Yes, so the wool part of our trip to Melbourne deserves its own post! As soon as I knew where we were going, I googled “Yarn Shops Melbourne” and was very happy with the list that appeared. We only had time to visit two shops, however I was very happy with what I found.
First, we went to the Wool Baa, which is in Albert Park. It was a cute little shop, longer than it was wide, but with wool to the ceiling!
Here I am, touching all the wool I could reach, while Reags patiently waited on the “Boyfriend Seat”
My first happy purchase was a single skein of “Ella Rae Lace Merino”. I was really drawn to the colours, and I love how it looks different turned over or around. I’m not sure what I’ll make out of this yet, I had originally thought about socks, but there isn’t any nylon content, so I’m not sure how they would hold up. Maybe a shawl (or similar) is more the order.
My other purchase at Wool Baa was found on the discount table! I got three balls of “Rowan RYC Cashsoft”, in an olive-green, mauve, and cream. The colours are a little warm in my picture, nowhere near accurate. This yarn is soft soft soft! I think I’ll make a cowl (snood, mobis.. whatever) out of this, I just hope I have enough. Kicking myself that I didn’t get an extra ball or two.
The second wool shop we visited was Morris & Sons on Collins Street in the CBD. There is a twin shop in Sydney, but I’ve never been to it. I was very excited to walk around Morris & Sons, because I’d heard it was an excellent shop!
I was not disappointed.. This shop was huge! Floor to ceiling wool, walls and walls of displays, pattern books and mock-ups to die for! I did about 3 laps of the shop, touching, reading, patting, drooling… Then the lovely shop assistant asked if she could help, and she directed me to a display in the center of the room full of the softest, most colourful wool I think I’ve seen.
My hands went straight to this beautiful skein! It’s “Manos del Uruguay, Maxima” in the colour-way Coquina. 218 yards of delicious 100% Merino, 10 ply (worsted) heaven! These yarns are kettle-dyed by ladies in South America, and to quote the company “Manos del Uruguay is South America’s only non-profit Fair Trade certified cooperative yarn producer”. Again, kicking myself that I only got the one skein, but I’m hoping to get a beanie out of this.
Reags wandered over to me with this in his hands, and I thought he was suggesting it for me. Nope. He asked me to knit him a pocket square (which I’ve already completed). “Manos del Uruguay, Silk Blend” is unbelievably soft, but I’ll tell you more about it when I post the pocket square. This colour-way is called Purple Rain!
With all my purchases, I thought my stash would be looking very healthy! Little did I know, there was more to come! When my girlfriends, Nicole & Nyome surprised me with dinner for my birthday, they also had a little present for me. They both know how much I love to knit (I have a knitting session with Nyome at least one a week..!), so they decided to add to my (ever-growing) stash!
Remember I mentioned the Sydney Morris & Sons? Well, Nyome found it and went to town! She ended up getting me two skeins of “Manos del Uruguay, Maxima” in the Agua colour-way! I am drooling just looking at these pictures.. It is so soft, I can’t tell you how gorgeous it is. Again, I have no idea what to make with this, but I need to decide soon, because I’m itching to turn it into something amazing!
this girl has knits 