I’ve had so much fun over the last couple of months watching everyone working on projects from Contemporary Irish Knits at the Stolen Stitches group on ravelry. Thank you everyone for taking part and joining in with us. The finished projects that have been going up over the last few days are truly wonderful with some amazing photos. I started with each section having a winner by voting but I added another prize for everyone that has posted their finished photos to the threads to say thank you to you all for being part of it.
The winner of the adult section was maikinchen with a beautiful version of the Straboy hoodie.
The winner of the Children’s section is CelticCastOn with her wonderful Rossbeg. You may recognize the little girl, her lovely photos are also used in my newest pattern, Igunus Junior!
The final section, Accessories, was won by SmokingHotNeedles for her version of Dangan.
Finally, the bonus prize, drawn at random was won by barbieluvspink.
Your prizes are all winging themselves to you, and now you can all get back to your Christmas knitting! Somehow I managed to take on enough deadline knitting for the next month or two that I won’t be giving many knitting gifts this Christmas. I wonder if I can find a sample though to give to my mother, she always appreciates hand knits!
Hello Carol,
I read with interest your piece on sourcing Irish yarns. I have a strong interest in handcrafts myself and consider the lack of outlets that sell real wool in Ireland and abroad shocking. For instance in order to get 5-ply worsted for a traditional guernsey I had to order direct from the spinners in Halifax, Yorkshire.
100% wool in general seems to be much disregarded by modern knitters and I cannot understand why. My mother and aunt will only knit in 100% wool as anything else is a waste of their time and skill. Sure its more expensive but so is anything of high quality. The cost of the yarn pales into insignificance beside the time and effort that goes into making a gament. Like many people I can’t stand synthetics, they’re hot and sweaty and they stink. A wool jumper simply does not need to be washed every week or like other laundry unless its truly filthy.
Perhaps your other readers may be interested in these two videos, one of the mills features in your list as well
http://www.nowness.com/day/2011/12/6/1759/molloy-and-sons–heritage-tweed
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hZ2JObK-fTw
Micheál