Wool&more – January 2015 Newsletter
Welcome to “almost February” of 2015!! Goodness, how time has flown. So let’s get straight down to business…
The year ahead is going to be very exciting in terms of yarn, I feel. First of all, we have just received our first shipment of pure, South African Alpaca yarn!! Alpaca farming and spinning is a new industry in South Africa and the yarn certainly not easy to obtain. Here are just a few facts about this fascinating (and beautiful) animal who produces the most amazing fleece (called fibre, by the industry).
- They originate from South America, specifically the Andes Mountains of Peru, Chile and Bolivia and were first semi-domesticated by the Inca people of Peru over 8000 years ago.
- They were introduced into South Africa as recently as 2001 with the current population being only around 5000 here. There are breeders in the Cape, Karroo and Natal, mostly.
- They have a gestation period of around one year, give birth in the mornings, and almost always to one “cria” (the name of a baby Alpaca). Occasionally twins are born but one of the twins very rarely survives.
- They are only shorn once a year, in South Africa, this being between September and early November.
- Alpaca fibre is measured in microns (1 micron being 1 millionth of a metre). Human hair, on average, is 100 microns. Alpaca fibre measures between 15 and 30 microns, is partly hollow fibre (giving it excellent insulation properties) and is FIVE times stronger than sheep’s wool!!
Enough facts for today – more next month. So this should be enough to entice you into the store to feel and see this amazing yarn! The 4th April (Saturday of the Easter Weekend) is National Alpaca Day so we will be doing something special in store to celebrate this wonderful animal and its fantastic yarn – watch this space.
Not only do we have the yarn (all 100% natural, no dyes, etc) but we are also getting in some magnificent ready-made Alpaca pieces for the discerning shopper! Shawls, heirloom baby blankets, etc, will be arriving, to begin with. Whilst they are not inexpensive, they are all hand-spun and hand-crafted and items to last a life time. They are being made right now and hope to receive those by the end of this month.
Around the middle of February, the Elle rep will be calling to let us know what’s in and what’s not for winter – I will wait to get all that information before the Feb newsletter is sent out.
The Katia winter range is huge and magnificent (but then you know that I love the Katia yarns!!). I have to let them have our order next week and am battling to eliminate some yarns to fit the budget and space criteria! That order is only expected to arrive in March so more about that then.
Our Masizame Sash project turned out to be really good. The official hand-over was on Tuesday morning and the marching youth were really delighted with their “uniforms”. Thanks again to all who contributed – it was so worth-while! And some exciting news is that some of the children will be going to school which is a major break-through. At the photo shoot today, they were very busy getting ready for their “big day” – thus so few marchers present. We wish those boys and girls all the best for their future.
Instead of having “just a Special” this month, we are having a S A L E!! A number of yarns have been earmarked for the sale with savings of up to 25%!
PRE-SEASON “Orange Heart” SALE
Starts Friday 23rd January 2015 at 10h00
Ends Monday 2nd February 2015 at 16h00
All Orange Heart marked items, only whilst stock lasts.
So sorry: Loyalty Cards not applicable for this Great Sale!
This is a great time and opportunity to stock up on some yarn for your Winter knitting and crocheting projects! And Save too!! Please don’t miss out.
Our new Community Project Program is to knit strips which will be sewn together to make blankets for the children who live at the Masizame Shelter. There are approximately 20 children, ages ranging from 3 to 17 years old. The strips can be any width, any colour, any yarn, knitted in Garter stitch but MUST please be exactly 1 metre long (and not too loosely knitted or crocheted). So you can really go to town with this one and use all your odd balls of yarn or buy some quirky yarn for this worthwhile project. Solid colours or join yarn …whatever takes your fancy! If you feel so enclined, you are welcome to knit or crochet a whole blanket – 120cm x 100cm – once again, any colour, any pattern, any yarn!!
Please let us have these strips and blankets by no later than Saturday 7th March 2015. Thanks so much, in anticipation!
Crochet Classes: We have a teacher (who crochets beautifully) who will give beginner’s lessons in crochet and Tunisian crochet. The classes are 2 hours long and booked at your convenience. Please contact us for an opening.
Lucy in England writes a delightful blog called Attic24. Here is a link of a gorgeous crochet blanket pattern which she devised herself. Give it a try and let us know how you go with it!
http://attic24.typepad.com/weblog/cosy-stripe-blanket.html
And talking about crochet: just look at these amazing examples of “yarn bombing”! I wish we could do more in knitting and crocheting to decorate public places. It is hugely accepted and practiced in Europe and England but here… Very little evidence of it.
The idea of sew-in labels we discussed in our November issue has been very well received and the labels have been ordered! They should be arriving before the end of January. They are printed in black washable ink onto white polysatin ribbon (15mm wide) and have the following wording on each label:
– Made with Love
– Made with Love by Nana (for Joyce!!)
– Gemaak met Liefde
– Liefdevolle handwerk
– Made especially for you….plus other options.
They will make the item you created for someone ever so much more special!! Please pop in to get yours soon.
Reminder: we are open Mondays to Fridays from 10h00 to 16h00 (don’t close for lunch, just the loo for 3 minutes!) and every first and last Saturday of each month from 09h30 to 12h30.
Please don’t hesitate to forward this newsletter to anyone whom you may feel would enjoy it.
It really is time to get that confusing, frustrating Katia order off for our Winter collection so we bid you a truly wonderful 2015. Be blessed with Love, Laughter and Good Health … and tons of yarn projects!!
All the best
With love and warm, wonderful Plett wishes and huge thanks for your support.
Joy Sachs
wool&more, 7 Gibb St, Plett 044 533 3182
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