Monthly Archives: July 2009

Zealana yarns

Posted on by

Rimu yarn and Vogue hat

I’m back from vacation and surprises await!  Unlike Lea-Ann, I usually like surprises and this was an interesting one.  As I am getting filled in on what’s been going on and what I need to do, yada yada, Lea-Ann shows me (a picture of) a hat that is in the fall issue of Vogue Knitting that is made using a yarn from Zealana, a yarn co. out of New Zealand.  That in itself is nothing all that unusual, however the fiber for this yarn is 60% NZ Merino; 40% Possum.  Yep, I said possum.  Before you shudder in disgust (which I admit I sort of did) I have to tell you that it is very soft and not large rodent-ish at all.  Also a plus is the fact that it is 55% warmer than merino wool and 35% warmer than cashmere.  Add to that the low prickle factor, resistance to pilling, and durability and it starts to lose some of the “yuck” impression.

I am going to fill you in a bit about the possum problem in New Zealand and give a few facts about the possum fiber because I find this all incredible interesting.  The brush-tail possum is not a native animal to New Zealand and is causing all kinds of environmental havoc.  They have no natural enemies and they now number about 15 possums per person (that’s 60 million possums!).  In one night they destroy approximately 20,000 tons of vegetation.  As a result various organizations are trying to control the number of possums as a means of protecting the eco system.  Count it as a bonus to us that possum fiber turns out to be quite unique and has many redeeming qualities.  I mentioned the prickle factor above, or lack thereof in regards to possum.  Possum fiber is tapered and is approximately 1 to 2 microns at the tip.  This means that the ends of the fiber are waaay below the threshold of 30 micron, the level that has been shown to cause “prickle” sensation.   Because the fiber is hollow it has exceptional thermal properties (also referred to above).  Zealana fabrics (such as those using Rimu yarn) will absorb reasonable quantities of moisture without feeling damp, also helping to retain body heat.   The Rimu yarn is strong and hard-wearing with little pilling.  And it really does have a nice feel.

brush tailed possum

So, now that you know a little about the possum fiber what do you think?  Could you get over the idea of how ugly and beady-eyed a possum is?  Can you get past the idea that it is a nasty pest of an animal and love it for it’s fiber?  (okay, maybe not love it, but at least look at it a little differently)  Does it matter to you what a fiber was before it is spun into yarn?  I have to admit that once I got over the initial reaction I am looking forward to receiving the Rimu.  I keep touching the sample ball and have decided that it really doesn’t matter that they are a pest in New Zealand, or that they aren’t the prettiest animals.  The finished product redeems the animal and proves that beauty isn’t everything.  I can’t wait to get this in!!

-Susan

*Updated 8/6/09

Now that I have some comments I will admit that I was going to use a different picture of the possum, but they were all so darn cute that I didn’t want to influence anyone!  This possum is not like our Opussum, it eats vegetation only, the tail isn’t so rat-like, and the teeth don’t appear to be so fearsome.  However, it is still considered a pest and creates all sorts of environmental issues.  We just received the yarn that we are going to do the samples out of and it is all wonderful!

HiyaHiya Interchangeable News!

Posted on by

Hi everyone:  Just got word that the shipment is due to arrive and should ship to me the beginning of next week!!!  Woohoo!  If you have a set pre-ordered at Knitting Today (that means actually placed an order by calling us or stopping in, not just hit the wait list button on the website), you will get a phone call as soon as they are in the store.  I will then release the remaining sets to the wait list.  SOOOO, if you are on the wait list and want to be one of the first shipped, you had better call me at 800-426-5098 and get your order in.  Lea-Ann

when Susan goes on vacation . . .

