Howdy, and welcome to all the new folks on the list that we met at Stitches East last weekend.

How could it possibly be the end of October…how? Everything is whizzing by and the faster I attempt to go, the faster time goes. Guess I need to get some zen back and try to slow myself down, maybe that would have the desired effect…
Here is my question: we will be at the Dupont market in DC every Sunday now until Christmas (barring rain greater than a drizzle). I think I should send an email every other week and list what we will be taking for both weekends. That is my plan, but if you would rather have an email every week with just what’s on offer for one Sunday, let me know: my email is: f-fsolitude@mindspring.com. If more than a bunch say every week, I’ll do it. I don’t want to get on your nerves. This was probably the wrong week to start this because we have so much new stuff it is really getting long. Sorry, just skim it or peek at the photos…

This Sunday, Oct 30th
First, to celebrate Halloween, we will brings all yarns orange and black…and they will be 10% off. Throwing in some spinning fibers too…

We’re bringing out one of our most popular fall and winter yarns: The Border Leicester Bulky. This is a true category 5, bulky yarn spun from natural colored fleeces. It is a giant 9 oz skein and one will make a generous size scarf. This batch is near sold out, but there are three new dyed colors: a turquoise, a red/orange and deep red crimson, plus a few green skeins. A scarf would be fast to knit in this yarn and it would be a wonderful holiday gift.

The highlight of our Stitches adventure was having an entry in the Friday night Fashion Show: the felted bucket bag designed and created by Sue Burke (our longtime best customer and person who know our yarns better than we do). We will bring that bag and others this Sunday along with the Tunis yarn that pairs with Karakul for a fun to knit handbag. This is a case of one yarn plus one yarn adds up to a better kind of texture. We still can’t completely visualize what the two yarns together will look like when felted, but it is always a wonderful reveal! Here are two of the Sue’s newest creations, the first pairing a solid red Karakul and a solid red Tunis:

the second is the natural gray heather Karakul with a random handpainted Tunis:

So of course, there was a mad dash to dye new colors before the big show. Here is a shot of three skeins of random handpainted Tunis. These were all dyed together and have a common color: a blue stripe. But beyond that stripe all sorts of different things happen in the skeins. They probably change patterning from the beginning to the end of the skein and skein to skein there are whole different colors as you can see. I like them…and they are fun for me to dye, a bit of a twist.

The Karakul is both a new batch of freshly spun white yarn and newly dyed colors. It is made with the best of RedGate’s fleeces that Sue was saving up for herself…but relinquished for this spin. We’ve also adjusted the length of the skein so it better matches our other yarns and you won’t have waste when making the felted bucket bag. It is the nicest, drapiest Karakul yarn I’ve experienced. There are six new colors, plus the charcoal and really nice black lamb:

Other yarns we are bringing this Sunday: The Shropshire baby yarn, The Dorset sock kits and also the solid skeins, the Romney and the Shropshire double twist yarns. And I finally finally finally finished formatting the pattern for Joan Hutton’s slip stitch vest that uses the Romney and the Shrop double twist. I’ll wear the vest Sunday, it is very comfortable and easy to knit. Sizing is easy, so it would be a good thing to knit for someone special…

Okay, change of weekend:
Sunday, November 6th:
Here is another freshly spun, introduced at Stitches East, batch of yarn: Border Leicester aran weight (a heavy worsted) yarn. This is a white yarn with wonderful drape and great lustre. The skeins are a generous 8 oz., 240+ yds. The un-dyed white is a beautiful ivory color for $42.00 and the dyed colors are $48. This first round is a very preppy palette: maybe rugby sorts of colors. Here is a yarn that can safely be used for men’s accessories or sweaters.

We will also bring the Corriedale/Corriedale cross yarn. I have two new solids and two new handpaints in this yarn:

And maybe I’ll have my market vest (using the Corrie X yarn) finished and can wear it. We have the pattern (designed by Andrea Price)!

Rest of what we will bring: The Suffolk/Dorset sock yarn, the Tunis/Alpaca yarn and the Targhee 3/ply.

Phew. Sorry, too much new stuff makes a too long email.
Thanks,
Gretchen

Solitude Wool will not be at the Dupont market today. Hope to see you next week.

Greetings!

Ahhhh, youth! Ohhhh Spring! Things are new and fresh and still perfect.

I suspect it is my own aging and wear that make this not only more evident…but adds a tiny bit of yearning to my observations. Look what I saw yesterday afternoon as I headed out to take photos of the baby goats: A yellow swallowtail (at least that’s what I think…don’t really know). This is so weird in April, this picture looks more like early Summer. Not one bird has yet nipped at this butterfly, its wings are perfect.

In the last week, all three pregnant goats “freshened.” This is a term used for dairy animals when they have babies and begin lactating (another spring event!). The kids are all really cute. Three sets of twins, five does and one buck. They are starting to be active…and in a week or so they will be hysterical. Below is one of the littlest does. She is checking out the new colors of the Suffolk/Dorset boot sock yarn. We will bring these to market this Sunday along with two new handpainted colors (one of them match these solids).

This Sunday Solitude will be at The DC Dupont Farmers Market. We will bring:

the Suffolk/Dorset boot sock yarn. Not just great for socks, also good for sweaters, shawls, kid stuff, etc. This yarn has nylon blended in and is washable (tightly knit socks can go in the machine, not sure about other things…but I’m pretty sure it can be washed on delicate).

The Shropshire double twist yarn

Shropshire baby yarn

honey…and maybe—if I’m extra efficient (?) the new Border Leicester sport weight yarn. If I don’t have it this weekend, we will unveil it at Maryland Sheep and Wool festival next weekend (May 7th and 8th).

And…TA DAH!

the new web site is up…with shopping cart! I don’t know if its perfect, but it’s fresh! A huge thank you for the many months of design and programming labor to Dave Wiseman and John Jackson of Useful Studios to make this happen. With this email/newsletter (!?!) we will be posting it as a blog on the site and sending it to you at the same time. In between broadcast emails we can post more info about what we are working on, farms we are visiting, dye plans, breeds etc. Plus you can leave a comment. We love feedback! Here goes!

Thank you!

Gretchen

www.solitudewool.com