New luxurious yarns...

Don't worry, your screen hasn't lost colour!  This is a new range of yarns from Chester Wool.  These yarns are undyed, the shading comes from the natural fibres.

From left to right we have three 4plys:-
50% Silk and 50% Yak
60% Merino, 20% Yak and 20% Silk
70% Light Grey Alpaca, 20% Silk and 10% Cashmere

and two laceweights:-
100% Mulberry Silk
100% Superwash Merino Singles

These are gorgeous as they are - natural shades and sheen - but you can dye them too!

We also have 2 new pattern books, from Chester Wool, featuring 4ply and laceweight patterns for wraps, shawls and scarves...

Mohair Cowl - reboot

A quick and simple project using one ball of Rowan Kidsilk Haze.

Knitted on a circular needle this cowl is all knit stitch with some easy yarn overs for holes on purpose.

A good next project for a beginner (laceweight on thick 6mm needles can feel unwieldy) this makes a very lightweight fluffy cowl in luxury fibres (mohair and silk).

This is a free shop pattern, repurposed from Karen's Capelet design from ye olde days.

Rowan Kidsilk Mohair in the shop...

Rowan Kidsilk Haze in the shop

Our new mohair silk blend is the classic Rowan Kidsilk Haze.

We've started with 9 shades.

Given the recent trend in yarn pairings - for texture and colour - We've tried to pick shades that will work with our current collections of Fyberspates Gleem Lace, Rowan Fine Lace and Vivacious 4ply.

As always, we'll add new shades regularly too!

Zauberball Laceball 100 in the shop

Laceball 100.  100g/800m

Zauberball Laceball 100 is a new addtion to our laceweight collection

It is 100% merino wool, with a slow colour transition giving long colour repeats.

Check out these projects on Ravelry that use Laceball 100.

The long colour repeats of Laceball 100 look amazing with the simplicity of the Citron shawl.  Or how about a 'landscape' effect of Pulmonaria Shawl.

You could make a stunning garment too!  How about Adrift or Featherweight.

Of course the balls look pretty too...

Simple Laceweight Shawl - new shop sample!

A new shop sample in the fabulous Gleem Lace!

Gleem is a 55% BFL and 45% Silk blend laceweight and it comes in gorgeous semi-solid shades.

The shawl is a large elongated semi circle with an easy eyelet border.  This is a good next steps project for those looking to tackle a larger laceweight project and it features a slightly trickier border than our Fine Super Eyelet.

The fabric is lightweight and shawl shape is versatile...

Pattern and yarn available in the shop!

New in the shop... Alpaca Silk Lace from Artesano

A stunning lace weight yarn blending 70% Alpaca with 30% Silk,  and it is only £7 per 50g/400m!

It is amazingly soft with a beautiful lustre.

10 shades in the shop and lots of patterns too...

Athena, uses 2 hanks for all sizes!

Charisma, uses 4 hanks for all sizes

Kassia, uses 2 hanks

Nellie, 2 hanks

new shop sample - Spring Kerchief

blocked using blocking wires to an impressive 63" wide x 22.5" deep

Spring Kerchief is a free pattern available on Ravelry by designer Sachiko Uemura.

It uses 2 shades of a laceweight yarn - blending the colours in the middle of the shawl.

You hold two strands of yarn throughout - so it knits up quite quickly.  And it is fantastic 'mindless' knitting when you don't want to concentrate.

You do need to split your starting ball into one third and two thirds, so scales are handy.

Our Kerchief is knitted using Debbie Bliss Rialto Lace, which we have always loved.  It is 100% Merino and costs £5.50 for 390m.  If you've felt our Colour Affection shawl you'll know how soft and light it is.

But we love it even more now after using two strands held together.  It makes a stunning fabric - soft and light but squidgy too.

We have over 15 shades in stock!

Color Affection is done!

Back in June we highlighted a shawl called Color Affection - it was (and still is) a hot favourite on Ravelry.

Given that it ticked a few boxes for me - a laceweight project to use our Debbie Bliss Rialto Lace, crescent shawl shape and easy - I cast on...

After a couple of months knitting (I was making several other things in between!) it is now complete and its lovely...

 

The stripes in garter stitch are so simple but very effective and I find it quicker to knit stripes...

The short rows keep the shawl interesting... just as you think you're tiring of the garter stitch, the pattern changes to introduce a third colour and some short rows.

Its great sofa knitting and despite the large number of stitches and the apparent monotony of knitting every row it does grow quite nicely and it didn't feel never ending at all (well maybe when the short rows weren't so short anymore!)

I don't think I'd like to knit it to a deadline but rather keep it as a sofa project - something to dip into or focus on when time allowed.

 

I've already picked out my next garter stitch stripy laceweight scarf... Scalene by Carina Spencer

photo: Carina Spencer

This time in navy and white Debbie Bliss Rialto Lace...

