gobSMACKdown!

Looking for a little camaraderie, plus a good excuse to dust off your needles and hooks and pull out your favourite gobsmacker?  Come join the gobSMACKdown!

What’s a gobSMACKdown?
That’s what happens when you cross gobsmackers with a KAL! It’s a friendly event, though, without any actual smack talk or posturing. A long-time knitting friend came up with the phrase and I was tickled by it.  The whole idea of the gobSMACKdown is to have some fun (and possibly do some selfish knitting, if you’ve been spending a lot of time on holiday knits) and to enjoy working with your fresh new gobsmackers, or vintage gobstoppers from your stash, or long-standing in-progress projects.

Any gobsmacked yarn counts for the gobSMACKdown, whether gobsmacker, Straight, or made during dye class.  And any relevant fibre art is also welcome; we have some amazing lace knitters, some folks who are sticking with soothing garter stitch shawls, and a talented Tunisian crocheter who seems to be converting others to her stitching of choice.

There are prizes, of course, and there’s the fun of watching everyone’s projects develop.  So far, we have several elegant Swans, a very noisy dragon, some seaweedy socks, a friendly argument about whose Around the Bend is best, and the results of a very experimental dye class gobsmacker.  What’s not to love?  You can check out photos of all of the gobSMACKdown projects here. (Warning: Wild Swan MKAL spoilers!)

When is this?

The fun started on 1 January, but there’s still plenty of time to participate!  The prize draws happen at the official end of the event, on the Ides of March (15 March at midnight EST).

Dec. update

Thanks, everybody!  All of the invoices are out now.  I’ll start getting packages ready tomorrow (Sunday) while the rest of the yarn is drying.

Happy December, all!  Things have been fast and furious around here, but it’s looking (and feeling!) like winter and I have time with friends and loved ones to look forward to over the holidays and into the New Year.  And, of course, I’m looking forward to the Wild Swan MKAL and the gobSMACKdown, both of which begin on 1 January.  This update includes many different Wild Swan-friendly options; I hope you’ll find something you love.

Note that some skeins are not caked in these pictures– they weren’t dry in time!  They should be dry by Sunday, and I’ll cake them prior to shipping.  If you claim a particular gobsmacker but would like to see a caked photo (just to be sure that you love it) before you pay your invoice, I can send you a photo on Sunday; just let me know.

Shipping remains somewhat slow as Canada Post regroups after strike actions; please realise that I cannot guarantee that packages will arrive by a specific date.  If that’s a concern for you, please let me know and I will get you a quote for an alternative carrier.

To claim a gobsmacker, send me an email (gobsmackedyarn@gmail.com) letting me know the name of the cake and the base.  The first person to claim a cake gets it.  Things can be pretty fast and furious at the beginning, but I promise I’ll email you back to let you know whether you got what you wanted.  Once the dust starts to settle a little, I’ll follow up with a PayPal invoice; if you haven’t ordered from me before, please include your mailing address (and phone number, if outside Canada).

Please remember that colours may vary across different devices; if you have any questions or would like a verbal description of colours, just ask.

silky linen heavy lace: Top left: The Trumpeter’s Iris; Top centre: A Chilly Cygnet;  Top right: Louder Than a Mute Swan; Bottom left: That Cob’s a Bruiser!; Bottom centre: A Right Blushing Pen; Bottom right: Fully Migratory

silky linen: Can’t Ya Give a Swan a Chance?

silky linen: Left: Rosey Posey; Centre: Paddling Under the Surface; Right: Strong As

silky cashmere lace: Left: Trumpeter Frost; Centre: Swansea; Right: Highly Social

silky cashmere lace: Swanning Around on Miami Vice

BFL giants: Left: Swan Song; Right: When the Flamingo Embarrassed the Swan

 

merino fingering doubles (one long gradient, dyed across two skeins): Left: Waterdown; Centre: Steeltown Song; Right: It All Comes Round Again

Four Quarter: Left: Lovely Mossy Things (navy teal to murky green); Centre: Swamp Stomp; Right: Peacock Party

 

Four Quarter: Left: The Whole Crocus; Right: Pollinator

merino DK doubles (one long gradient, dyed across two separate skeins): Left: Pop & Pop Again; Right: No Time Like Now

Bulky (Perfect for last-minute gift hats or cowls. 100% merino, one large ply and one small; 93 m/ 102 yd per 100g skein, $38): Top left: A Laggy Voiced Complaint; Top right: Iddy, Iddy Onker, My First Conker; Bottom: A Wee Bit Firsy

 

Wild Swan

The December update (Sat. 8 Dec. at 3pm Eastern time) is a special one this year, because I’ve been dyeing up a storm for the Wild Swan MKAL.  That’s a Mystery Knit-A-Long, courtesy of amazing designers Anne-Lise Maigaard and Nim Teasdale.  They’ve worked together to design a new crescent-shaped lace shawl, which they’re graciously making available as a free pattern, with the first clue released on 1 January 2019.  These two are accomplished designers with incredible patterns to their credit, so you know that their new shawl is certain to be interesting, beautiful, and fun to knit!

