Zuzu's Petals

We’re loving quick-knitting accessory projects lately – perhaps best exemplified by our Ravelry group‘s May KAL project, Zuzu’s Petals. I knit mine in a matter of days using a gorgeous skein of MadelineTosh Sport in Byzantine.  I’m looking forward to seeing everyone else’s as the month progresses!

You may have noticed that Doodlebug Yarn is well-stocked on yarns from The Fibre Company - this line of luxury fibers is a pleasure to knit with!  You’ll definitely want to check out the upcoming issue of knit.wear (on newsstands June 26) to find out about their exciting new yarn Tundra – we’ll be one of few shops who will be carrying all of the colors!

Besides being in love with these luxury fibers, we’re also huge fans of the designs from Kelbourne Woolens which feature them.  The Boathouse Collection has particularly struck our fancy.  Featuring 11 designs by Courtney Kelley and Kate Gagnon Osborn, there is something for everyone – hats, scarves, mittens or sweaters, each with interesting touches such as a simple cable pattern, Roositud motif, or just the right amount of shaping.  The collection is being released gradually, with just a few patterns coming out each month.  Below are our favorite small projects for warm-weather knitting – it might seem strange to cast on for mittens in May, but you’ll be glad you did once fall rolls around!

 Carina Hat by Courtney Kelley

Yarn: Road to China Light in carnelian, 1 (2) skeins
Size: 16″ brim circ, 24.5″ body circ + 7.25 (9)” height.
Needles: 1 – 16″ US 2 (2.5 mm) circular needle and 1 – 16″ US 4 (3.5 mm) circular needle and dpns.
Gauge: 21 sts and 36 rounds = 4″ in Lace Pattern.

Flying Geese Mittens by Kate Gagnon Osborn

Yarn: Acadia in granite (MC) + kelp (CC), 1 skein each.
Size: 7.5” hand circumference, 10.25” total length.
Gauge: 25.5 sts and 27 rounds = 4” in Flying Geese pattern on larger needles.
Needles: 1 set US 4 (3.50 mm) dpns + 1 set US 6 (4.00mm) dpns.

Tree of Life Cowl by Courtney Kelley

Yarn: Road to China Worsted in citrine, 2 skeins.
Size: 17″ circ, 10″ height.
Gauge: 15 sts and 20 rnds = 4″ in tree of life pattern.
Needles: 1 – 16″ US 9 (5.50 mm) + 1 – 16″ US 10 (6.0 mm).

Warbler Hat & Mittens by Kate Gagnon Osborn

Yarn: Road to China Worsted in blue tourmaline. Hat: 2 skeins. Mittens: 2 skeins.
Size: Hat: 18” circ, 8.25“ depth, unstretched. Mittens: 7.5” circ, 9.5” long.
Gauge: 17 sts and 30 rounds = 4” in garter stitch.
Needles: 1 – 16“ US 5 (3.25mm) circular + 1 – 16” Size US 7 (4.5mm) circular and dpns.

All images from The Boathouse Collection by Amanda Stevenson Lupke.

Anzula Dreamy in Avocado

First off, thanks to everyone who wished us well for our move this week!  We’ve resumed normal operations now that we’re in our new digs, and we’d like to take a few moments to introduce you to the latest yarns to join the Doodlebug family!

We’ve got two fingering-weight yarns from Anzula that are perfect for socks, shawls, and even sweaters – the possibilities are truly endless with these gorgeous hand-dyed yarns from Fresno, CA. If you love a good MCN, you’ll fall in love with Cloud.  This superwash merino/cashmere/nylon blend is available in 19 semi-solid colorways with a generous yardage: 575 yards per skein!

For a truly luxurious project, Dreamy is the way to go.  This superwash merino, cashmere and silk blend definitely lives up to its name; for finer-gauge projects that will be close to your skin, there’s no better choice than Anzula’s Dreamy!  We’ve got 20 colors in stock ranging from subtle, nature-inspired shades to bright and vibrant colorways.

Lorna's Laces Solemate in Pilsen

Another recent arrival is a great big box of sock yarn from Lorna’s Laces!  We’ve always loved Shepherd Sock for making durable yet soft socks, and we’ve recently restocked our selection of hand-dyed multis and semi-solids – click here to see for yourself!  We’ve also welcomed Solemate, which is an innovative sock yarn using Outlast, a fiber technology that interacts with the body to moderate temperature (read about this interesting fiber here on the Lorna’s Laces blog!).  We have thirty – yes, THIRTY! – colorways in stock, from Andersonville to Zombie BBQ.  This yarn is not only great for socks, shawls, and other accessories,  but would be ideal for a sweater such as Kristin Hanley Cardoza’s  Mango Lassi sleeveless top or Mercedes Tarasovitch-Clark’s adorable Campbell & 2nd pullover.