 

Posted with Blogsy

Angel Print

Angel is the super soft mohair silk yarn by Debbie Bliss. It comes in a range of pastel and bright shades and has 2 lovely pattern books. It's also used in this gorgeous shawl by local designer Dorothy Wood.

It has been really popular... Soft, light, fluffy and luxurious.

There is also a sparkly version called Party Angel.. each shade as a gold or silver thread twisted through it. Great for accessories!

Now there is a new version... Angel Print. This features a variegated colour...

We have 5 stunning shades and they'll knit with any of the patterns in the Angel or Fine Romance books:-

oh!  And the aqua shade of Angel is back in stock!

12 colours of Debbie Bliss Lace

Debbie Bliss Rialto Lace - 12 colours now in the shop!

Mmmm which 3 for my Color Affection shawl?

Summer accessories...

Are you looking for something lighter on your needles?  Or perhaps a scarf or wrap for a special occasion?  

Check out some of the accessories our customers have been making with our lace weight and mohair yarns...

Jennifer has used the Manos Lace pattern, Sprite, and Debbie Bliss Rialto Lace to make a long cowl.

hanging loose

wrapped twice

Be simply sewing the short ends together (rather than adding fringes) she's made a big loop that can worn loose, wrapped twice around the neck or indeed halved with the end going through the loop (like a traditional scarf!)

through the loop

Mary has also used a Manos Lace pattern (this time Karen) and Debbie Bliss Rialto Lace to make a short scarf with a lace pattern on the end...

We also have a wrap designed by local designer Dorothy Wood in the shop and we can offer the pattern too!  This takes 2 balls of Angel and is very light and soft it measures approx 200 x 50cm

optional beads add some interest and weight to the scarf

We also have our own Manos Lace shawl in the shop.

Nymph in Manos Lace

And we have these great patterns too...

Raindrop by Cotton & Cloud

Frill Edged Stole by Debbie Bliss

Captiva by Carol Feller

If you're looking for some inspiration on how to wear your new scarf/wrap, then check out this video on You Tube - 25 Ways to Wear a Scarf by WendysLookBook.

...Just noticed most of those shawls are shades of blue!  Quick we need more colours...

click here for some Zauberball shawl inspiration!

new sample in the shop...

This time its a lace one!

This is Nymph from Lace 1, a Manos Lace booklet containing 5 basic and intermediate patterns.

Nymph takes 2 hanks and would be a great first project for new laceweight/shawl knitters.  The main section is simple stocking stitch with an 8 stitch increase on every knit row.  The lace panel at the bottom is very straightforward too.  This would be a great shawl to master your yarn overs and yarn arounds!

We currently have over 10  shades available in Manos Lace and 10 in Debbie Bliss Rialto Lace.

If you're thinking of attending one of our new workshops please call soon to book your place! Finishing Techniques is on Sunday 29th April, Learn to Knit on Sunday 27th May and Learn to Crochet on Sunday 24th June. You can find out more about them on our workshop page or indeed call the shop or pop in. These workshops are an ideal opportunity to learn some new skills, work with an experienced tutor AND get some distraction free quality 'me' time!

more lovely lace colours in the shop!

You can check out a slideshow of the pattern book here.

There are also 4 other Rialto Lace patterns in the Debbie Bliss Spring/Summer magazine.

oh Manos oh Manos

Buy Manos Lace at The Woolly Brew - please feel free to call the shop (01333 312 042) and we'll be happy to post it to you.  Each hank is £14.50 and it is £2.50 P&P for one or two hanks BUT if you buy 3 or more hanks the P&P is free!  This free P&P offer is limited to Manos Lace (original and new colours) and will last until the 30th April (or until we run out!) 

"Manos Del Uruguay is a non for profit organisation, owned by rural women.  It  was created in 1968 as a way to help women in Uruguay's countryside generate an income.

They spin, dye, knit and weave the products that are later sold in the worlds most sophisticated markets.  Today, Manos is a co-operative of 400 women.

For over 40 years, Manos has assisted in enhancing the women’s role in their society, providing them with economic independence, but also opportunities for personal growth.  You can tell the provenance of each hank of yarn that they make, because the person who dyed it has also signed the label.

Manos colours are their trademark.  The secret lies in the patient kettle dyeing in small pots using precise colour recipes.  This crafted process creates the subtle nuances in their solid colours as well as the fantastic shading of the space dyed"* 

The Woolly Brew is proud to stock Manos Lace in over 12 colourways.  This laceweight yarn is a beautiful blend of 5% Cashmere, 20% Silk and 75% Baby Alpaca.  And we have a large pattern support too! 

This week is the launch of 6 new colours in the Manos Lace range and we have them ALL!  As well as 5 new patterns for beautiful shawls and scarves... which only use 1 or 2 hanks.

Jinni shawl by Anniken Allis (2 x 50g hanks)

Nymph shawl by Rita Taylor (1 x 50g hank)

Sylph scarf by Rita Taylor (1 x 50g hank)

*info from Artesano.