I finished my monkey socks in Socks That Rock's Sherbert colourway. I couldn't find a picture when I was looking at how they wore, so here's one for those of you who have not yet been introduced to the glory of Blue Moon Fiber Arts sock yarn:
I was disappointed that they rubbed up a little, but that's really the nature of the merino yarn they use. Definitely not as bad as the Merino et Soie I used for Keith's sweater.
We went for a visit to Mum's a couple of weeks ago, and her and I dyed some yarn with Ashford dyes that we bought from the Kairanga Craft Cottage, which is just down the road from Mum and Dad's place. Here's how mine came out, using rust, blue and yellow with a little black food colouring for the navy colour:
I don't think I'll use these dyes again, I prefer the food colourings etc that I was using mostly because they're food safe and I don't have to worry too much if I get them on my skin, although I did get some funny looks when I was out later on that day.
On the way back from Mum's I stopped into The Wool Company in Utiku and picked up this gorgeous yarn! It's in the Gems colourway, and people, I utterly endorse this wool. It is so soft and the colours are beautiful and very reasonably priced too. They do have an online website, and I recommend taking a look. The yarn seems of very good quality; I've worn the hat a few times, including to bed a couple of times (poor Keith) and this is how it looks:
I also go a great bargain at the Spotlight end of season sale this year. Cleckheaton Country Silk in 8 ply. It's lovely and soft to work with too, but I'll wait until I've worn and washed to to see how it wears. I am knitting an overshirt in it:
I've almost finished the front, see:
I also put an order in for the Interweave socks compilation book and also the new Cat Bordhi Book about knitting socks which I have heard so much about on the podcasts these last couple of weeks. It should be here in a few weeks I hope. I decided I would have to make some stitch markers from the sounds of things they are essential for making these. I went to buy some beads from Spotlight, but they only had ugly plastic ones, so I decided to do a Leona and make some out of fimo. They actually look pretty cool I think.
