Tea Cosies by Gran McCann

Tea Cosies

Gran McCann

Handmade Crafts

''Buy an heirloom – a magnificent piece to be passed on through generations''

These beautiful handmade tea cosies are crafted by the woolshops own Bernadette McCann.

Each tea cosy is crafted with a spectacular blend of colours and designs. These pieces are a perfect match for any kitchen decor.

The creation of each item imparts unique and individual qualities to that piece of handcraft. The person who creates your heirloom piece will have inherited their skill from family and community, where these skills are passed from generation to generation. By buying an heirloom piece you are receiving a crafted piece of our community, which you can pass on to your family. You are also supporting a more ecologically sound way of life where people are working in their own homes and connecting with the world through the wonderful technology of the World Wide Web.  

A Tea-ny bit of history......

Tea was introduced to Britain in the 1660s, but the first documented history of the use of a tea cosy in Britain was in 1867. The Duchess of Bedford popularized afternoon tea as a light meal before dinner and an activity to occupy the time of affluent women. Afternoon tea was the time for networking and keeping up to date with aristocracy gossip and topical news. With all the chatter at teatime the teapot would get cold, which would have at times cut short some tea parties. And so, the tea cosy came about.

Tea cosies then flourished during the late 19th century, where they appeared in many households across Britain, motivated by the obsession of decorating and covering objects characteristic of the Victorian era.

Tea cosies started to be used in North America in the same period. Newspapers of the time reveal that tea cosies enjoyed "a sudden and unexpected rise in public favor" among women who hosted tea parties. Newspapers of the time included advice columns on how to make one: "Some very handsome ones are made of remnants of heavy brocade but linen is generally used, embroidered or not, according to taste, as these covers are washable.

Hope you enjoy browsing through my hand knitted tea cosies and fall in love with one!
Buy an original vintage tea cosy, there are no two alike!
Visit our store here:

http://www.thewoolshop.ie

Wendy Four Legged Friend Scarf Kits

Wendy Four Legged Friend Scarf Kits 

The Doogle Dog Kit

This scarf kit comes in a lovely blend of colour ways with easy to follow instructions. The head, legs and tail are already made up, just ready to sew on when the scarf is completed. 

The amazing thing about this kit is if you start to knit from the outside of the ball of wool you will get one effect, if you work from the inside of the ball the effect is different. 

There are four different colour ways available. An ideal gift for child or adult and these kits, which come in presentation boxes, are suitable for all level of knitters.   

This scarf kit contains: 

Knitted Head (stuffed)

Legs and Tail (stuffed)

1 x 100g ball of dk acrylic

5mm needles not included
Deminsions: 20cm x 10cm x 10cm

Easy and simple to knit, these kits (€14.95) are available to purchase at

www.thewoolshop.ie    

Knots In Yarn - We Talk To An Expert

Knots In Yarn  

So you are in the middle of a row of knitting and you come across a knot in the yarn!.
What now?

We hear this frequently from knitters ''why is there knots in my yarn?'

We decided to look a little deeper into this. Knots in yarn are a natural occurring problem. This is mostly due to the length of the staple. During spinning there is a process for joining fibres together called the weavers knot. As you can imagine during the process of spinning the fibres will naturally thin out which means this particular 'knot' or 'joint' is then used to reconnect the yarn.

To find out a bit more on this subject I spoke to Mr Frank Malone from Tivoli Spinners an Irish yarn company based in Cork. Tivoli has been serving knitters with top quality yarns for years. Tivoli Spinners was established in 1973 and is one of Ireland's best known yarn manufacturers.  

''Tivoli offer a variety of yarn qualities from 100% pure wool, woolblends, 100% cottons to man made fibres. Their yarns range from Double Knitting, Aran and Chunky through to Super Chunky.

Frank is an industry expert in yarn manufacturing having used a spinning machine himself, you can take it from us he knows what he's talking about.

Q). 'Is the problem with knots in yarn natural or a mechanical fault?'

A). 'It is a natural occurring problem, the wool goes through about five processes during spinning. During the spinning process the wool will go through up to five machines and each machine operator is trained in a skill called 'the weavers knot'. Theoretically this knot is supposed to be very small and perhaps unnoticeable. To give a better idea on this specialised joint take a look at this video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Uq6cKZHzMfI

Q). What would be an acceptable amount of weavers knots in terms of industry standards?