Rounding out the mix are two new-to-Doodlebug yarns from The Fibre Company, Organik and Savannah.

The Fibre Company Savannah in Bluegrass

Organik is a single-ply worsted weight yarn blending organic merino with alpaca and silk. The kettle-dyed colors are subtle duotones that lend themselves beautifully to colorwork, lace, and cables.  It’s also a fantastic yarn for garments, such as Hannah Fettig’s Rocky Coast Cardigan from Coastal Knits or Kristin Omdahl’s Seashell Skirt from the Spring issue of Interweave Knits.

Savannah is a rustic 2-ply blend of wool, cotton, linen and soya fiber; each fiber takes the dye a little differently, creating a beautiful depth of color with subtle heathered tones.  This crisp yet soft DK-weight yarn is great for year-round garments, such as Amy Gunderson’s Breezeway Cardigan from the Summer issue of Knitscene.  Click here to view your color options!

Riverside Cowl in Candome

We’re KAL crazy here at Doodlebug Yarn. Last month, we welcomed Malabrigo March with a pattern exclusive: The  Riverside Cowl!  Thanks to everyone in the Fans of Doodlebug Yarn Ravelry Group who participated in this KAL; it was great to see everyone’s color choices and encourage one another as we knit this beautifully simple design by Breean Miller. The Riverside Cowl is now available for purchase via Ravelry, too – so if you’re just finding out about this pattern, you can still join in the fun! Here is my finished cowl, knit using two skeins of Arroyo in Candome.

Cassie admires my completed Tightrope Socks

This month, we’ve been knitting up Tightrope Socks in our favorite hand-dyed colors from The Wool Dispensary.  These top-down, smocked bamboo rib socks are a satisfying, quick knit, and it’s been a delight sharing our progress with each other!  I chose a springy green called “Miss DeForest” in TWD’s Useful Poison, which is an irresistible Merino/Cashmere/Nylon blend. I’m on the home stretch, having just finished the gusset shaping on sock #2.  The only modifications I made for this pattern were adding an inch of length to the leg because I tend to like my socks just a bit longer; for increased durability, I switched to size 0 needles for the heel and toe.

As I close in on finishing this month’s KAL project, I can’t help but look forward to MadelineTosh May!  A beloved yarn for many knitters and crocheters, it’s always a pleasure to highlight these beautiful, glazed colorways that set the bar high for hand-dyed yarn.  To celebrate, we’ll be casting on for Carina Spencer’s Zuzu’s Petals cowl – a clever little design that converts a triangle scarf into an ultra-wearable cowl.  Knit in MadelineTosh Pashmina, this pretty little knit is sure to fly off your needles.

To participate, grab your favorite MadTosh colorway and cast on for your Zuzu’s Petals on May 1.  Share your progress with us in the Fans of Doodlebug Yarns Ravelry Group, or keep us posted via Twitter and Facebook!

Zuzu's Petals by Carina Spencer

Gayla:  Tell us how you got started dyeing yarn.  What drew you to this line of work?

Ce: I’d been a knitter for several years and after a short knitting hiatus, after the birth of my son, I discovered Ravelry. I soon saw people’s lovely FOs with handyed yarn and got curious. After buying and knitting with a few skeins I thought I’d like to experiment. I had done a bit of dyeing previously (more just to change the colour of yarn, rather than for the hand dyed effect we know and love) so I didn’t feel too intimidated. Well, the rest is history, as they say.

Gayla:  What is an average day like in the dye studio?

Ce: My days can be a bit crazy, juggling my responsibilities as a mum and my busy work schedule. As soon as I get up I check my emails and start responding to enquiries, check in on Rav and see if anything’s come up overnight in the group, all while giving Indi breakfast, having breakfast myself and getting us both ready. I take Indi wherever he’s off to that day and go to the studio. If my assistant, Jo, is around we go through what needs doing, then I come up with a dyeing list for the day and crack on. While the yarns are simmering I check into Rav and my email too – nothing worse than letting it all accumulate, or do my accounts, although that is not my favourite part of my job! I also rinse the previous day’s work, plot future fun things like clubs and collaborations, take pictures for the next update, etc. Although I usually stop dyeing at around 5 or 6pm, I often work until 8-9pm most days. I often do bits and pieces at the weekend too, but I love it all!

Gayla:  You make a point to minimize your environmental impact during the dye process.  What exactly does that entail?

