The Big Knit 2011...is back

The waiting is over. 

Innocent Smoothies have just announced that the big knit is back for 2011. 

• This year's deadline is 14th October 2011.

• The campaign goal is 650000 hats, equalling a donation of £162,500 to Age UK 

(£0.25 for every knitted hat)

Two of my hats that didn't make it in 2010

I suppose I better go, sort my yarns and start knitting...only 131 days left until 14th October 2011.

Substituting Rowan Kidsilk Haze

Kidsilk Haze must be one of Rowan's bestselling yarns. As I am writing this entry, Kidsilk Haze has been stashed 11813 times on Ravelry, knitters have produced 14396 garments with the yarn and it's a consistent favourite amongst designers. I have personally met the yarn in my local yarn store, I have touched it, my eyes have feasted on the fantastic colourways in which it is produced and I regularly drool over photos of Kidsilk Haze and other yarns in the Kidsilk family when browsing through online yarn shops. Yes, there are several members in the Kidsilk family: Kidsilk Spray, Kidsilk Night and Kidsilk Aura, which I believe has now been discontinued. I love them all.

Rowan Kidsilk Haze

And yet, I have resisted buying Kidsilk Haze. I first came across Kidsilk Haze in a pattern book by Laura Harding. I had been knitting for a mere few months then and didn't know anything about yarn and the price tag that comes (quite rightly) with certain materials - Kidsilk Haze is a blend of Super Kid Mohair (70%) and Silk (30%). Blissfully ignorant, I looked it up on the internet and was quite simply taken aback by the price. Just about having completed my first fingerless glove in an awfully cheap acrylic yarn, I was after a yarn that was a bit more luxurious, yet affordable, a yarn with a purchase price, which I, an absolute beginner, could justify in case my project went horribly wrong. Therefore, I was unable to buy Kidsilk Haze. I didn't think my level of skill would do the expense and the beauty of the yarn justice.

Nevertheless, if I didn't allow myself Kidsilk Haze, I at least wanted something like Kidsilk Haze. And so the endless quest for a substitute had begun - alongside the perennial search for Kidsilk Haze at a knockdown price: That illusive skein of Kidsilk somewhere on sale for less than £3.50. (Yeah, I know...it's never going to happen.) Considering that 25g currently retail at just over £8.00, you are lucky if you are able to locate a skein for £5.95, and that would be in a discontinued colour, of which probably only one skein is held in stock. It has crossed my mind that instead of buying gold bullions for investment purposes, it might be just as prudent to have a few skeins of Kidsilk in your vault. I don't think prices for the stuff are about to drop any time soon and it might be a good hedge against inflation.

Patons UK Misty

In the light of all this praise, I need to make absolutely clear that I don't think any substitute not equivalent in materials will ever come close to Kidsilk, but this is not necessarily the task a cheaper alternative is supposed to fulfil. When substituting yarn in this particular case, I am aware that a cheaper alternative will produce an approximation in texture and look. I am perfectly happy with this - for the time being.

Patons UK Misty

After months of searching for this alternative, I found a possible candidate: Patons UK Misty, a blend of Mohair (70%) and Polyamide (30%) with a recommended needle size of 3.25 - 5.00mm (US: 3 - 8). Due to the Polyamide replacing the Silk content, Misty is a lot shinier than Kidsilk Haze. I haven't started to knit with Misty in earnest, but as far as first impressions go, I think Misty could be a frugal alternative. The yarn looks and feels luxurious. Whether it can live up to my expectations will soon be put to the test.

I have ten skeins of Misty in my stash and a few suitable patterns in mind. I will probably start swatching next weekend.  Ice Queen by Rosemary (Romi) Hill, which is available free on Knitty's website, or Branching Out by Susan Lawrence, a pattern which was the subject of a previous article and which is also available on Knitty's website, are two possible candidates.

Update: I decided to use Patons (UK) Misty for Citron by Hilary Smith Callis. For more on this, please have a look at my Citron blogpost.

Another update: I have used Misty for another project. This time, it was a stole designed by Cheryl Niamath. Project notes are now available on the blog. For a preview picture, please see below.