A). You could have ten balls of yarn that will not have any knots. An important point is that knots do not occur in every ball. The industry standard is up to three of these knots.

Q). What should a knitter do if they discover one of these knots?

A). All knitters are going to have knots anyway when joining a new ball, some will cut out the original knot as they may be very good at their own weavers knot. It should be pointed out that its a good practice to learn this joining process.

Q). Is it possible to ensure a customer a ball of yarn will have no knots at all?

A). If we could guarantee each ball of yarn knot free, then that would be a very costly ball of yarn. So in reality there is no guarantee'.  

So to all knitters and crocheters out there, knots are here to stay!
 A lovely conversation I had with Frank from Tivoli Spinners. Some really interesting points about the whole knots in yarn topic.

I hope you find this useful in your understanding of the yarn spinning process. 

Thank you to Mr Frank Malone for taking the time to chat to me.

Visit Tivoli Spinners here : http://www.tivolispinners.com

Visit us here: www.thewoolshop.ie 

Cashmere Yarn - The King Of All Yarn

Cashmere Yarn 

Have you ever wondered why cashmere clothing is so expensive?

Here's why...

Cashmere yarn is mainly imported from China and other Asian countries. China is the largest supplier harvesting up to 10,000 tons per year. Cashmere is collected during the spring moulting season when the goats naturally shed their winter coat. The process of taking the wool from the animal to the finished product is categorized in steps which are....

Collection 

The wool is collected from the animals natural shedding period once a year. 

Sorting 

This is when the wool is separated from soft to coarse, the soft wool is used for cashmere. 

Dehairing 

This process removes deposits such as dander and vegetation, it is then washed and ready for the next step. 

Spinning 

The wool is spun into yarn which is then sold for knitting and weaving.

Cashmere is the undercoat or fleece from a specific goat from Asian countries. Types of goat producing cashmere are the Pygora, Nigora and the Angora goat. The texture is extremely soft and dense which makes an excellent insulator against the harsh climate in which the goat lives. 

It has been said attempts to raise this breed of goat in other regions has failed, making this a thriving business in Asian regions of the world. This wool is harvested only once a year which makes this wool expensive, for example a lady's jumper may require the wool from three to four of these goats increasing the cost of an item crafted in this yarn. 

Cashmere can be used in various products such as scarves, hats, jumpers and coats.

Yarn from Cashmere usually is harder to care for than regular yarns such as sheep, washing instructions are recommended to be delicate. 

So the next time you are considering purchasing cashmere remember how rare this fiber is. 

''Although expensive, many farmers from these areas benefit greatly from the worlds demand for cashmere wool''

Here at thewoolshop.ie we stock a beautiful 100% cashmere from Lotus yarns 

http://www.thewoolshop.ie/magento/yarn-by-type/cashmere-wool.html

Stylecraft Malabar Aran - Easy lace knit pattern - thewoolshop.ie

Stylecraft Malabar Aran 

Cardigan Pattern 

Malabar Aran

'Malabar Aran which is a rich blend of silk and cotton in an Aran weight. The natural fibres give this yarn a wonderful drape and the rich colour palette of intense shades makes this the perfect yarn for summer knits and crochet accessories'.

At thewoolshop.ie we try to bring knitting to a whole new generation of people interested in creating their own clothing and styles, this pattern gives a perfect finish using Malabar Aran. It feels rich to hold, enough weight to feel like you have a quality cardigan. The fit is really good, also there is a little bit of a stretch to the yarn so its very comfortable to wear. The soft finish to the cotton and silk yarn gives a touch of coolness making this cardigan perfect for summer evenings.

We decided at thewoolshop.ie we would re-shoot the photographs and show you how trendy this cardigan can be. Not that there's anything wrong with the original photograph of the cardigan but just to show you the cardigan in a different setting. So rather than just looking at the pattern picture, we thought you are missing out on just how great this project can look in reality ''so to speak''

The knitting of this cardigan pattern was pretty easy to follow using 5 malabar aran 100g balls, the yarn is very nice to knit with on a 4.5mm (USA 7) 5mm (USA 8) set of needles for this particular project. The sizing guide is pretty good but keep in mind there is that little bit of stretch as we mentioned before.

