Hello!

I hope you've all had a good week with plenty of knitting time!  I've spent the week making the fiddliest but oh-so-cute girlie booties!

Im still using up the ball that I made the Sirdar No1 swatch from.... and I still have just under half a ball left!  I'm thinking making the boy's helmet hat as that is bound to use up the never ending ball, right?  Plus, look how cute it is!

I don't know about you but I have a soft spot for baby boys' patterns.  You expect girl patterns to be cute, frilly, lacy and generally adorable, and we have dozens of such girl's patterns.  But so many of the boys patterns are just as cute and adorable.  Here's a selection of my favourite ones!

I just want to cast all those patterns on immediately, even though I haven't got any boys to knit for!  Right, let's go cast on that hat!

Happy knitting!

Jen
~x~

I'd like to start this blog post with a quick update on Sharon, as I know a lot of you ask when you pop in the shop.  She is doing Ok, slowly mending both her ankle and ribs.  She is able to come into the shop on some days for a few hours, to make sure I haven't done anything crazy to her wool shop! Unfortunately the shortened opening hours will be here for a little while to come, but I wanted to thank you for your continued support.  I know how frustrating it is  to get excited for a yarn shop visit only to find it closed when you get there!  We will of course let you know when we are back  to normal business hours.  

Let's get back to pictures of knitting!  After I completed the swatch with the Sirdar No1, I had plenty left over, so I decided to pick out this pattern and replenish the shop's supply of booties!

These have worked up so quickly and are a really fun knit! You could easily make a pair up in a couple of evenings if you needed an emergency baby present!  It has made me love the yarn even more as the end result is so good! they feel very soft and squishy, especially the garter stitch cuffs!  Here they are almost finished! 

They are just so adorable,  I would have them on display if they were mine!  I'm currently working on a pair of girlie mary janes, from another Sirdar No1 pattern, hopefully I'll be able to share them with you next week!

That's it for now, have a good weekend and Keep Knitting!
Jen
​~x~

A bit of technical information first - 
Name - Sirdar No1
Yarn weight - Double Knitting
Colourways - 18 colours, both brights and muted colours
Weight of ball - 100g
Length on one ball - 230m / 251 yds
Compostition - 50% acrylic, 50% nylon 
Tension - 22sts and 28 rows on 4mm needles give 10cmx10cm
Machine Washable - wool cycle, cool tumble or dry flat

I really like the ball bands of this yarn, it has a small cutout which serves as the "o" in No1.  It gives it a clean, modern look.  It looks particularly good with the bright colours:
​

Now that the technical details are out of the way, let get on with what's really important!  I really enjoyed knitting with this yarn. It really is wonderfully soft as it flows through your fingers. The yarn is quite plump, it's not a yarn that looses its volume as you're working it. As a result of that, stitches come out nice and even (the above swatch hasn't yet been blocked).  The knitted fabric it gives is a very tactile, squishy fabric with really nice drape. I imagine a baby blanket made with it would mould to baby really well, to give that cocooning effect which looks so enjoyable. I think it would also be very good for children's garments, because of its softness and the fact it's machine washable. If I had to give a criticism, it's that the yarn can open up a bit as you cast on, however for me this is true of 90% of yarns, something in the way I twist the yarns I guess!  Once the cast on stitches are done there is no problem with the rest of the knitting. In conclusion, this may well be my new go-to yarn for children's clothing and accessories as I really enjoy the softness as I'm knitting it, and I do love a plump fabric!

We have 7 patterns specifically for Sirdar No1 in store, but seeing as it has normal DK tension, you could easily substitute any DK pattern you like to good effect.

The swatch and the yarns are in the shop, ready to meet you!

Jen
~x~

Hello!

I thought I would start this week's blog post with an update on how Sharon is doing.  She's in the shop today for a few hours, although it will be a while until she is able to come back for the whole day.  She has taken the opportunity whilst she is immobile to start as many projects as possible, and one in particular is almost complete!  A boy's hooded jumper made from the delicious Sublime Prints so beautifully soft - such a treat to knit which is why it's almost finished I'm sure!  I'm sure the recipient will enjoy wearing it too!

Speaking of beautifully soft yarn, we recently received a delivery of a yarn that has lots of followers.  I use it a lot for small toys as the tonal nature of the colours adds interest without it being too much.  I am talking about Debbie Bliss Cashmerino Tonals of course, which is now available in all 19 colours!

Just to give you an idea of how it knits up for toys, here is Cal, a squid I made for my son...

You can of course knit beautiful garments with it too!

I also want to take this opportunity to mention the "c" word.... Christmas! We have started to plan for the Chatterton Village Christmas Fayre which will be held on Friday 24th November.  We will be having a huge clearance sale, with yarns discounted up to 60%, plus the usual knitted goods, raffles and fun.  So put the date in your diary and come grab bargains and get Christmas started the right way!

Happy Knitting!

Jen
​~x~  

This is a brand new yarn from Rico that we have decided to stock as a very affordable Aran weight colourful yarn.  It is plied very loftily meaning it is buttery soft and comes in 18 soft colours.   Because its so light, 100g ball has an impressive 300m.  That means only a few balls will get you an adult garment!- the cardigan patterns both take a max of 5 balls.  They have a standard gauge for an Aran weight yarn of 18 stitches per 10cm on 5mm needles, so you can use any pattern if these don't appeal.

It comes with amazing pattern support, featuring 2 children's  patterns- one for babies up  to  24 months, and one for children up to 10 years.  Both come with a bonus hat pattern too!  There are  3 ladies  garment patterns, one crochet garment, 2 accessories pattern, one of which is a stunning brioche scarf with  hat and a baby blanket crochet pattern.  I have the pattern and the wool to do the cowl that comes with the poncho pattern, I can't wait for my cable needle to be free so I can start on it!  actually, might be simpler to buy a second cable needle, they come in handy don't they!

