Lenora Jenkins Designs

Araucania Sock Yarn

I have received an email asking me for details of the sock yarn I shared yesterday, so I thought I should share it with you too.

It is Araucania yarn, 'Ranco Multy' colour 307. I purchased it from Morris and Sons in Collins St Melbourne.

Lenora.

Unpacking the bags

We have been away on a family holiday exploring the beautiful Limestone Coast of South Australia. It was such a lovely time away, so nice to be able to put the feet up and relax.

A little mishap before we left meant that an extra set of 'legs' had to accompany us on the journey! We were hoping that the plaster could have been replace with a 'Boot' before we left, but it was not to be. 

 

We based ourselves in Robe, a lovely coastal town in the South East of South Australia. With a lot of the water activities off the menu, day trips in the car became our main entertainment.

 

 

 

 

 

It really is such a beautiful region to explore.

The beautiful coastline around Beachport.

The World Heritage Listed Naracoorte Caves.

The large Sink Hole in the centre of Mount Gambier, (to give you an idea of the enormity of this hole, they are large, green, bench seats sitting at the bottom)

and Mount Gambier's magnificent Blue Lake.

I am disappointed not to have taken any photos of the lovely Coonawarra wine region, the large cropping areas we passed through and the lovely shops around Robe.

As is now tradition, I took a knitting project with me. I have had a skein of sock wool for just over 12 months, and I have been looking at it with a mixture of fear and determination. For some reason sock knitting scares me, give me Fair Isle, give me Aran, but don't give me sock.

Determined to overcome the fear, I armed myself with two books, one of which contains a DVD.

I followed the instructions, watched the DVD, and now I have this.

(Sorry, you may just have to kink your head to get the real view.) I still have the toes to do, but so far so good, and I am even getting comfortable with all those needles. It is a basic, plain pattern, but just what I needed.

So as the sun shines down on the last of my holiday laundry, and my woolly fix is tended to, I am off to the sewing room.

Back again soon,

Lenora X.

 

 

Noro Yarn

I am not sure whether it was luck or fate, but while on holidays I discovered Noro Yarn.

Noro is a Japanese yarn, made with various mixes of lamb wool, kid mohair and silk. I have fallen in love with this yarn, mainly because of the beautiful colours that unfurl as the yarn unwinds.

(Noro Silk Garden shade 304)

 

At the moment I am working with this,

Noro Silk Garden Sock Yarn shade S302.

 

With a mix of mohair and silk I was expecting a soft and fluffy yarn. But this is quite the opposite. I am tempted to use words such as stiff and course, but maybe this is just because of the crochet pattern I am working with, it may feel completely different knitted. It reminds me a lot of the khaki wool jumpers that my dad (and most farmers his age), wore on the farm. Very rustic and completely country. I love it! 

Lenora X.

 

 

Hi Ho, Hi Ho its off to work I go.......

I have been living like a Princess for the past few weeks. No school lunches, no school uniforms, no homework, and not one ounce of farm work! I have really enjoyed it, and feel so refreshed.

But all good things must come to an end. Our cows have started calving, and as of tomorrow morning, I am officially back on deck. Not all bad, I might be able to shed a few kilo's I have managed to find in my off time. 

My love affair with all things yarn has continued, and I have managed to knit up this quick and easy scarf.

It is called the 'Carioca Bobbles Scarf', and is made with Carioca Flame yarn. I purchased the yarn and pattern as a kit from The Ardent Alpaca while we were on holidays.

I have managed to pass the knitting bug onto all my girls too. Miss 8 has really surprised me, she has taken to knitting like a duck to water. After practicing for only for a few hours, has already started a scarf. DH is a little overwhelmed with all the wool that has arrived in the house, and thinks that maybe he should be looking at farming sheep and not dairy cows!

I hope you have a lovely Easter break, I'm off to enjoy my final night of holidays, curled up in a chair with a hook and ball of wool.

Lenora X.