You can find the pattern and sizing guide here:

 http://www.thewoolshop.ie/magento/stylecraft-malabar-aran-pattern-9140.html

Our after thought.......

Malabar Aran Headband 

Shortly after the Cardigan was knitted we decided to try something else with this great yarn. we wanted to give you an idea on how vibrant the shades are. We took an idea from a cowl pattern also Stylecraft Malabar Aran and modified it from a cowl to a head band and from crochet to knitted. 

You Can find this pattern here: http://www.thewoolshop.ie/magento/brands/stylecraft/stylecraft-crochet-patterns/stylecraft-malabar-aran-crochet-pattern-9148.html

The colours are very bright as you can see in the picture below

The yarn has great stitch definition. I am not as familiar with crochet as I am with knitting but this cowl really took my fancy. I decided I would try something similar with knitting and try to work in the stunning colours together as with the crocheted version...but as a head band. 

Here's the how to.......

Cast on 132 stitches

(colour a)    Knit 2 rows

(colour b)    Knit 5sts, Slip 1st, continue to end of row.

(colour b)    As above but Slip 1st purlwise.

(colour c)    Knit 2sts, Slip 1st, Knit 5sts, Slip 1st, continue to end 
                    of row Knit 3sts.

(colour c)    As above but Slip 1st purlwise.

I have used 8 colours and continued the pattern as above. 16 rows in total, 
casting off in the colour I started with.

''We hope you like what we have created with Stylecraft Malabar Aran''

www.thewoolshop.ie

Credits

Model: Charlotte Power

Fifty Shades of Great - thewoolshopPR

Fifty Shades of Great…….

So you have a cupboard stuffed with yarn and for weeks, months even, you have been telling yourself you will knit when you come up with a colour scheme that can wow even the most colour addicted eye. But where do you start? Ask yourself what’s your favourite colour? No, surely you have done that countless times. The answer is hitting you in the optic nerve every day, look around you, what do you see?  Walk through the garden in any season, have you ever looked closely and thought those stems of bright green compliment that crimson tulip amazingly, or those ochre weather beaten leaves against the ashy tree bark just pop? Now you’re getting it. When did Mother Nature ever get the hues of the ocean or the great manicured gardens wrong? Really you say?

Take a look at this photograph I snapped Christmas day with a belly full of turkey at my Mother’s house, whispers are behind me and giggles ‘he thinks he’s David Attenborough’ Shhh…. You don’t know when an artist is at work I laugh back. The picture is bursting with life and gradients of vivid colour, see where this is going? Don’t you want to wear that in spring when all is coming back to life after a sleepy winter? Take a look at the photograph and the accompanying swatches and see for yourself……….

‘Nature is perfect, and there is nothing more natural than wool’

Noro garment

I think this is cool.

Found on matome.naver.jp

Making Money by Knitting

Making money by knitting.

Is it possible to make money from knitting. The answer is yes you can make money from knitting.

Making money is not or never was easy. It is possible to make a wage from knitting. With any business how you approach, plan and run your enterprise will determents your success or otherwise.

Before we discuss how to get started can you honestly say that your knitting is at expert level. Can you maintain an even tension throughout a garment. You understand how to size a garment graft seams and knit on circular needles.

Answer the following questions to give you a starting point. How much to you want to earn each month? For example if you want to earn €1000 each month and you hope to earn €10 an hour for your knitting. €10 an hour works out at 100 hours a month or 25 hours a week, actual knitting.

Who will buy your product? If we use a scarf as an example, can you sell 100 scarves a month, every month. In reality you need to identify costumers, they may be retailers or individuals who will buy what you produce. Can you find a client who will pay you €150 for a garment (€50 for yarn and €100 for you). Now you only need 10 customers a month. The customer willing to pay this type of money will expect a unique design in a quality yarn. You cannot compete with a machine knit Aran jumper which sells for €45 in the local drapers.

