I cannot begin to tell you how long I have been looking to bring Woolstok to the shelves at Monarch. I just never made the commitment and I do not know why. Blue Sky Fibers had a booth at this summer's H+H and as I made my list of vendors to visit, they were on the top. I brought a bit home with me and knit a few swatches and, I can honestly say, I adore this yarn.
We will be hosting a Woolstok trunk show from September 15th to October 14th It will feature cowls hats and sweaters. If you are in town please come by to take a look at these lovely projects. Ok, let's get to some facts about Woolstok.
Woolstok is a 100% fine Peruvian highland wool and "fine" it is. I do not find it a bit itchy and it is a joy to knit. It comes in a 50 gram, 123 yard (112 meter) hank and, if you all like it as much as I do, we will start to carry their 150 gram hank. It knits to 5-6 stitches per inch on a US 6 to 11 (4.0 - 8.0mm) needle. As you can see, with the large range of needle size this can be knit tight and loose gauge. As with most wool yarn, it must be washed by hand and laid flat to dry.
The first project I knit with Woolstok was the 27 Color Snood. This project was finished within a week as I could not stop knitting on it. Despite the name, (did you know I hate the word snood?) I think this is a great project. Whether it is worn as a cowl or over the shoulders, this piece is fab. Even if I had a specific project in mind I would want to own a 27 color bundle. These little skeins of color make me happy.
Gresham Wrap is a stunning piece and we will feature a kit in next week's newsletter. The oversized shawl is one of my favorite kind of projects. Two skeins of highland fleece serves as the backdrop for seven more colors which are each knit in different stitch patterns. How fun is that?
When I introduced the yarn in the newsletter a couple of weeks ago, I mentioned that I wanted to knit a sweater in Woolstok. I am going rely on one of my favorite designers for the pattern, Ozetta and her Seasons Cardigan. Wouldn't it be pretty in Wild Thyme?
If knitting hats and skiing are your winter pursuits, the Ski Trio Hat is just for you. Three colors of Woolstok will create three hats ensuring you are ready for winter adventures!
Truly, you'll be quite pleased no matter which project or bundle you choose with this delightfully wooly yarn!