Happy knitting!

Jen
~X~

If you follow us on Facebook .  you will already know that Sharon had an accident last week, and broke her ankle and  a couple of ribs, which is giving her enforced knitting time but means she is unable to come to the shop.  Therefore we have been closing early when I leave at 2pm, until further notice.  Obviously Sharon is anxious to get back so we're both hoping its not too long!

I have this week unpacked a new delivery from James C Brett... Here's a sneak peak!

New shades in the popular Marble Chunky!  A very soft barber-poled yarn which gives a marbled look to your garment It's 100% acrylic (machine washable!) and comes in 200g-312m balls (2-3 balls for a jumper!).  It knits to most chunky patterns, but comes with 3 new patterns as well.

The next yarn to show you is brand new Harmony Chunky!  It's 100g ball has 150m of colour changing patterned yarn that we think is best suited to quick children's knits!  It is machine washable thanks to 78% premium acrylic and 22% cotton

In terms of opening hours of the shop, I will of course update you when things go back to normal.  If you're on Facebook, do give us a "like" for up to date information. 

Happy Knitting!

Jen
~x~ 

We have lots of new things to share with you from the deliveries over the summer!  We have really enjoyed the Sirdar Colourwheel yarn, it is so much fun waiting for the next colour to come up, I'm sure it makes you knit faster!  So we have added 2 more options, the first being Creative Wool Degrade

It's an innovative yarn made up of 4 strands that you knit or crochet together which means the colour change is a very subtle, giving a degrade or ombre effect.  It has 200g - 800m on a cake, and is 70% acrylic and 30%wool.  There is even a pattern for a triangular shawl on the back of the ball band!

The other is the latest offering from the popular Stylecraft Special range, also a colour changing cake but this time giving a stripy effect.

It comes in a 150g cake, which has 443m of 100% premium acrylic DK yarn and comes with some very nice patterns to give you ideas.  Perfect to start Christmas knitting perhaps?

We've also got in stock the new Tweedy yarn also by Stylecraft.  an unusual DK yarn with fairly muted colours and very soft!  100g balls have 260m.  Tension is a perfect 22 stitches and 28 rows with 4mm needles.  There are also very nice jumper patterns for it, one of which is being modelled by our in-shop model, Catherine!

That's it for now, but there will be more next week!

Jen
~x~

What a scorcher this week has been!  I have just about been able to carry on crocheting Nigel The Nautilus for the summer window (should be out next week all being well!)but it was hard, hot work!  Even with cotton yarn which is normally fine, the temperature of 33 degrees meant the yarn was sticking to my fingers and taking much longer for those cute tentacles to work up.  But they are now done and he is ready to take his place in the window.  Sharon has been knitting and crochet-less for the beginning part of the week though, the heat stopping all yarny fun.  She did use the time wisely though, by reading knitting and crochet magazines for new ideas!

So not much happened this week, but to celebrate a return to knittable and crochetable temperatures we would like to host a mini giveaway!  The first person ringing  the shop after 10am on Tuesday (27th) who is able to tell us the names of 3 brands of yarn we stock in store will win 10 balls of a mystery cotton yarn!

That's all for now, have a lovely weekend and happy knitting!

Jen
~x~

Hello there!

It's been a quiet week really here at Avicraftwool, although we did get to see the Sirdar Autumn/Winter collection on Tuesday and there will be one new yarn which will be making its way to us in late August in a wide range of colours!  Its called No1 by Sirdar and is a replacement for the classic wash and wear crepe which is now enjoying retirement. It's a standard Double Knitting yarn with great meterage  that is very soft and comes in great colours- bound to be a colour for everyone!

We are running  a promotion for the next month - from the 16th June to the 16th July we will be giving the pattern away free when you buy £15 or more of the corresponding wool!  I've  had a little look through the pattern books to come up with a few possible ideas, but its across all the wool in store so you are bound to see something you like!

Anything you think you might like to work on there?  If not come in store and see what else you would like to do to take advantage for a free pattern!

That's all for now, it's time for lunch! 

Happy Knitting!

Jen
~x~

I have now decided I am going to stop commenting on the weather... There is clearly an imp who reads these blog posts and has a good giggle whilst he turns the thermostat the other way!  Still, I get to still enjoy my wool socks and jumpers for a while longer so it's not all bad!

Have you seen that Sharon's lovely crochet along pattern, Granny's Log Cabin is now out?  Kits are still available in store priced at £38.  For that price you get the pattern and the 19 balls of wool needed to complete the blanket. 

In other exciting news, we are now proud to say we stock 75 of the Stylecraft Special DK colours, which is all but 2 of the solid colours they do (Jaffa and Fiesta being the two missing colours, otherwise known as fluorescent orange and pink, and if its neon colours you need we stock King Cole Big Value Neons which has more colours, all strikingly bright)

 Look at all those beautiful colours!  So many combinations to be had!

We're in full crochet mode in the shop, I am crocheting sea creatures for the summer window, and Sharon has just started a ripple cushion based on Attic 24's Neat ripple blanket. Lucy from Attic 24 uses Special DK in her blanket designs and has many different patterns on her website, it's well worth a look if you like crochet.  She also does the most comprehensive photo tutorials so even a beginner could make any of her designs.  

Tonight is the night I start on my very own Granny's log cabin too, I am very excited to have a new stunning blanket for the back of the sofa!

Happy knitting!

Jen
~x~