On a cold and dull* November day, what do you need to warm the cockles of your heart? Well, duh: lovely hand-dyed yarn, of course, and a pattern with which to knit it. So don’t you reckon it’s time for another giveaway, open worldwide?
Enter from stage left, Suzie, bearing skeins of marvellously colourful wool.
Twisted: Hello, Suzie.
Suzie: Hello, Twisted.
Twisted (shivering): Cold, isn’t it?
Suzie (also shivering): Gosh yes, it is cold… as one might quite reasonably expect at this time of year.
Twisted: Indeed. Shall we stop speaking as though we’re characters in an exceptionally badly-written play?
Suzie: Yes, lets. Would you like some yarn?
Suzie is based in east London, from where she runs her indie yarn/pattern company, It’s A Stitch Up. IASU started out as a blog, and her tutorials and patterns rapidly became super-popular. Last year, she started selling her hand-dyed yarn, too, shipping worldwide to meet ever-increasing demand. Her yarn is ethically-produced (in terms of animal welfare and environmental impact), British-spun, and dyed with inspiration from her surroundings, especially from the natural world. Yup, I’m struggling to find anything not-to-like, too.
Suzie got in touch with me recently to talk about her yarn. As it happens, she’s a friend-of-a-friend, but that’s beside the point. We talked particularly about her Awesome Aran (think worsted-weight, USians), which is spun from British-produced wool from the always-haughty-looking Bluefaced Leicester sheep.
Have you knitted or hooked with Bluefaced Leicester? It’s soft and it’s tough (in a good way, I promise) which is why it’s often used for sock yarn. It has quite a lustrous appearance, too. Suzie sent me a sample skein, along with the pattern for her Shipwreck Cove cowl. Look at the very subtle hint of variegation in this semi-solid colourway. It’s called ‘Heart Of Glass’, and it’s available in 100g (3.5oz) skeins. It feels soft and dense, and it’s very cosy against the skin. Look!
Anyway, I knitted the cowl. Maybe my gauge was off, but I ran out of yarn just before the end, so I decided to use some spare yarn I had lying around to make the cord and the pom-poms. (It was cotton, so it separated beautifully to make the pom-poms extra-fluffy.)
Ah, pom-poms. I hadn’t made them since childhood.**
Fortunately, I could just about remember what to do. (Yeah, I know you can buy pom-pom makers but really, two doughnuts of cardboard work just fine.) Place the pieces of card together, wind yarn (doubled, quadrupled, or whatever to save time) around and around until you can’t fit it through the centre any more or until your layer of yarn is looking nicely thick. Use a crochet hook to pull the yarn through the centre hole if needed. I also used a crochet hook to wedge the yarn in place whilst I began to cut every strand of yarn around the perimeter of the disks.
Then, when you’ve cut every strand, you’ll need to pull the cardboard disks apart VERY SLIGHTLY to enable you to wind a piece of yarn around all your strands and tie a knot that’s tighter than any knot you’ve ever previously tied in your life.
Now you can remove the card, fluff up your lovely pom-pom, and give it a light trim where needed. Do NOT allow anyone with perfectionist tendencies to complete this stage, as they will trim and trim (and trim) until there’s nothing left.
Isn’t it cutesome? (Oughtn’t I to be taken outside and shot for crimes against language, having used the ‘word’ cutesome?)
And here, expertly modelled by my headless assistant, is the finished cowl. It’s very cosy. And pretty.
If you browse the It’s A Stitch Up website, you can see all the rich shades that Suzie has dyed in Awesome Aran, as well as her other yarns. She also sells knitting kits, her own knitting patterns, and vintage haberdashery.
But let’s talk about the giveaway, because it’s a good’un, thanks to Suzie’s extreme generosity. She is offering TWO shivery-but-yarn-loving readers of this blog from anywhere in the world the chance to win a 100g skein of Awesome Aran, and the cowl pattern to go with it. See? I told you it was good.
Usual Twisted contest conditions apply. To enter, leave a comment at the bottom of this post. To gain an additional bonus entry, visit this blog’s Facebook page, ‘like’ the page and leave a comment on the post about this giveaway, with some way of reaching you if you win – Raverly username, for example.
The contest is open from RIGHT NOW until 12.00 midday (UK time) on Saturday 10th December 2016. After this, a random number generator will be used to select two lucky winners, whose details will be passed to Suzie so that she can contact them and arrange delivery of the prizes. Good luck!
∗ The weather is now scuppering the mood of this blog post by suddenly being sunny. Still it’s cold. Very cold. You’ll need knitwear.
∗∗…when I used to make big pom-pom critters with stuck-on eyes, and arms made of pipe-cleaners. They were irredeemably naff, so let us speak of them no more.
Avril says
Very very pretty yarn. And almost local to me. Such temptation.
Alice says
Oh how exciting: two of my favourite yarny people in one place! And I wonder whether I might be in the fortunate minority of having actually met both you and Suzie face to face? (Not at the same time – now THAT would be fun!)
