June news.

New in the shop

The eagerly anticipated new book from Ysolda Teague, Little Red in The City, is due into the shop in the next fortnight. If you would like a copy reserved, drop me an email and I will put a copy aside for you.


New magazines in this month are :

Designer Knitting Early Fall 2011 (formerly Vogue Knitting) Click here for photos of all the stunning patterns in this edition.


The Knitter


Knit

Coming very soon from Rowan.
Rowan 50.



This is a lushly photographed collection that will have you slowly leafing through more than 100 pages of designs and articles with another 100 pages plus dedicated to instructions. Each of the three distinct design stories - Wildwood, Finesse and Winter Essentials - brings a broad range of styles, sizes and techniques.

Wildwood uses the autumnal colors of rural Britain in its heirloom arans, finely detailed intarsia and FairIsle floral sweaters, and richly striped wraps. Finesse uses retro influences from the late 1950’s and early 1960’s for a collection that heralds a return to feminine curves and classical understatement. Winter Essentials takes the fashionable shapes and textures of the coming autumn/winter ready-to-wear collections and simplifies them making them accessible to knitters.

Nordic Tweed.
 
21 designs using Rowan's new yarns Rowan Tweed, Fine Tweed, Colourspun and Kid Classic.

Purelife Home.

A collection of 14 knitted and crocheted patterns for the home.

Dalesmen.

15 designs for men in a variety of yarns including Lima, Felted Tweed and Big Wool.

Winter Warmers.

32 designs featuring garments, homewares and accessories using new Alpaca Chunky and Lima.


Workshops
Crochet for Beginners 23 July 2011
A flexible crochet day suitable for beginners and those who want to polish up their skills and learn more
You will learn basic crochet stitches and techniques and, in order for you to get the most from the day, there will be the opportunity to ask for specific tips and advice
All yarns and equipment will be supplied but you are welcome to bring some of your own yarns too

Weaving for Beginners 27 August 2011
Learn how to weave on a rigid heddle loom
Rigid heddle looms are easy to use and great for creative weaving
This course is for people who want to learn to weave from scratch or those who have been doing a bit of weaving on their own but need some guidance
We will use a range of plain, fancy and textured yarns to weave a sample and give you ideas to work on at home
We will also have a go at warping up a loom

Getting the most from your Rigid Heddle Loom 12 November 2011
This workshop is for those who can already do some basic weaving but want to get more out of their loom
We will cover use of texture and colour, fleece weaving, pick ups and Leno
There will also be a refresher on warping the loom


All workshops run from 10:30 to 3:30 and cost £45.00

Coffee, tea and biscuits are provided, lunch can be obtained from one of the many coffee shops, bakeries, bars or restaurants close by.
To reserve a place on any workshop please email karen@onceasheep.com or call Karen on 01475 648089
A deposit of £10 will secure your place.

May news

Autumn/Winter 2011/12

This month I attended the UK Handknitting Association Trade Fair in Warwick.
All the major suppliers were present showcasing new yarns and patterns for Autumn/Winter 2011/12.
I am very excited about the new yarns that are coming in next season, particular highlights include a beautiful alpaca laceweight in subtle solid shades, a chunky alpaca, 4ply and dk weight tweeds, a 100% merino chunky and 2 new variegated chunky yarns. Patterns will be available in books or booklets for all the new yarns along with new pattern support for some of the current ranges.
I can't tell you any more than that just now, my lips are sealed (though chocolate has been known to loosen my tongue!) I will be featuring all the new stock in the newsletter over the coming few months.

On the Mannequins
In the window during May

Angel Capelet, Debbie Bliss. Rico Essentials DK Cotton.               



Sunset Shrug, Rowan Silk Twist Classics. Rowan Silk Twist.



Oliver Waistcoat, Noro Kids. Noro Aya.       

 

Skipper, Louisa Harding. Rowan Revive.



Workshops

I know that a lot of people go away on holiday over the summer months so I have not scheduled many workshops but I am always happy to schedule a workshop if there is demand. Do let me know if there is a particular subject you would like to see a workshop for and I will try to set it up.

Due to current demand I have added another crochet workshop.

Sock knitting for Beginners 18th June 2011
Be warned, sock knitting is highly addictive! Small, portable and inexpensive; once you have worn handknit socks you'll never go back!
In this workshop you will learn how to:
Cast on and join in the round on double pointed needles
Knit the cuff and leg
Turn the heel and create the gusset
Knit the foot and form the toe
Graft the toe

A course for the knitter who has mastered casting on and off, knitting and purling and is looking to experiment with sock knitting
You will finish the day with a complete “mini sock” and have all the skills required to master your first pair of full size socks

Crochet for Beginners 23 July 2011
A flexible crochet day suitable for beginners and those who want to polish up their skills and learn more
You will learn basic crochet stitches and techniques and, in order for you to get the most from the day, there will be the opportunity to ask for specific tips and advice
All yarns and equipment will be supplied but you are welcome to bring some of your own yarns too

Silk Spinning 10 Sept 2011 - SOLD OUT
Due to the waiting list for this workshop, it sold out before I could advertise it. However, I would like to offer a couple more spinning courses for Luxury Fibres and for Fancy Yarns. If you are interested in a spinning workshop, please let me know and I will arrange an additional date.


