Friday, June 08, 2007

Gardiner's of Selkirk

How do you assimilate 12 pounds of coned wool when it shows up at your door? Heh. I couldn't WAIT til DH went to bed last night, because I was DYING to swatch.

Webs just finished their semi-annual sale. I'd been eyeballing those coned wools throughout the WHOLE sale. I couldn't stand it anymore, and finally ordered them.

Of course, they didn't show up while DH was out of town....that would have been too easy. I got home yesterday, and there was a huge box on the front porch. Luckily, he stopped at the grocery on the way home.

Here are the swatch findings-the greeny color is 2/8 Shetland, color Birch (21 stitches on 0s=3.30"), the beige is 2/6 Donegal (18 stitches on 4s=3.5"), rinsed and dried. (Remember, I knit BIG, so my needles are much smaller than the average bear's.) Very nice! I bought the Birch planning on doubling it, but I figured out that this would go well with the Rowanspun I bought last year. Hmm, maintain my sanity or knit it like a madwoman?? If I started right....NOW, I might finish a sweater for DH by Christmas.

These cones are marked Gardiner of Selkirk, which is a still functioning Scottish mill. I also bought a cone of 2/4, but it's in a nonBets color, and no amount of swatching will MAKE it a Betscolor. Nice stuff, no millmark.

8 comments:

benne said...

Hey, Bets, that turned out to be a wonderful purchase! Can you hear me grinding my teeth for not jumping on it too??? I know you really wanted this wool and I'm glad you caved. I'm REALLY glad DH stopped at the grocery. ;-} I like both of those colors.

Anonymous said...

I love those cone sales too! Though I have not knit mine yet, the allure of no knots and ample yardage for any cable pattern I desire, makes me glad to have it in my stash. I especially like your birch color, reminds me of celadon shade. What rowanspun color are you thinking of teaming it with?

junior_goddess said...

Sandra, I bought a skein each of several of the greens in 4-ply, and it looks like they might play well together.

smariek said...

Wasn't aware there was a sale going on there. Yarn on cones sound great, I wish they all came that way. I like the birch. And I know how fast you can knit, you'll finish that sweater for him in less than a month!!!

Anonymous said...

Hmm, I was craving the Blue Lovat myself, but got overwhelmed when I stopped on my way to my sister's and never found it. You are arousing more yarn acquisiton temptation. How soft is it once washed? I was thinking lacy shawl yarn.

junior_goddess said...

The blue lovat is a nice, steely blue-not too strong, Daryl. I like the fine gauge best, myself. It would be insanity to try a men's sweater tho, wouldn't it?

Anonymous said...

What about doing it on your knitting machine? or for a very small man, or maybe something that you plan to keep near the tv so that you do a row or two everytime you watch a movie, but plan on it taking years, and years, and years, so that when it is done you are pleasantly surprised? Is is soft enough for DH?

strikinge said...

Hi
I am knitting the Shetland Wool from Gardiners of Selkirk on my Brother Knitting machine - Tension 10.2. Wash by 30 Degreas and it will come out much smoother and with a lovely texture. I have searched all over the internet to find out where to contact Gardiner of Selkirk in order to buy several Kg's og Shetlandwool. When do they have a wholesale at all?
Kind regards
Ingeborg from Denmark.