Life LackaDaisiCal

Ta Da! Pattern: Groovy (DK and Aran Weight)  available on Ravelry Yarn: Cashmere by Elisabeth Beverly , dyed with Indigo (You can find Elisabeth next at the Design and Craft Fair at West Dean College June 3-5 - info here ) Photos: Hubby! The Hubby hates it when I won't look at the camera....so eventually I can't help it, I look up and he keeps snapping away.... Even though it was a dull morning, the contrast between the white shirt and the dark indigo yarn was hard to manage! Straight off the needles, Groovy is all ripples of stocking and reverse stocking stitch....it's lovely and squishy like that and you could leave it as is!   I wanted to take advantage of the size of this shawl, so washed gently in Eucalan and lay flat to dry (no serious blocking). You can see the tiny swatch I knit up to test wash - no discernible indigo came out in the wash! I used all but 14 grams of my 275 grams (900 metres) of yarn! ...

What's this? Well, last year while in the UK, I happened to meet up with Elisabeth Beverley, she of Plant Dyed Wool fame. If you haven't heard of her, not to worry, she is very elusive and can be found at only a few select venues in the UK.  It just so happens that Elisabeth lives not far from a friend of mine in the UK. I visited Elisabeth once a couple of years ago and purchased some lovely cashmere (still in my stash - blogged here ) and at the time, inquired if she ever used indigo on her yarns. Well yes, she does, but didn't have any right now. Fast forward a couple of years...last June hubby and I are in the UK, I e-mail Elisabeth to inquire about indigo. Well yes, as a matter of fact, she does have some indigo and she very nicely popped over to my friends with a basket full of the different strengths of indigo dyed yarn. I could have bought it all!  After much to ing and fro ing, I settled on what looked like the darkest grouping, ...

My host here in the UK is a knitter....no surprise there right? On her coffee table I spotted the latest edition of pompom magazine.  With a cup of tea, I enjoyed this mini magazine..... love the size, the weight, the thickness of each page... One design caught my eye...this....how lovely.... not that I'll be needing a baby blanket any time soon :)  but...the yarn...Cashmere! 100% Cashmere! My hostess loves cashmere, so I commented on the lovely yarn in the pompom pattern...had she heard of this cashmere? "Oh yes, Elisabeth lives not far from here. Do you think you'd like to go? I could ring her up and sort something." Well, yes, I'd love to go!  (A girl can always add a little Cashmere to her stash!) Top to bottom, in my bag :) weld -reseda inteola hibiscus tea Walnut And another hibiscus tea Lovely...as a display :) You can find her at select fibre festivals in the UK (Unravelled for example)...but she does have a ...