There’s been loads of interest in this MKAL in the Gorgeous Gradients group over on Ravelry (do go check it out!), so I knew that I wanted to dye up something special for Wild Swan.  The pattern calls for 600-700 m of fingering or heavy lace weight, preferably in a gradient.  Now, that yardage is a little awkward for my regular bases, which tend to be around 800 m (lace) or 400m (fingering).  So, I figured I’d bring in something new!

Introducing silky linen heavy lace:

New silky linen heavylace.  It’s so new that I haven’t even caked up this test skein yet– but I have knit with it, and trust me when I say that it knits up to a beautiful light fabric.

This is a delightful two-ply heavy lace weight, with 655 m/ 715 yds per 115g skein ($52 Cdn).  It’s 65% silk and 35% linen, which means that it is wool-free (a bonus for those who can’t tolerate wool) and that it takes the dye in really interesting ways.  That’s because the silk soaks up the acid dyes that I use, but the linen, as a cellulose (plant-based) fibre, does not.  The result is soft, muted colours, ranging from saturated pastels (yes, I’m sure there’s such a thing) to pale washes.  Along with the stunning drape and light, dry hand, I think that makes this yarn perfect for Wild Swan!

I’ll also offer two other options that would work well for the MKAL:

silk/ cashmere lace: a kitten-soft, luxurious blend of 70% silk and 30% cashmere.  700m/ 766 yds per 100g skein, $54 Cdn.

merino fingering doubles: two 100g skeins of fingering weight merino, joined with a single knot and dyed as one long continuous gradient.  722m/ 790 yds per 200g, $84 Cdn.

The gobSMACKdown (the annual gobsmacked knit-along) also starts on 1 January, so why not double dip and do that and Wild Swan at the same time?  Or, if you have a WIP on the needles or other plans for your gobsmackers, just come join the gobSMACKdown in my Ravelry group.  I’d love to see you there!

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PS: One quick shipping note: Canada Post recently returned to full operations following strike actions; they seem to be taking care of the backlog of mail quickly, but it is possible that it may take longer than usual for packages from this update to get to you.  If that is a concern for you, I can get you a quote for an alternative carrier if you let me know when you order.  Just so that you’re aware, though, other carriers are quite expensive (and, if my recent UPS experience is anything to go by, not necessarily a big improvement).

Oct. update

Thanks for another great update, everyone!  I’ll get packages in the mail Monday morning.  Note that the mail may be slightly slower than usual, as Canada Post is planning some slow-downs as they are in the midst of contract negotiations.  At this point in time, I don’t think it’s anything to worry about, but do contact me if you have questions.

It’s September [I stand corrected; I am reliably informed that it is in fact OCTOBER.  Sigh.].  Anyway, I have some gobsmackers for you!  (I figured I’d just cut to the chase; we all know why you’re here.)  😉

To claim a gobsmacker, send me an email (gobsmackedyarn@gmail.com) letting me know the name of the cake and the base.  The first person to claim a cake gets it.  Things can be pretty fast and furious at the beginning, but I promise I’ll email you back to let you know whether you got what you wanted.  Once the dust starts to settle a little, I’ll follow up with a PayPal invoice; if you haven’t ordered from me before, please include your mailing address (and phone number, if outside Canada).

Please remember that colours may vary across different devices; if you have any questions or would like a verbal description of colours, just ask.

Four Quarter: Top left: Supernova Spring; Top right: And the Memory Stays…; Front left: Gotta Let It Go; Front right: A Watermelon Wonder

Four Quarter: Top left: The Next Nine (Straight: soft greyed teal with pale greeny blues); Bottom left: Bubble & Trouble; Top right: Lavender Camouflage (lilac to dappled lavender to palest lavender pink); Bottom right: Skybound & Sorrowful (Straight: lightly variegated sky blues)

Four Quarter: Top left: Highlighter Clean-up in Aisle 3! (Straight); Bottom left: Winter’s Dawns Will Come; Top right: The Beautiful Brains of the Zombie; Bottom right: Soft Ain’t Always Sweet (Straight)

Four Quarter: Left: A Tropical State of Mind; Right: Nuclear Neutral (Straight)

Four Quarter: Left: Bluebird Midnight; Right: A Bit of a Badger (Straight)

merino giant: Left: A Sweetness of Time; Right: Night Falls on Iris

Cabra giant: Top: Got That Glow!; Bottom left: Scarper Off & Scoff (navy to dappled turquoise to white); Bottom right: Enouement (turquoise to medium blue to royal purple)

YAK!: The Last Yak

merino/ silk DK double (one long gradient, dyed over two 100g cakes): Keep On Movin’

MCS heavy lace: Flying a Little Past the Sun

camel/ silk lace: Top: Touch Wood & Whistle; Bottom left: My Letter in the Post, Come Quick; Bottom right: The Unicorn Undead

 

Want to learn to dye?