I can also testify that Suzie’s yarn is indeed strokeably scrumptious. I have a skein of stunning green ‘Favourite Sock’ yarn (this one: https://itsastitchup.co.uk/shop/favourite-sock-hand-dyed-superwash-merino-4-ply-yarn-deep-sea-dweller/) which is waiting for me to finish off all my Christmassy projects so I can knit something for myself… Is it greedy to want more? 😉
Tricia Lloyd says
Love the sheep, love the wool, love the giveaway! Thanks x
Carolyn says
The yarn looks lovely and I could sure use a warm cowl or hat, since our weather here in Maine, USA is supposed to get snowy in the next few days! Brrrr….
LT says
Greetings from Texas! It is a frosty 50 degrees F this morning! (10 degrees C). I love this yarn but have never used it before and so would love to win the yarn pack!
dressedincrochet says
Yarn looks gorgeous and my heating has just broken down so knitting a cowl is timely!
Anne Griffiths says
Interesting post and thank you for introducing me to another UK based indie dyer. Not that I need any encouragement as I spent most of yesterday browsing for yarns I can buy myself for Christmas then give to my hubby to wrap and hide for me until the day arrives. It makes it easier for him, that’s my excuse – AnnieGriff on Ravelry
Laurette says
Love the gorgeous colors. I will be visiting the UK next year and have added this to my list of local yarns to look for. Don’t you think yarn makes a lovely souvenir?
sisterjoyous says
Thanks for another top giveaway, oh Twisted one & Suzie. Should my yarn-based ship come in, I’m sister joyous on Ravelry. Hurrah! :0)
Kate says
Wow! The yarn is amazing. I’d love to win some, i have no Aran weight yarn in my stash as I use mostly 4ply for shawls, but then when it’s really cold I always think how lovely it would be to have something knitted in aran. I’m kate818181 on ravelry.
Ema W says
Fantastic quality
Liz Smith says
What gorgeous yarn in such delicious colours. What to make?
(bellefleur45 on Rav).
Brenda Breitkreutz says
Would love the chance to win some of that beautiful yarn!
Anne says
That cowl looks lovely and warm! Thanks for the chance to win x
Anna K says
Gorgeous yarn ! I’d love to win .liked on fb
Sheila Harvey-Larmar says
Yup, love Blue Faced Leicester, too – thanks for the chance to win some!
Sue says
What can I say – such gorgeous colours; thank you for this opportunity to keep heads, ears, necks, hands warm! I’m suejp on Ravelry ?
Talia says
I’ve never knitted with Bluefaced Leicester, but I don’t know if I can stay away from it much longer…
Diane Warner says
Thank you for opening up the luscious yarn give away to those of us who are outside the UK! Love your blog and am always inspired by your skill and creativity!
Zeens and Roger says
What a lovely giveaway! Looks absolutely gorgeous. xx
Yolanda Chavez says
The yarn looks lovely!
Pam says
Divine colours! Just what we need to knit with in our Canadian winters.
Julie says
Thanks for an amazing giveaway,this would be grown up yarn for me and such gorgeous colours too
knitterpixie says
Oh what a lovely chance! I would adore personally getting to play with this yarn.
Knitter-Pixie on Ravelry, if I chance to be lucky enough to win.
Bekky says
The yarn looks so cozy and warm! What a generous giveaway! 🙂
Jill S says
How exciting! I’m heading into summer in NZ, but I can get prepared for next winter! ScottieJill on Rav
DonnaA says
Beautiful colours and a beautiful pattern. FIngers crossed that Christmas comes early for me.
Victoria Smith says
What beautiful yarn… I’d love to knit a cowl up. Thanks for the giveaway… Victoria Smothv
Philippa Dalton says
So much gorgeous yarn, so little time…. mmmm
SnugglebuggKnits says
Omg i hat making pom poms im that person that keeps trimming its crazy time for me lol
SnugglebuggKnits says
Hate lol
savannagal says
What wonderful vivid colors. I would love to make a large stole using several colors. I’ve seen so many lately and they really do make a statement. Thanks for introducing me to this yarn.
Sarah L says
I gasped when I saw the colors in the first picture. So vibrant!! Perfect for lighting the mood during the dreary days of winter.
RavID slawson
stitchinshishums says
thank you so much dor the wonderful giveaway
Ivon van der Schuit-Faber says
Beautiful Yarn and lovely colors, I really do like to read your posts.
boskez says
Yehaaa ! I jump right in 😉
What beautiful colors … my favorite is probably heart of glass!
Bev Barradell says
Haven’t seen this yarn before but love the look and the colours, would love some to knit with.
Bev
sarahy75 says
Thank you for the great giveaway. sarahy75 on Ravelry
M Curran says
Would love to win this yarn, it looks amazing. Fingers crossed
stitchinshishums says
thanks for the great giveaway my email is kukisboyz@gmail.com
Rosy says
Georgeos yarn, Would love to try it, amazing colors ! thank you for the giveaway!!
Michelle Gill says
Perfect yarn for a quick cowl. Loving the colors.
Roslyn says
That yarn looks gorgeous!
Roslyn68 on rav
Patricia says
What a great offer!
PatriciaKnits on Ravelry
Michelle Gladwish says
Oh my goodness beautiful Yarn and brightens up a very dull and wet Staffordshire xx
mountaingmom says
Lovely yarn and the cowl is so cozy looking.
Margaret Jolly says
Beautiful colours. Great cowl
Sareena Granger says
What a sweetie! ❤️❤️
Rachelle Mathews says
Such a great post! Love love love the blue Pom!