Wisp by Cheryl Niamath

Kemp's Wool Shop

I am excited, truly excited and cannot wait to get home. Yesterday, my latest yarn order from Kemp's Wool Shop arrived and I have to admit, I ordered a little too much... and, yes, I have a guilty conscience. This is partially offset by the warm, fuzzy feeling I get every time I look at the yarn though.

• About Kemp's

According to their homepage, E.Kemp have been selling wool, patterns and knitting yarns in the North-East of England since 1947 and they "aim to supply [their] customers with quality branded wool and knitting products at the most competetive prices."

• The Website and the Range

The website itself is straightforward and there is nothing particularly stylish about its appearance. Kemp's stock most of the staple yarn brands well known to the British knitter. Amongst others, you will find Sirdar, Patons, Wendy, Twilley's, Debbie Bliss and Rowan. If you are looking for something more exotic, such as US brands or smaller producers, Kemp's selection will probably bore you. The same applies to the accessories on sale: no beads, a fair selection of needles (both bamboo and metal) and two pages full of the most uninspiring buttons you could imagine. Sounds all a bit disappointing, doesn't it?

Well, if you manage to look beyond the above - mentioned negatives, Kemp's is anything but a disappointment. Having trawled through quite a number of online yarn shops over the last few months, Kemp's come out on top as regards their pricing - every time, without fail. So, if you see a yarn you like the look of somewhere else, it makes sense to check out whether Kemp's have got it in stock, as it might be cheaper. This applies to all yarns and I have found that the majority of the yarns are priced quite considerably below the recommended retail price.

• Kemp's Discounts

I tend to regularly visit the clearance wool section, which, in my humble opinion, constitutes the most impressive part of the shop. If a yarn is discounted here, we are talking big discounts. I managed to pick up Rowan Bamboo Soft for £1.79 (50g) and Rowan Kid Silk Aura for £3.19 (25g).

• Shipping Policy

As with all online outlets you have to take shipping into consideration. Kemp's do not rely on Royal Mail, instead they use a courier. Postage depends on weight and the postal zone you have your order delivered to. Unfortunately, Kemp's do not offer free delivery on orders over a certain amount, but if you order between 1,5kg and 5kg of wool and happen to live in postal zone zero (most of the UK), your delivery will cost you just £5.00. Delivery is usually rather swift. I placed my last order on Thursday and received my yarns by Monday. The only downside is that you are unable to track your order online, and if you have a query regarding the delivery, you will have to phone Kemp's as the courier details are usually not divulged.

• Overall Verdict

All in all, Kemp's is a hidden gem. It's a no - thrills online outlet, that delivers where it matters most : on price. And this is after all exactly what Kemp's promise their customers.

If you fancy having a look at the shop yourself, please find the link below. (Please note, I am not affiliated to Kemp's and just share my enthusiasm for the shop and its bargains with fellow knitters / crocheters.)

Kemps Wool Shop
Web's best value quality knitting and crochet yarns & patterns.

Meandering Vines - Update

Just a brief update on Meandering Vines by Susanna IC (please see my previous blog entry for details on the pattern). The picture below shows what the shawl looks like in Paton's UK Vintage after three full pattern repeats on No 4 (UK) knitting needles, unblocked.

I am not sure whether the photo does it justice, as this was taken last night in fairly bad light. So far, I am happy with the outcome. Knitted with quite a bulky, textured yarn (70% Acrylic / 30% Cotton), the shawl has acquired a somewhat interesting texture, which almost has the appearance of a cabled pattern. I wonder to which degree this will be altered after the blocking is finished.

This brings me to another subject, I don't have the right blocking equipment at home. In fact, I have no proper blocking equipment at home and this project definitely requires blocking. I will either have to buy blocking pins or look around for some home - made alternatives. We shall see...

I haven't nearly progressed as much as I wanted to in respect of the shawl. I can excuse this partly as I was occupied with another side project: unravelling my first sweater and recycling the yarn. I didn't realise how time-consuming this was going to be, but all good fun and a post on the matter will follow shortly.