Posted on by

boxes to check in

Yes, this is what needs checked in yet.  And this what I spent the day checking in

new at knitting today

 And, Susan told me that when something needs fixed, it snowballs into the next thing needing fixed, and so on.  While I sort of believed her, I really didn’t realize the extent to how that works.  Believe me, I do now . . . here’s the scenario if you’re interest:

  I realized we needed some way to highlight Susan Guagliumi’s materials so I set up a category just for her at http://www.knittingtoday.com/go.mvc?ID=guagliumi.  And somehow that led me to look at the LK-150 category which needed cleaned up a bit: http://www.knittingtoday.com/go.mvc?ID=SRLAAP and since DAK was in there,  I remembered we needed to set up a Cochenille design software category and so now we have that and I needed to separate the rest of the software to clean it up at bit so the software category is now sub-divided.  Check it out at:  http://www.knittingtoday.com/go.mvc?ID=S

And while I was at it, I figured out the problem preventing July New from showing on the front page and fixed that: http://www.knittingtoday.com/go.mvc?ID=new0709 and the computer just crashed as I was cleaning up the crochet hook category: http://www.knittingtoday.com/go.mvc?ID=HOOK.  And, since I’ve been here since about 10 this morning and it is now after 5, and it is usually a good sign when the computer says “quit”, now the rest of the boxes will need to wait until I have more time to devote to them and I don’t know if it’ll be tomorrow as I need to do ‘Lea-Ann’s’ work then.  Hurry home, Susan!  Oh, did you wonder why I’m doing all this and not Susan?  She is on a mission trip to Kentucky and we are all praying for her safe travels and that the results of their time there are fruitful. 

-Lea-Ann

Summertime Fun

Posted on by

Where has the summer gone?  Here it is almost mid-July and I haven’t had a chance to sit down and think, let alone knit!  Here’s a little recap:

Retreat was an incredible amount of fun.  The classes I sat in on were Bridging with Susan Guagliumi and Whip Your Knits! by Joan McGowan-Michael.  I learned an incredible amount in both classes and have already applied the fit techniques to Haley’s sewing pattern for 4-H (we’ll know this afternoon how she placed).  I had watched Susan’s Bridging technique on her DVD, which we now stock by the way, but didn’t quite understand it and seeing her do it in person was the ticket.  I think I’ll give it a go when I work on a mega-cable vest later this summer. 

After Retreat, we immediately left for TNNA and my brain is overloaded with neat ideas for both hand and machine knits as well as wonderful yarn.  Some of it is already arriving: Mauch Chunky will be on the website within the next couple of weeks and we are expecting Jojoland’s superwash solid to complement the Melody Superwash any day.  More to come spaced out over the next several months. 

After TNNA, we took a little family vacation and went to Chicago.  All of the walking between TNNA and Chicago has certainly done my heel in and I’ll have to fit a doctor visit in next week some time.  Anyways,  Chicago was fantastic!  The Museums were an inspiration, especially the old textiles in the Field Museum and Taste of Chicago was a lot of fun.  I tried a lot of food I normally wouldn’t think of tasting.  This is the first time in about 5 years I’ve gone on a vacation without computer!!

Now, countdown to 4-H Fair week.  I supervise my girls doing their projects and help advise them when they are stumped.  Haley likes to sew and I do not so it takes a lot of energy on my part to support her.  She was working on knitting socks two-at-a-time from the top down too, out of her hand-dyed sock blank pair we did last year about this time.  They didn’t get done, sadly, but maybe next year.  They are turning out quite cool.  Tara has been working on a cardigan from an Ella Rae book made out of Cotton Classic.  It is a Fair Isle and she used intarsia techniques to attach the front bands.  Most of the time she had four balls going at once and there were a lot of ends, but I did show her how to weave them in as you go, so that saved some time.  She’s just now left for the fairgrounds so we’ll see in a couple hours what the judge thinks about it.  Regardless, it’ll be hanging in the store to show everyone just how great Fair Isle can look in a cotton yarn. 

I’m working on the sleeves to my Slant on Nature and hope to spend some sit-down time at the fairgrounds this week to finish them up.  I really want to have it assembled, ends sewn in and, yes, everyone sit down, BLOCKED, before the Chic Knits knitalong starts the 23rd.  

Chic Knits Knitalong starts July 23, 6-9

Posted on by

Hi there . . . we’re wrapping up the Slant on Nature knitalong and everyone is gearing up for the Chic Knits.  If you purchased your yarn for it here at Knitting Today, join us in a FREE knitalong Thursday evening July 23, from 6-9 (if you purchased your yarn elsewhere, the class fee is $50).  Everyone needs to pre-register so I know how many to expect as well a what pattern you are doing so I can start thinking about any modifications that might need to be made for fit, etc.  Call us at 260-351-2260.  Oh, if you don’t have your pattern yet, please let me know as we have them available and I’ll hold one for you!  - Lea-Ann