Good morning! I hope you are doing well this week.

Today, I wanted to show you some possibilities for pairing Alpaca Lace Cloud with a sock-weight yarn. I also want to show you a new colorway I dyed up this week, and, perhaps most importantly, I want to tell you about our upcoming move and what you can expect for Purple Lamb while that is happening.

Sock Plus Lace

A couple weeks ago, I mentioned that I have been dyeing up some favorite variegated colorways on Alpaca Lace Cloud to pair with some of my sock-weight yarn. Anywhere you see a pattern that suggests a lace-weight mohair yarn, you can use Alpaca Lace Cloud instead as a lusciously soft and equally fuzzy alternative.

In addition to all the wonderful patterns that pair a sock-weight yarn with a fuzzy mohair yarn, I have my own pattern called the Knit and Chat Infinity Scarf and Cowl pattern that uses one skein of Alpaca Lace Cloud and one skein of any sock-weight yarn. That is actually enough for one scarf and two cowls.

My goal in making the pattern was to create something that’s easy to knit while you are at your knitting group, either in person or virtually. I made it because I realized I couldn’t talk and count stitches at the same time! There’s no counting after casting on, but it’s far from boring since there are lots of different stitch patterns. It’s just that each stitch pattern goes all the way around the infinity scarf, so you don’t have to keep track.

You can see the pattern here, or if you prefer I would be happy to include a free paper copy of the pattern when you order a skein of Alpaca Lace Cloud and a skein of any sock-weight yarn. Just ask when you check out.

Here are some pairing possibilities to use with either the Knit and Chat Infinity Scarf pattern or any of the wonderful patterns that use a sock-weight skein paired with a fuzzy mohair yarn.

This first one is Beautiful Universe on Sparkly Merino Sock along with the same colorway on Alpaca Lace Cloud. This is a great opportunity to see how differently the same dye colors turn out on two different bases, but they will still look great together.

Next up is La Bohème on Sparkly Merino Sock and Alpaca Lace Cloud.

This latest batch of La Bohème on Sparkly Merino Sock turned out a bit darker than usual, but I think I like it even better that way. How about you?

The next pairing is my new Enchanted Forest colorway on Alpaca Lace Cloud and So Silky Sock.

I think Enchanted Forest may be my favorite!

Next is Epiphany on both So Silky Sock and Alpaca Lace Cloud.

This next pair is great if you want a bit of color variation but prefer the pattern’s texture to take center stage. It’s Lilac on So Silky Sock and Hydrangea on Alpaca Lace Cloud.

Hydrangea would also look great with Monet’s Cathedral on So Silky Sock.

This next photo shows Monet’s Water Lilies. I couldn’t decide whether to pair the Alpaca Lace Cloud with So Silky Sock (left) or Dream Sock (right), so I included both so you can decide.

I only have a couple skeins of Dream Sock in stock right now. Let me know if you are interested in it on other colorways so I can order more next time I place an order.

This last pairing is So Silky Sock and Alpaca Lace Cloud in my new Dreams of the Sea colorway. If you want to go the beach but can’t right now, well, there’s this.

Which pairing is your favorite? You can let me know by email or on the Purple Lamb FB page.

 

Seashell – A New Colorway

I tend to create a lot of deeply saturated colorways and fun pastels, but I don’t tend to make a lot of more neutral colorways, so here’s one that’s a little different that I dyed this week. This is Seashell dyed on So Silky Sock.

Imagine walking along a peaceful, quiet beach with the gentle waves lapping at your feet. You find the perfect shell to take home. The colors include silver, gold, cream, gray, and a bit of soft sea blue. I think this would make a great summer top or shawl, don’t you?

 

Our Upcoming Move

I have a big announcement to tell you about. My family is going to be moving from northern Arizona back to Texas late next month. It’s exciting but bittersweet at the same time. I’ll be sorry to leave family and friends and the beauty of the desert, but I’ll be happy to be moving back to where we spent the first half of our marriage and the great community that is there. My husband got a great job there that will be a true blessing to our family.

The big question you are probably asking is how this will affect Purple Lamb, and the answer is as little as possible. I am still dyeing yarn and making art batts almost every day and will continue to do so. I’m actually seeking to increase the amount I have in stock so you have plenty to choose from. My plan is to make everything related to my business the last thing we pack and the first thing we get out. That means that there will be about three to five days when I won’t be able to ship your orders while we are in transit. I’ll be announcing the delay at the top of my shop so you’ll know what to expect.

The other main effect will be related to reserve listings and individual dyed-to-order requests. If you have a colorway you need on a different yarn base than I have in stock, please contact me about it by the end of this month. That way there will still be time for me to order the yarn and make it for you. After that, I’m going to have to pause on individual dye requests until after the move.

As for my clubs, I’ll be dyeing up the June club colorways inspired by Jackson Pollock’s “Mural” early in June, and we should be settled in time for the July club.

You may have noticed that I took down the Dyed to Order section of my shop back in March because I wasn’t sure if my wholesalers and mills would have to close for awhile. After we get settled though, I plan to restore that and expand it, so it will be easier than ever to get a colorway dyed on any of my bases.

If you have any questions or need more information, please don’t hesitate to email me. Meanwhile, stay well and happy fiber artistry!