A Rabbiting Good Yarn!

I am a long way behind on blog posts as a result of the problem with my PC and my holiday break with my fella. Yet somehow, it feels wrong to ignore some of the highlights from the past month and zoom straight into 2008. Particularly when one happy winter moment, happens to be all about yarn.

When I was in Vancouver in October, I hoped to catch up with Rabbitch who, apart from being refreshingly blunt, is an independent hand dyer - coffee, dry humour and yarn. Who would miss out on that?!

However, if you stop by Rabbitch's blog, you may spot that she works two jobs, runs a family and dyes yarn while enjoying a glass of Merlot - she is a busy woman. So sadly, it didn't happen.

However, after I spotted some of her fab colourways over at The Sweet Sheep, I kept an eye on her Etsy shop for yarn that might suit one of my projects (as I do not knit socks). With the result that I ended up purchasing some DK alpaca-wool (Red Red Twine, Anthem and Raspberries) and a skein of super bulky (Cranberry).

My yarn arrived on the 22nd December. In my package were three extra skeins (2 x Toe Jam Sock Yarn in 'To Make the Boys Wink' and 1 x Turquiose DK Alpaca-Wool) for me to show people, just in case they want to put in an order of their own...

...yarn enabler? Who me?!

Just on the basis that if someone wanted any of the extra skeins, then we could come to some arrangement where the relevant money was paypal'd over to Rabbitch.

So, what did I get?!

Super Bulky New Zealand Wool

Colour: Cranberry (top image truer to yarn colour)
Quantity: 1 skein, 14o yards

When touched: a little crunchy in hands but not scratchy against face
When smelt: no smell!

Purchased for a scarf project and I think that I can feel another Gaiter project coming on!

DK - 70% Alpaca, 30% Merino

Colour: Anthem (a signature Rabbitworks colour)

Quantity: 2 skeins, 400 yards per skein

When touched: lovely and soft
When smelt: no smell!

I am missing one of these skeins now - there's a story behind this, read on!

Toe Jam Sock Yarn
50% Rideau/Arcott, 30% Lincoln, 20% alpaca
Colour: To Make the Boys Wink
Quanity: 2 skeins, 375 yards per skein (7st/in)
When touched: slightly crunchy in hands but not scratchy on face!
When smelt: proper, real wool smell

This was one of the sample yarns!

DK - 70% Alpaca, 30% Merino
Colour: Raspberries
Details: as before
Project: baby knit (once baby has landed safe and sound)

I am really looking forwards to seeing how the Alpaca-Wool DK knits up.

I didn't manage to photograph the Red Red Twine and Turquiose skeins before they were snaffled up by Anne of The Small Gallery (1 Capuchin Yard, Church Street, Hereford). Anne is looking to gauge interest in them, in order to decide whether to submit an order.

So, if you would like to get your hands on some of the Rabbitworks yarn mentioned in this post, then you need to get in touch with The Small Gallery in Hereford. In addition to the DK Alpaca-Wool in Red Red Twine and Turquiose, Anne has one of the pink Toe Jam Sock Yarn skeins and...sob...one of my two Anthem DK skeins too.

So...if:

• you happen to be in Hereford
• you decide to pop into the gallery
• the Rabbitch yarns are still there
• you like the Toe Jam sock yarn or Anthem DK but need two skeins for your project...

...then let me know. I am sure that we can work something out?! Even if I feel that I would rather poke myself in the eye with a dpn than relinquish my single, orphan skein of Anthem!

And, as this appears to have become a promotional post for Rabbitch and The Small Gallery, I may as well include some pictures of my trip to the gallery between Christmas and the New Year, so that you can see some of the other items and artisan yarns that were in stock, e.g. Knitwitches, Fyberspates and Artesano!