All workshops run from 10:30 to 3:30 and cost £45.00

Coffee, tea and biscuits are provided, lunch can be obtained from one of the many coffee shops, bakeries, bars or restaurants close by.
To reserve a place on any workshop please email karen@onceasheep.com or call Karen on 01475 648089
A deposit of £10 will secure your place.

Happy Easter!

Happy Easter

It's so lovely to see some Spring weather at last.  I'm enjoying knitting some lighter weight shawls and cotton tops along with more socks of course (you can never have too many socks!)

For any readers who are not local and are interested in the shop, I have begun a daily photo journal of images from the shop across the Clyde. Feel free to take a peek at my view!

http://www.blipfoto.com/onceasheep

New in the shop

New colours of Rico Superba Mexico
This is a fantastic machine washable sock yarn, 75% wool and 25% nylon.  420m/100g.







New colours of Debbie Bliss Amalfi
A beautiful, drapey, DK weight yarn, perfect for summer knits. 70% cotton, 15% viscose, 10% linen, 5% silk. 100m/50g.




Coming soon

Beautiful wooden knitting looms



Knitting made easy with this beautiful hardwood smooth finish knitting board. Great for small projects such as bags, scarves, slippers and baby clothes. Ideal to carry around as it easily fits into your hand bag!

The wood spacers adjust to 3 different settings of 1/2, 1 and 1-1/2 " between the boards to achieve various gauges in your knitting. This board has 22 pins on each board for 22 double stitches. The spacing between the pins is 5/16" for a solid knit. Knits approx 12-14" wide.

The package contains:- knitting board - instructions - knit hook - 4 projects - how to DVD - adjustable spacers - 2 4" bolts



Made from beautiful hardwood with steel ball tipped pins. Each board has patented recessed knitting surface for ease of lifting the yarn and adjustable wood spacers of 1/2, 1, 1-1/2" settings to achieve many different gauges. The steel pins are spaced 5/16" apart for easy knitting. The board has 84 pins for 84 double stitches. The maximum knitting width of this board is approx 30-45" depending on the yarn and spacers being used.
Create sweaters, cardigans, shawls, hats, scarves, baby clothes and so much more!

The package contains:- knitting board - instructions - knit hook - 5 projects - how to DVD - adjustable spacers - 2 x 4" bolts




No knitting experience needed! You can create beautiful socks with a simple wrap and hook method.

The Kb sock loom is completely adjustable. You can knit a baby sock to a large man's sock. Simply move the slider down the loom to the desired number of pegs and then lock in place the the wing nut. Pin spacing 3/8".

Sock Loom contains:- sock loom - knit hook - instructions - how to DVD. All in an easy to carry vinyl bag.




A small 6" (15cm) fun sized and easy to carry around Knitting Board, perfect for so many small projects.
Create your own designs on this lovely Birch wood loom.

Kit includes:- knitting board - knit hook - how to instructions - 7 projects.

Workshops

All workshops between April and June 2011 are sold out.

I hope to arrange some new dates soon to include crochet, weaving and spinning.

Additional Workshop

Due to demand for Crochet workshops, I have added an additional date in May.
Additional Workshop

Crochet for Beginners 21 May 2011
A flexible crochet day suitable for both beginners and those who want to learn more
There will be a chance to learn or brush up on basic crochet stitches in the morning and to learn Tunisian crochet in the afternoon, but feel free to bring your own agenda as this will be a flexible learning day!
All yarns and equipment will be supplied but you are welcome to bring some of your own yarns too

All workshops run from 10:30 to 3:30 and cost £45.00

Coffee, tea and biscuits are provided, lunch can be obtained from one of the many coffee shops, bakeries, bars or restaurants close by.
To reserve a place on any workshop please email karen@onceasheep.com or call Karen on 01475 648089
A deposit of £10 will secure your place.

Newsletter for March 2011

New in the shop
The long awaited new book, Little Red in The City, from acclaimed Scottish Designer, Ysolda Teague, is due for publication in March and I am really looking forward to getting stocks of the book in soon.
In anticipation of the book arriving I now have stocks of Lorna's Laces in Ysolda Red (a colour blended by Ysolda herself) and Blackberry. Both colours are featured in one of the designs from the new book, Laika. I am busy knitting up a sample which is looking beautiful in the Ysolda Red colour.