Ce: Mostly by trying not to use too much dye, and simmering the yarns for a long time in order to allow the dyes to fully bond with the fibres. I also allow the yarn to fully cool in the dyepot before rinsing as I find that this way a fair bit of dye gets further absorbed. I also keep an eye on my water consumption. But my bit for the environment doesn’t stop there: I put as much thought as I can throughout the whole process, from what cleaning products I use, to how I package the yarn. Although I doubt fibre pursuits can ever be fully environmentally friendly, even if I were to use natural dyes (some of the fixatives often contain heavy metals and the processes used for the extraction of colour can have an effect too) I try to be mindful about the environment in everything I do.

Gayla:  Speaking of the environment, your yarn is also minimally processed as much as possible.  Tell us more how you choose your fibers and yarn bases, and what the average knitter can expect when working with them!

Ce: Not all my yarn is minimally processed. We all love superwash yarns, don’t we? Not just for the convenience of popping them in the washing machine, but also for how they look when they are dyed. Most of my British breed yarns would have been minimally processed, though, and some are even spun in an old Georgian water mill! When I think of introducing a new yarn several things are going through my mind: I will often choose a yarn I’m attracted to and that I’d like to work with and/or I choose  something that I think will be popular. I’m also always on the lookout for interesting British breeds, although these are harder to source and there are often supply issues, but I do occasionally get them as a limited edition yarns. Part of my British breed obsession stems from my passion for the environment; if the animal was bred in the UK and the yarn was processed here, then it has fewer ‘wool miles’ J The other part of it came from being a spinner and having a fascination for how different all the breeds felt. I think knitters deserve to experience that too!

Gayla:  Some of your colors have very interesting names.  How do you go about naming colors?

Ce: Haha, yes, I do choose some wacky and obscure names sometimes! Most of my less obvious colourway names are either in a foreign language or nature-related. I love travelling, languages and nature, so… Some examples of this are Lila, which is purple in German, Brassica which is the latin name for a plant family with bright yellow flowers (eg rape) and Nimbostratus and Cumulonimbus which are cloud formations. Occasionally I name colours after songs I like, such as Into Dust (Mazzy Star) and Les Fleurs (4Hero).

Gayla: What are your favorite projects to make with your yarns?

Ce: Well, I’m a garment and shawl knitter through and through! I find a girl can never have enough cardigans and shawls.  I love stripes too and I think they look brilliant in hand dyed yarn. I’m developing a bigger and bigger obsession with lace, although I don’t always use laceweight yarn. Occasionally I enjoy knitting quick and easy things like hats, although you’d never catch me knitting gloves! And I’ve even managed a couple of pairs of socks despite suffering from terrible second sock syndrome.

We’ve got plenty of TUT Heavenly Fingering, a luxurious Alpaca/Silk/Cashmere fingering-weight yarn for you to try, as well as 12 fantastic colors of TUT Super Sock, a 100% Merino superwash sock yarn.  We can’t wait to see your projects in these enticing new yarns – be sure to share your FO photos in the Fans of Doodlebug Yarn group on Ravelry! 

Malabrigo Finito in Estragon

Finito has arrived at Doodlebug Yarn!  This much-anticipated limited-edition yarn from Malabrigo is incredibly soft and going fast.  Be sure to snap up a few skeins in your favorite colorway before it’s gone.

This exclusive 2-ply yarn is spun from the finest merino wool in Uruguay; this fingering weight yarn is ideal for lacework, delicate accessories, and luxurious garments. Finito‘s  exclusive merino is even softer than Malabrigo‘s usual wool, and it’s available only in small quantities once a year.  When it’s gone, it’s gone – and we’ve already sold out of a few colorways!

Once your Finito arrives, it’s time to decide on the perfect project to show it off.  Here are our top picks for 1-, 2- and 3-skein projects using this extra-special yarn from Malabrigo.  We can’t wait to see what you make – be sure to share your FO photos in our Ravelry group!

ONE SKEIN (200 yards)

A Very Good Cowl Indeed by Liz Abinante
Rustling Leaves Beret by Alana Dakos (from Coastal Knits)
Veyla fingerless gloves by Ysolda Teague

TWO SKEINS (400 yards)

Damask by Kitman Figueroa
Pogona by Stephen West
Mexican Wedding by Julia Trice
Pei by Michele Wang
Lintilla by Martina Behm

THREE SKEINS (600 yards)

Pamuya by Alexandra Wiedmayer
Forget-Me-Not from Tiny Owl Knits
Manolo by Yarnissima
Gretel by Julie Weisenberger