Tea with Jaala ~ Yarn for You

Hi, Knitters,

I finally had the chance to spend a morning with my dear friend, Jaala Spiro. You may know her from Knitcircus where she writes, knits, designs, hosts yarn and pattern clubs, and dyes beautiful yarns. What you may not know is that she is one of the sweetest, most generous, most sincere, talented and smart people I know. Jaala's generosity is something beyond description. For example, last year she welcomed her son's friend, she calls him Buddy D, into her home to live with them when he was having troubles at home. Buddy D became a part of her family, a son, for a year until his own family was able to take him back again. This is not your everyday generosity. This is life-changing generosity. She has done other things even bigger than this but she doesn't discuss them publicly.

Anyway, I love it when she comes over to my house for tea and knitting because she always brings her latest yarn-y creations to share with me. Jaala was working on a sweater in her kettle-dyed gradient sweater set yarn, which was a chunky weight wool and beautiful shades of red. I loved it so much that I've put in an order for a gradient sweater set for myself now. My kettle-dyed gradient sweater set will be in shades of gray, with a deep rich magenta accent skein maybe for button-bands and edgings. I can't wait! I'll keep you posted on this future gradient sweater adventure.

Here are the links for everything Jaala:

Here's the link to her website: http://www.knitcircus.com/

Here's the podcast with the hilarious Amy Detjen: http://knitcircus.libsyn.com/

The Knitcircus Etsy store: https://www.etsy.com/shop/knitcircus

Jaala's beautiful patterns on Ravelry: http://www.ravelry.com/designers/jaala-spiro

Jaala's Knitcircus shop has a lot to offer as far as yarn selection ~ 8 types of fingering weight alone!

Take a look at the impressive yarn options at the Knitcircus Shop:

Lace: 

High Wire Lace, 800 yds 100% Merino

Fingering:

Aerialist: 100% Superwash Merino

Ballerina: 60% Superwash Merino,, 30% Bamboo, 10% nylon

Corriedale Superwash Sock: 75% Superwash Corriedale Wool, 25% Nylon

Opulence: 80% Superwash Merino, 10% nylon, 10% Cashmere

Pixie Dust (Sparkle): 63% Superwash Merino wool, 20% Silk, 15% Nylon, 2% Silver Poly

Spectacular: 100% Superwash Merino Wool singles

Thrilling: 80% Superwash Merino and 20% Tussah Silk

Greatest of Ease: 75% Superwash Merino, 25% nylon

DK: 

Cabaret: 85% Polwarth Wool, 15% Silk

Worsted:

Carousel Worsted: 100% Merino wool singles

Lap of Luxury Worsted: 60% Merino Wool/40% Silk

Bulky/Chunky:

Pachyderm Bulky: 100% Superwash Merino

A couple of other things she brought over to share with me, in addition to her sweater in progress, were two different matching gradient sock sets. These matching cakes of gradient sock yarns are her biggest hit! At shows where she vends these little matching cakes literally fly out of her booth. She can never dye enough of them to keep in stock. The sets are dyed in an ingenious way, which I won't share, but each cake is literally inch by inch exactly the same so whether you start from the inside or outside of the cake you will have two socks that will be perfectly matched! It is a fun, interesting and smart concept.

Here is some information you might like to know about the Matching Gradient Sock Sets from the Knitcircus shop:

Dyed-to-match gradients make perfect self-striping socks, slowly changing from one tone to the next. Every stitch will be the same; just choose if you'd like to start from the center or the outside of the cakes!  

Okay, when I saw this unusual and fun sock cake set she brought, I asked if she'd like to do a giveaway on my blog. She said sure! I'm always thinking about you, dear readers. Luckily I'm having a lot of giveaways lately.

Today I'd like to offer you the chance to win this beautiful matching gradient sock set!! Here is the information:

Greatest of Ease Sock in the Eat Pray Love colorway

75% superwash meriono, 25% nylon

460 yards

US size 1-3 needles

3.5 oz./100 grams

Now if I were knitting up this set of matching socks I would do the cuff in the yellow and the foot in the darker shades of lovely purples but you could do the opposite. I love these colors so much. The cool thing is that they aren't just plain solid blocks of colors. Each stripe has variation and depth. It is lovely.

If you want to knit matching gradient socks (I have a pair on the needles right now!) with the fun Eat Pray Love colorway, please leave one a comment on this post. Please leave either your Ravelry ID or an email address. Please be patient for your comment to appear, it takes awhile for me to approve each comment. 

I'll be back in a couple of days to select a winner and I will send the winner this squishy set of yarn cakes!

Good luck and let the comments begin! Have a great weekend everyone.

best, susie