So I thought these were missing but no, the courier driver dropped them off on thursday evening, but I have not had a chance to photograph them until today, Oh My, these are absolutely gorgeous, can't wait to get on with the dyes..... I was searching in the UK for Landscape Dyes and only came up with one website but the postage to me was way too expensive so after more searching I came across this website. http://www.ateliermidsummerseve.nl/

Go on check it out.

But I thought my luck was gone as the owner Linda did not accept paypal and bank transfer was also too expensive but after emailing Linda a couple of times she sent me a Paypal invoice which I paid straight away so she could not change her mind (sorry Linda), and I got my package at a fraction of what it would cost me here in the UK, Even with postage it was still cheaper to buy and more dyes. So I am one happy or should I say very happy customer.

There are 30 plus shades here and no 2 the same each packed into 10g bags so a fantastic range of colours, Linda was good enough to send me her wool samples as well so no doubt I shall be ordering that as well.

A very big thank you to Linda, and I certainly will be back for more.

Remember my contest

June Contest for Knitting Surprise Package
Worldwide June Contest
Leave me a comment to say what you are knitting/stitching and on June the 30th I will put the comments in a random number generator and let it pick a number.
For this contest the winner will get a surprise bag full of goodies..

DISAPPOINTED

I was waiting for the postie today as I thought he may just have a wee package for me that was coming from here

http://www.ateliermidsummerseve.nl

but no which means I have to sit and knit all afternoon.

So I do hope that tomorrow will also bring my package. I will list all the goodies in it when it reaches me, meantime pop over and see her, she is so helpful, went out of her way for me, Thanks Linda!!!

WWKIP

What a fantastic day, good turnout considering we are a small community and we did have a few visitors, day started out in the Isle of Harris Inn, Thanks to manager Bill and staff who put up with this rowdy crowd. We all did a spot of knitting, as well as eating as you can see in this group photo, our local photographer just appeared when we were having a bite to eat... The group photo is SassyGael and the Woollywags, plus the Knit'n'Natter group from Stornoway, they did well joining us, A big thank you for making the effort.
And we had a surprise visitor, all the way from Richmond in Yorkshire, Thanks Judy for joining us on thursday night and also today, Hope to see you again next thursday, see Nina on the left looking really busy, she is a learner or so she says but I think she's been knitting for years and her stash must be huge when she has to hide it from her hubby....... The one on the right is pretending to knit, sorry I****, No you are doing really well, must do better tho.

And our first male knitter....introducing our photographer John who just happened to have a pair of needles and was knitting a sweater, no only joking, see the worried look in his face, he thought he would drop a stitch, that's my sweater he has but as this was a Knit in Public Day I had to give him the needles, John was kind enough to take our photo's for the day, so thank you, For more of his work go to www.idiotslantern.co.uk Although the girls have said you can join us any night you wish..... John won the Scotsman photograph competition in Feb this year and has gone through to the final at the end of the year so from your fans at SassyGael and the WoollyWags a big good luck.......

SUTAB CHARITY KNIT

SQUARE UP 2 A BLANKET

by

SASSYGAEL and the WOOLLYWAGS

After some discussion we decided it might be fun to bring the community together in some way, get people knitting or crocheting in some way and came up with this title. It will consist of folk knitting squares or whatever they want, donate it to us, and at the same time donate a few pennies into our extra large bottle. well it's not really ours it has been loaned to us by the manager of The Isle of Harris Inn, where we are kicking of our charity marathon, this happens on 13th June WWKIP day, so we want to see as many folk as possible on the day, We will sew up the squares and they will be donated to Blythswood, who are an organisation which sends relief blankets to countrys that need them etc..... And what is in the bottle will be split between 2 local charity's, the first being Crossroads Harris, this is another charity that helps let a carer out for the day by putting one of their lovely ladies into the family home and taking care of the person who needs it while the full time carer gets a well earned rest where they don't have any worries for a few hours. And the 2nd charity is Bethesda Hospice in Stornoway, isle of Lewis, this hospice depends on charity fundraising so a worthwhile cause.this is the start of my first square, using 5dpns (which I have never done before) but working out for me.

More info will follow and more photos as we go.

On the 20th of June, there will be a flea market in Scalpay Community Centre, with the usual stallholders and SassyGael and the Woollywags are also having refreshments in aid of our 2 chosen charity's so that will be fun we hope many people will turn out and get your soup and rolls......Me I'm making homemade scones and I'm sure a few wee cakes...

TIDY SHELVES

Last week I took a few hours to tidy the shelves and put the wool I had into colours so now know exactly what is in my stash.

Here we have merino worsted wool.bottom shelf is handpainted coriedale in a multi colour variety

then we have more merino worsted in blues and my gorgeous coriedale in 1kg lots
bottom shelf is coriedale in blues
then there's my sock yarn stash, which I am using up

and we have coriedale in the corner and JC Rennie in a variety of shades, the black is 4ply for socks.

And my handpainted sock yarn etc.....
and full kilos of handpainted coriedale on the top shelf. (I'm using this for winter sweaters)

And bottom shelf is lace in the corner which I use double for socks and hats as lace is not my thing and another assortment of sock wool.
Now I can actually see what I've got without having to rumage..great isn't it.......

And if I see N*** coming near my wee shed, I'll let the big bad wolf out.....

FELT BAG AND MORE DYED WOOL

For this felt bag I used a strand of my harris wool along with a pure wool that I dyed in the pinks and purples., The wool I dyed was a super bulky weight and thick and thin, a great combination, I just forgot to take the before and after photo, the bag was in the machine when I remembered the photo, And I played with this today, "Shiant Isle"


And this one " melon"


The skeins will be put up in my etsy shop so go and have a look, I will give the link later.
Both skeins are 90g and dk weight, and have approx 225m per 90g skein

http://www.calanacrafts.etsy.com