That was fast– the 27 Oct. class is now full!  I’ve added a second class on Tuesday 23 October from 6-8pm.  For more information, please email me.

I’m hosting the first-ever gobsmacked dye class here at my home studio (Peterborough, Ontario) on Saturday 27 October from 1-3pm. We’ll cover the basic dyeing techniques needed to create dappled, gobsmacked-style gradients. Class size will be small (limit of 4), so that everyone has a chance to learn the dye process and to explore creative ideas.

I’ll provide the supplies; all you need is a sense of adventure and an old shirt or apron that you wouldn’t mind getting dye on. No experience necessary!

Fresh new cakes look so lovely!  But you never know what’s lurking inside: perfection, or a mess that’s crying out for a good overdye?

The cost is $40 plus $12 per cake of yarn; depending on how ambitious you’re feeling, you can plan to dye between 1-3 cakes.

If you have any questions or would like to register for the class, send me an email at gobsmackedyarn@gmail.com

Sept. update

Thanks for another great update!  All invoices are now out; I’ll put packages together tomorrow (Sunday) and they’ll be in the mail by Monday morning.  I’ll have the dates of the next several updates posted shortly.

Happy fall, all!  I have lots of DK doubles this time around, as well as 33g Four Quarter minis and Straights (non-gradient dyed Four Quarter).

To claim a gobsmacker, send me an email (gobsmackedyarn@gmail.com) letting me know the name of the cake and the base.  The first person to claim a cake gets it.  Things can be pretty fast and furious at the beginning, but I promise I’ll email you back to let you know whether you got what you wanted.  Once the dust starts to settle a little, I’ll follow up with a PayPal invoice; if you haven’t ordered from me before, please include your mailing address (and phone number, if outside Canada).

Please remember that colours may vary across different devices; if you have any questions or would like a verbal description of colours, just ask.

Four Quarter ($42 gobsmacker; $30 Straight): Left: Pick Up the Sky (sky blue Straight); Top centre: Traditional Mischief; Bottom centre: A Bit of a Grape; Right: Blooming at Midnight (Straight)

 

Four Quarter ($30 Straight; $42 gobsmacker): Top: Platonic (Straight); Bottom: A Cat On Hot Bricks

Four Quarter ($30 Straight; $42 gobsmacker): Top: Ease of Elocution (Straight); Bottom: Getting Lost in the Grapes

Four Quarter ($15 minis, 33g each; $42 gobsmacker): Left: A Little Bit of Sky (mini); Bottom left: A Single Plum (mini); Bottom right: A Fern Frond (mini); Right: Bluebird (mini); Top centre: Come From a Far Country

merino/ silk fingering: Left: Sock It To Me!; Right: Gone Into the Dawn For Dew

merino DK: Left: Mauerbauertraurigkeit; Right: Long-Legged Lurgy

merino DK double (one long gradient over two 100g cakes, $84): Never Nervy

merino DK doubles (one long gradient over two 100g cakes, $84): Top: Some of the Stories You’ve Heard; Bottom: Make a Decision and Move

merino/ silk DK double (one long gradient, over two 100g cakes, $96): Keep On Movin’ (magenta to royal purple dappled with silver & blue to royal blue)

merino/ silk DK doubles (one long gradient, over two 100g cakes; $96): Top: Clear Skies Ahead; Bottom: Full Speed Ahead

silky yak DK double (one long gradient over two 100g cakes, $96): In the Evening, Glory

silky yak DK doubles (one long gradient over two 100g cakes, $96): Top: Sousa Echoes in the Silence; Bottom: Glory & Greenery

BFL/ silk lace: Left: Pinkety, Pinkety, Thumb to Thumb; Right: Watermelon Wonder

minis & Straights

Two new formats of Four Quarter are debuting on-line today: minis and Straights.

Minis (aka gobsmidgeons) ($15) are cute little 33g cakes of Four Quarter that give you about 133 m (144 yd) of gradient to play with. That’s just enough to use as contrast colour in a striped shawl or cowl, or an edging for a shawl.  How about using it as the border stripes for Nim Teasdale’s First, Love?  Or the stripes of Martina Behm’s Endless Rainbow?  Minis would also be an amazing choice for a colourwork hat or sweater yoke.

The Straights ($30) are semi-solid skeins with lively colours that will pair well with your favourite gobsmackers. They are completely one-of-a-kind; I dye them by chucking a skein or two into a dye pot to use up any colour that’s left over in the pots when I’m dyeing gobsmackers, then use them as base colour for gradients later. But some of them are so pretty that I hate to mess with them, so… they’re available for you!  You could use Straights on their own, as a main colour with a mini as a border, or– my favourite so far– paired with a favourite gobsmacker to create stripes that mingle and mix.

For today’s update, I’ve paired Straights and gobsmackers together, as suggestions of fun colour combos.  Those are just ideas– feel free to mix and match and make them your own!