Your comments are welcome! Watch this space as I will explore this subject more. Please check out our range of quality knitting yarn at www.thewoolshop.ie

If You Can Knit You Can Use The Internet:

There was a great reaction from readers to the piece in Women's Way magazine on our wool shop www.thewoolshop.ie. Following the article we received a letter from Mary telling us that she did not have internet access and enquiring how she could get wool and patterns from the shop. Mary’s letter raises the broader issue of people being excluded from services and information. Government bodies, banks and retailers are moving to the internet and people like Mary are being left behind.

The local library service have computers and internet access available for free. We have spoken with our local Librarian who told us that they will assist people going on the internet provided the library is not too busy. The best solution is to attend one of the many short coursed on how to use the internet. If you can knit and follow a knitting pattern you will have no difficulty using the internet. You do not need a computer as they are available in your local library. The old adage is true, “you are never too old to learn”. Information on courses can be found at your local library.

Imagination

Your Imagination:

We learn by observation, we see what others have done and build on it. This way we develop our view of the world. In the first picture we see a simple crochet container, in the second picture we see what imagination can do with a simple crochet tray. 

What can you DO?

Why Pure Wool

Your time and skill is valuable and the pieces you knit and crochet should be appreciated. 

Choose a great looking pattern and only use the best yarn. This way hard work and skill will be appreciated.

Pure Wool is one of the best fibres to use its natural and sustainable.  Our ancestors have being using wool to keep us warm for thousands of years.

A gift of a well made piece in wool is a gift for life.

We have pure wool in stock Rico Organic and Tivoli New Celtic Aran

The Use of Colour

Colour and Your Knitting: 

We are all tempted to be a little adventurous in our choice of colours. Our friend in the hat has his own view of colour.

Take your inspiration from mother nature. Look at the colours around you and introduce these colours into your knitting in small amounts. 

Colour is good for you, it helps brighten the day and draw out the inspiration in you.

Start with one of the new scarf yarns at http://www.thewoolshop.ie/magento/index.php/scarf-yarn.html

More Blankets for the Neonatal unit

Blankets for Premature Babies:

Over the summer we have received a number of blankets from knitters around Ireland. These blankets are for the premature babies in the neonatal unit in Waterford Regional Hospital. Today I delivered a full bag of blankets to the unit. Staff at the unit asked me to thank everybody for their beautiful blankets as they are badly needed.

We hope you will continue to support the neonatal unit by knitting blankets for the babies. The knit day next year will be on Saturday the 8th of June 2013 from 10.30 until 2.00.

Aran Sweater History

The Aran sweater in Ireland is called an geansaí árann. It is a style of jumper or sweater as they are called in tourist shops, that takes its name from the Aran Islands off the west coast of Ireland It is also known locally as a fisherman sweater. This I think describes the true history of the Aran. In years past it was the wives of island fishermen who knitted these sweaters. They used unwashed, untreated,undyed wool from sheep which retained its natural lanolin oils, this insured that the geansaí would be totally waterproof against the harsh elements of working at sea. It also guaranteed warmth. These fisherman sweaters were never washed in soap and water as this would have washed away the natural oils.The aran geansaí would be cream coloured báinín to start with but with wear and lack of a warm wash the colour would have been a murky grey. Up to the 1970s, the island women spun their own wool on spinning wheels.It has been said that each aran sweater that was knitted on the islands by the different families had its own original, unique pattern. The reason for this is sad in so that if a fisherman was lost at sea and was found, maybe weeks later, on the beach, his body could be identified. by the stitch pattern on his geansaí.The honeycomb stitch is a symbol of the hard-working bee.The cable (a huge part of a fisherman’s life) is a symbol of safety and luck when fishing.The diamond stitch is a symbol of success and wealth.The basket stitch symbolizes a fisherman’s basket and the hope of a plentiful catch.In the past, the majority of aran sweaters and were knitted by hand, today the majority of items for sale in Ireland and elsewhere are machine knit.. There are very few people still knitting sweaters by hand on a commercial basis.Machine-knitted sweaters tend to use wool blends instead of 100% wools and have less complex patterns, since many of the traditional stitches cannot be reproduced this way. They are also the least expensive option. Hand-knit sweaters tend to be more tightly knit, to have more complex stitch patterns and to be longer-lasting and they attract a significant price premium. By holding them up to light, the difference between the machine knit and hand knit is evident.