Lorna's Laces Shepherd Sock

Ysolda Red


Blackberry


Noro Aya

As featured in Noro Flowers 2.


50% Cotton, 35% Silk, 15% wool
50 gram/135m
Needles 4mm-4.5mm/US5-7




New books have been delivered from both Rowan and Debbie Bliss.

Rowan Cotton Classics, 16 patterns for men and women designed by Martin Storey.



Debbie Bliss Eco Family. A collection celebrating friends and family in a range of designs for men, women and children. The knits are mostly relaxed and casual but there are also designs for a smarter look.



Debbie Bliss Beach Belles. A collection of six knits that have been designed to flatter "real women" with shapes that create waists or skim over hips.



Debbie Bliss magazine, Spring/Summer 2011. A collection of fashion designs created exclusively for the magazine featuring fabulous florals, colourful kids, designs to brighten the home and lots of lovely lace.



New in from Louisa Harding

Ondine


Hebe


Ianthe



Also new in from Interweave
Knitting Plus. Written by a plus size knitter to give you the tools and techniques you need to create garments that fit and flatter you. Includes 15 patterns.



Workshops

Spinning for Beginners 9th April 2011
Suitable for beginners who want to learn the techniques required to spin their own yarn
Wheels and all materials are provided
By the end of the session you will understand the mechanics of wheel spinning, be able to card and draft fibre, spin, ply and skein your own yarn

Silk Spinning 14th May 2011
The opportunity to sample some luxury fibre and learn to spin all forms of silk
This course will explore how to spin the different forms of silk and how to get different thicknesses and types of yarn from them
Suitable for all levels of spinners (on wheels or spindles) except for complete beginners (ie: those who cannot spin at all)

Crochet for Beginners 11th June 2011
A flexible crochet day suitable for both beginners and those who want to learn more
There will be a chance to learn or brush up on basic crochet stitches in the morning and to learn broomstick crochet in the afternoon, but feel free to bring your own agenda as this will be a flexible learning day!
All yarns and equipment will be supplied but you are welcome to bring some of your own yarns too

All workshops run from 10:30 to 3:30 and cost £45.00

All materials and equipment are provided
Coffee, tea and biscuits are provided, lunch can be obtained from one of the many coffee shops, bakeries, bars or restaurants close by.
To reserve a place on any workshop please email karen@onceasheep.com or call Karen on 01475 648089
A deposit of £10 will secure your place.

It's February already!

Opening hours
Please note that the shop will now be opening 10:00 - 17:00 Tuesday to Saturday. (Monday opening remains at 13:00 - 17:00)

New in the shop
Yarn

Rico Superba Bamboo. Super soft Merino and bamboo blend 4 ply yarn. Perfect for socks, shawls and garments. Available in 8 shades. (Apologies for the quality of the images)

   






Rowan Revive. 4 new shades in the popular Rowan Revive, recycled DK cotton/silk blend.

     


Books


Debbie Bliss Bella 8 new designs from Debbie Bliss suitable for DK weight Cotton and Cotton blend yarn



Noro Flowers 2 with 12 new designs by Jenny Watson in the range of Noro Yarns including, laceweight, sockweight, DK and Aran weight

Rowan Purelife Classics 12 designs by Martin Storey featuring Rowan Purelife Revive and Organic Cotton



Rowan Summer Baby  20 designs for newborn to 4 year olds in beautiful spring and summer weight yarns

Workshops

Saturday 26th February   
Colour blending for spinners

A course to learn how to create your own unique fibre blends for spinning
We will look at how to combine different colours and textures in carded batts and learn to spin them in different ways to see the effects they produce
The workshop will include how to combine colours to create complimentary and contrasting shades for knitting and weaving projects and we will add silk, alpaca and other fibres to our blends
This workshop is a lot of fun and involves quite a bit of plunging in and being creative
Suitable for all abilities of spinners from those who have just learned to those who are more experienced

Saturday 5th March
Learn to weave

Learn how to weave on a rigid heddle loom
Rigid heddle looms are easy to use and great for creative weaving
This course is for people who want to learn to weave from scratch or those who have been doing a bit of weaving on their own but need some guidance
We will use a range of plain, fancy and textured yarns to weave a sample and give you ideas to work on at home
We will also have a go at warping up a loom
All workshops run from 10:30 to 3:30 and cost £45.00
All materials and equipment are provided
Coffee, tea and biscuits are provided, lunch can be obtained from one of the many coffee shops, bakeries, bars or restaurants close by.
To reserve a place on any workshop please email karen@onceasheep.com or call Karen on 01475 648089
A deposit of £10 will secure your place.