Product of the Month April

Product of the month: Merino Wool Tops

knitshop.co.uk has a treat in store for fans of our Merino Wool Tops: we’ve got nine new shades for you to choose from. Feast your eyes on Cobalt Yellow, Pumpkin Orange, Green-Yellow, Asparagus Green, Dark Grass Green, Sepia Brown, Dark Chocolate Brown, Light Wisteria and Plum Purple.

The new colours take the total number of Merino Wool Tops options to 34. All the new shades are 25 micron wool tops. knitshop.co.uk’s Merino Wool Tops come in either 21 or 25 micron versions and are sold in 50g bags.
Merino Wool Tops are fantastic for a number of creative projects. Yarn lovers can spin their own luxurious skeins using a single bag of wool tops or combine shades for a unique effect. Drop spindles cost from £20, so it’s an inexpensive way of extending your love of all things woolly.

Merino Wool Tops are also perfect for felting. There are three main felting techniques. Fulling involves knitting an item and then washing it on a hot enough setting to allow the stitches to matt together and create a cohesive fabric. So you could spin your own yarn, knit a hat and then felt it in the washing machine.
However, Merino Wool Tops also lend themselves a much more straightforward felting option. Needle-felting and wet felting both involve working on the wool tops themselves. The fibres are pressed into shape using tiny needles or by manipulating them when damp.

knitshop.co.uk's Needle Felting Kit is using Merino Wool Tops. Back in April 2011 the Needle Felting Kit was reviewed by one of the knitting magazines, here is the blog about it. The Needle Felting Instruction is also available to download from the knitshop.co.uk website for free!

Hats, bags and toys are all easily made using needle-felting, wet-felting or fulling techniques. All you need is a pattern to work with and one or more colours of knitshop.co.uk Merino Wool Tops. For needle-felting, you need a special felting needle and a punch pad so you don’t ruin the surface you’re working on. The advantage of these felting techniques over fulling is that you don’t first need to knit your fabric.

If you’re going to be felting large quantities of fibre, it makes sense to use a felting handle. This holds up to five felting needles at once, so you can make five needle impressions every time you press down on the fibres.
If you like the idea of creating felted items, knitshop.co.uk sells several kits containing wool tops, felting needs, instructions and a punch pad.
Once you’ve mastered the art of wet felting or needle felting, we’re sure you’ll be browsing our growing selection of Merino Wool Tops and pondering your next felted creation. We sell several books on felting to get you started. There are also some great ideas to pique your interest over at KnittingDaily.com.

A necklace made from Merino Wool Tops - watch out for the necklace felting kit being a available very shortly!

Links to this blog:

Merino Wool Tops: http://knitshop.co.uk/24-merino-tops

Felting accessories: http://www.knitshop.co.uk/63-felting-accessories

Felting handle: http://knitshop.co.uk/felting-accessories/660-5needle-felting-handle.html

Felting kits: http://www.knitshop.co.uk/143-felting-kits
Noni knitting and felting books: http://www.knitshop.co.uk/144-noni

Knitting Daily felting patterns: http://www.knittingdaily.com/media/p/51523.aspx

Needle Felting Kit blog from April 2011 http://knitshopcouk.blogspot.co.uk/2011/04/needle-felting-kit-review-by-knit-today.html

Knit & Stitch It Show

Brand new for 2013 - knitshop.co.uk will be teaching at the debut Knit & Stitch It Show in Farnborough at the start of March. The first ever Knit & Stitch It Show runs from 1 to 3 March and is a tandem show to the popular Make It Papercrafting Show. Both events are held at Farnborough FIVE, the huge exhibition venue at Farnborough airfield on the Surrey/Hampshire border.

knitshop.co.uk will be offering classes on all three days of the Knit & Stitch It Show. If you know the basics of crochet – or are keen to learn – the Crochet A Square class is a great option. We’ll have you turning chains and crocheting doubles and trebles in no time.

For knitters there’s the sophisticated Knit A Rose class. This two-tone flower is worked using knit and purl stitches and creates a stunning corsage or accessory.

Finally, if you’ve never tried it before, we’ve a great introduction to felting. Our felted beads workshop involved felting wool tops on to baubles to create a unique bracelet or necklace.

Each class costs £7 and lasts an hour. All the materials you need are provided. For details and to book see http://knitandstitch-it.org.uk/workshops-kns.php.

knitshop.co.uk can be found on stand G33, which is also where our classes in crochet, knitting and felting will take place. Classes can be booked online or on the day.

As well as being able to admire firsthand the natural yarns offered by knitshop.co.uk, you’ll be able to explore plenty of other knitting, crochet and needlecraft stalls. Knit & Stitch It was put together in response to demand from needlecraft fans and has attracted around 100 exhibitors.

The Knit & Stitch It Show takes place from Friday 1 March to Sunday 3 March. Doors open at 10am (9.30am for disabled visitors) and close at 5pm. The show finishes at 4pm on Sunday. Tickets cost £7.50 per adult, per day, or £15 for the full three days (advance purchase only). Tickets on the door are £9.50 per adult or £8 for concessions. Under-16s are free.

Farnborough FIVE is served by three train stations – Farnborough, North Camp and Ash Vale – as well as being well-connected by road. It’s just next to the M3/M4 intersection. Parking is free and there are shuttle buses from each of the nearby train stations.

knitshop.co.uk will also be at the Creative Crafts Show in Malvern from 28 Feb to 2 March.

Please note that due to our involvement in these events, the Lee Green Boutique Outlet will be closed on 1 and 2 March.

Details of workshops held at our Boutique Outlet can be found here: http://www.knitshop.co.uk/156-workshops

Links to this blog

Knit & Stitch It Show: http://knitandstitch-it.org.uk

Make It Show: http://www.make-it.org.uk/

Creative Crafts Show, Malvern: http://www.sccshows.co.uk/13mv_proceed_shrt.html

knitshop.co.uk workshop schedule: http://www.knitshop.co.uk/156-workshops