Hats From Special Yarns

I've been working with some beautiful yarns from different sources lately which have inspired me to create some unique hats.

This one was created using beautiful chunky yarn from Strathearn Fleece and Fibre.  Using wool from their own sheep, they produce hand crafted yarns of every weight that are a delight to work with.  This particular hat is now available from the Loch an Eilein Gallery on the Rothiemurchus estate near Aviemore.  Incidentally, another picture of this hat has proved to be my most popular posting on Facebook.

This hat was also knitted using chunky yarn from Strathearn Fleece and Fibre.  It has a slightly fuller and more feminine shaping than my standard unisex beanie.

The yarn for this slouchy hat came from Snip, Tack and Sew in Crieff.  The wool and acrylic mix yarn is beautifully soft.  The yarn gradually changes colour to give these vibrant bands in the finished hat.  This particular hat is also now at the Loch an Eilein Gallery, but I loved it so much that I went back to Crieff on the way home to purchase some more and I knitted an identical one.  Now the replacement hat has sold as well!

Up to Aviemore

The Loch an Eilein Gallery on the Rothiemurchus estate near Aviemore opens again for the summer this Saturday (despite the fact there's still snow up there).  For a second year, I have the privilege to be exhibiting/selling my work there in 2013.

For more information, take a look at their website here.

How Can I Buy Baljaffray Hanknits Items?

If you browse through my website and see something you might like to buy, you might be interested to know that you can do so in 3 different ways:

• At Craft Fairs  See the craft fairs page for details of forthcoming events.
• Through shops and galleries which stock my work  See the relevant page on this website.  The Loch an Eilein Gallery on the Rothiemurchus Estate near Aviemore will also take orders for items if you live in that area or even if you are just visiting (they will post orders for an additional charge).  Out of season, when the gallery is closed, the estate shop handles enquiries on behalf of the gallery.  In Glasgow, the Magpie's Eye Gallery in Govan also handles orders but only for personal collection from the shop.
• Online Although I don't currently have a web shop, I am happy to take orders via email.  See the "Contact Me" page.  I would ask you to pay via Paypal immediately prior to dispatch, having previously agreed the price (including P&P) beforehand.   I have many items in stock for immediate dispatch but I can also knit items that are currently out of stock within a day or two, subject to yarn availability. 

Spring Design Update

I've been busy designing new items since Christmas and I thought I best update my blog with a few photos.

This simple striped ribbed unisex beanie shows the beautiful colours of DK New Lanark wool off to their best.  As it's knitted with DK wool, it's a lighter weight of hat than my Aran beanie and will be good to wear on those slightly warmer Spring days we're all looking forward to.  It's available in different colourways.

In the run-up to Christmas I was asked if I did headbands by several ladies.  I had a couple of plain ones but I decided to design this new flower one.  The one in the picture is knitted in a wool/alpaca mix yarn and features a vintage button in the centre of the flower.  I have knitted a few more in different yarns and colours.

This new purse design was knitted in a luxury brand of French acrylic and features a metal button with a flower design.  Last year's New Lanark wool polka dot design purse has been very popular, so I'll continue to knit that one as well.

Finally for now, I have been knitting some traditional cotton face cloths in various patterns: butterflies, tulips and this checker board design.  The white cotton yarn shown washes at 60 deg C, which is really good for keeping it gleaming white.  I also have some dark pink ones where the yarn is more delicate and washes at 40 deg C.

More designs in a week or two .......

New Free Knitting Pattern

Happy New Year!  I'm celebrating with a new free knitting pattern for this Fan Lace Panel Scarf.  Follow the new link for my free knitting patterns in the sidebar and then click the link to find it.  

Quartermile Christmas Market

I have been invited to have a stall in the first ever Quartermile Christmas Market this Friday in Lister Square near Edinburgh University.

This small traditional Christmas market will have a good mix of stalls and is in the heart of the Quartermile residential/office development.  Do come and have a look if you are in the area.  Due to a poor weather forecast, it is going to be held in an empty retail unit alongside the square.  More location details are on my craft fairs page.

Creative Cairngorms Christmas Pop-Up Shop

My knitting is going to feature in a Christmas pop-up shop being run by the Creative Cairngorms group of artists and crafters in the centre of Aviemore.  The shop will be open from 10am to 5.30pm from November 30th to December 9th in the former Julian Graves health food shop opposite Tescos on Grampian Road in the centre of the village (PH22 1RH).

Apart from my knitting, they will have a wide range of affordable good quality hand made crafts including tweedwork, silk scarves, jewellery with semi-precious stones, engraved glasswork, natural soaps, candles, bath bombs, feltwork, pottery, stained glass, wooden furniture, sculptures, fused glass, photos and fine art.  Most of the artists and crafters will be staffing the shop (unfortunately I won't be one of them due to the distance involved), so there will be an opportunity to chat to them and ask questions.