Filanda Caldolino (also sold as Adriafil Woli) is one of our new Autumn yarns.  it is a wool/linen mix in lovely subtle tweedy shades.  I decided that over Christmas I would knit a fairly simple garment to show it off.  I chose colour 10, Jeans, which is a grey blue, intending to make a longish cardi with saddle shoulders and a bit of rib detail.  I took the pattern home only to find that the tension given for the pattern is actually chunky, not worsted/aran so it was back to the drawing board to find an alternative.  I've had a skirt pattern waiting in the wings for a while which would work really well or an aran version of the Funky Grandpa cardigan which I made a few years ago and love the shape of .... decisions, decisions.
While trying to decide on the garment to make I spent some time making tension squares.  Out of character, I know, but tedious as knitting tension squares can be, they do save a lot of time later, as my results show!
Aran yarn is generally knitted on 5mm needles but as my tension is often loose I tried 4.5mm first which gave me 22 stitches x 24 rows which is fine on rows but way out on stitches.  I then jumped to 6mm needles which gave 16 stitches x 20 rows which is way out for rows but closer for stitches.  Belatedly I tried 5mm needles and got 18 stitches x 24 rows which is perfect aran tension. 
With tension sorted out, I needed to make my mind up about the garment. 


Decision made!  Criss Cross by Isabell Kraemer (picture is from Ravelry). 

This cardigan is knitted from the top down with no seams.  The yarn suits it really well as it is slightly tweedy so gives a bit more interest to the finished garment.   I've now knitted down almost as far as the bottom of the armholes and am really pleased with it.  It gives a fairly firm fabric but is soft enough to drape.  I don't know how linen bears up to washing and wearing but the wool content means that the cardigan should keep its shape.





I'll post pictures of the finished garment later but in the meantime the pictures below are of the yarn and the cast on and neck.

​Filanda Caldolino (Adriafil Woli)

I thought I'd get in early this year and talk about holiday projects before all the online forums begin to whisper in your ears about yarn diets!
As Christmas approaches, we tend to put our knitting or crochet aside while we organise for the big day and then start to feel a bit worn around the edges without our usual stress-busting hobbies.  This year, make sure that you have a project to do in the gaps between festivities -- we've got plenty to choose from in the shop -- and keep the stress at bay. 
Now back to those yarn diets -- you can only diet if you really want to.  Your head has to be in the right place.  This is as true for yarn diets as it is for slimming diets.  The answer.  Take some time and go through your stash.  Throw away/donate anything that has been there for too long (too long depends on your point of view!) and sort what is left into possible projects.  After that you can buy for new projects with a clear head and enjoy your hobby in the New Year.

One day, while walking along a beach, a woman noticed a small girl picking something up and throwing it into the ocean.   “What are you doing?” she asked.  The child replied that she was throwing starfish back into the ocean before the tide went out so that they wouldn’t die.  “But don’t you realize there are miles of beach and thousands of starfish?  You can’t make a difference!” said the woman.
The child bent down, picked up another starfish, and threw it back into sea.
“I made a difference for that one.” she said.

The starfish effect means that if we all make small changes to live more lightly on the planet, we can collectively make a difference.
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We’ve put together some sustainable living starter bags.  These are perfect to get you going replacing household plastics for more sustainable items.  They also make perfect Christmas presents too for someone at the beginning of their sustainable journey.
 
Kitchen Bag £25.00
Hand finished calico tote bag containing:

• Kit to make three beeswax wraps to replace cling film in the kitchen
• Yarn and pattern to knit or crochet a washcloth
• Pack of two machine-knitted dishcloths
• Three dryer balls
• Yarn and pattern link to knit or crochet a market bag
• 10% discount voucher to use in-store

Please state knit or crochet preference
 
Bathroom Bag £25.00
Hand finished calico tote bag containing:

• Yarn and pattern to knit or crochet face-pads
• Kit to make three soap socks
• Yarn and pattern to knit or crochet an exfoliating bath-time scrubby
• Yarn and pattern to knit or crochet a facecloth
• 10% discount voucher to use in-store

Please state knit or crochet preference
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Sustainable Swaps Bags