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Cat and Sparrow UK
Cat and Sparrow UK

beautifully crafted fibres and yarns – made in the UK, shipped worldwide

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@catandsparrowuk on Instagram

I've been playing with blue a lot this week. I think maybe I'm missing the blue summer skies, seeing as summer is now officially over. I've just listed these beauties - this is Hey There Mr Blue on Lone Ranger 4ply, and it's also available on Lone Ranger DK. Both yarns are beautifully squishy single ply superwash merino yarns, and I love them so much! This is just so bright and cheery I feel lifted just looking at it. Do you do blue? #catandsparrowuk #handdyedyarn #indiedyersofinstagram #sockyarn #sockknitting #indiedyer #yarnporn #crochetaddict #knittersofinstagram #strikk #instacrochet #knitstagram
It’s nearly time! @theknittearetreat marketplace is going live at 1pm! Come and meet some lovely makers if you need a yarn or fibre fix. Head over to #theknittearetreat Instagram for live chat and chill. I’m bringing a cup of English breakfast and my knitting, and have lots to show you. See you there! #yarnshow #catandsparrowuk#yarnloversofinstagram #knitstagram #knittersofinstagram #crochetersofinstagram #crochetaddict
It’s nearly time! @theknittearetreat marketplace is going live at 1pm! Come and meet some lovely makers if you need a yarn or fibre fix. Head over to #theknittearetreat Instagram for live chat and chill. I’m bringing a cup of English breakfast and my knitting, and have lots to show you. See you there! #yarnshow #catandsparrowuk#yarnloversofinstagram #knitstagram #knittersofinstagram #crochetersofinstagram #crochetaddict
Hello to all my new followers, and to those who don't yet know me... I'm Rachael, and as my @stitcherstees t-shirt suggests, I really, really like yarn. I think about it, dye it, spin it, knit, crochet and weave with it, talk about it and sell it pretty much all day every day. It makes me happy, and fills up my house with colour. My family aren't quite as keen on finding stitch markers all over the place, or having to pull bits of fibre out of the hoover though. This photo was taken by the lovely @gemmashootspeople, and is one of very few pictures of me that I don't want to burn. Nice to meet you all!!
I was so looking forward to the convivial gathering that was to be the Knit-Tea Retreat in Cardiff this weekend, but as with all things 2020 I have to get used to disappointment. Not to worry though - we'll be online on Sunday 25th October. My slot is at 2.30pm and I'll be online for around 45 minutes, just chatting, sipping tea and talking yarn, fibre and patterns. Join me, and the other lovely vendors for a relaxed afternoon on Instagram live over at @KnitTeaRetreat. I can't wait.
I wrote a blog post about yarn weights (link in bio), and figuring out a path through the confusing naming conventions. Ever wondered what sport weight yarn is? Is fingering the same as sock? What's the difference between worsted and Aran? Wonder no more! I've even produced a handy chart, because no one ever seems to consider metrage when putting these things together. I find it hard to work with gauge because it can vary so hugely from knitter to knitter, and it really depends what kind of fabric you want to produce. I like to look at how many metres there are per 100g, and that gives me a good idea of its category. Do you ever find all the terminology confusing? Share your handy tips for working it out!
Have you ever felt overwhelmed by the massive choice of spindle types, weights and sizes out there? Fear no more! I have written a series of posts to help you choose between supported and suspended, with whorl or without, and lots more. Follow the link in my bio to go to the first post, which covers the various different types of spindle. The next two posts delve deeper into #dropspindles and #supportedspindles respectively. If you’re just starting out with spindles, this could help. Hit me with any questions!
It's #fashionhistoryfriday! Hooray! This is the day when I can indulge my delight in old knitwear patterns and garments. If I were to hazard a guess as to when this sweater dates from, I would have said maybe the 1940s or even the late 1970s, early '80s. I was so surprised to see that it's actually Victorian - it dates from around 1895. ⁣ It's so timeless. Even the enormous sleeves don't really date it that much. I'd totally wear it, if I had the waist for it. Check out the fantastic detail on the neck edging and waist shaping! My fingers are itching to have a go at it, although being stuck on #sleeveisland with this would be epic.⁣ According to the #metmuseum, casual wear such as this doesn't last long enough to make it into museum collections, which is why we don't see it very often. It honestly never occurred to me that people would wear this kind of garment in the Victorian era. I thought it was all starched neck ruffles and severe tailoring. ⁣ ⁣ I absolutely love it.😍 What do you think?⁣ ⁣ Photo courtesy of @metmuseum.
It's definitely shawl weather, and I'm already planning a couple of new projects, because no one can have too many shawls. It is a statistical impossibility. Does not compute. This is one of the shawl kits I have in stock currently - @provenance.craft.co has the most wonderful #crochetshawl patterns. They're elegant, modern and endlessly wearable. I love this one, which is called Basalt, as it has gorgeous hexagons detailing the edge. I love a bit of geometric shaping. The yarn is Lone Ranger 4ply #superwash merino. It's squishable to the max. ⁣ ⁣ I'm going to be putting a new kit up next week as well - the #doppiocolosseum shawl also by #provenancecraftco. Kits will be available in my super delicious Sweater Weather 4ply. Watch this space. #shawlweather #crochetersofinstagram #crochetpattern #crochethookers. #ilovecrochet #crocheting #crocheted
Thanks to @hideandhammer for alerting me to the fact that today is #RandomActsofPoetryDay. I love a random act of poetry. This is one of my favourites. I read it at my Dad's funeral, and it means so many things to me. It seems to fit almost any situation, whether you're in need of comfort, hope or encouragement, or you want some inner calm or a reason not to lose faith in human goodness. ⁣ ⁣ #johndonne #poetry #nomanisanisland
Thanks to @hideandhammer for alerting me to the fact that today is #RandomActsofPoetryDay. I love a random act of poetry. This is one of my favourites. I read it at my Dad's funeral, and it means so many things to me. It seems to fit almost any situation, whether you're in need of comfort, hope or encouragement, or you want some inner calm or a reason not to lose faith in human goodness. ⁣ ⁣ #johndonne #poetry #nomanisanisland
Peahen on the sumptuous #polwarth #shetland #silk blend is back in stock! Yay! this is one of my favourite colourways because the turquoise and brown go so well with the soft creamy base colour. Neutrals and brights work brilliantly together and the turquoise really jumps out at you. This is a perfect blend for socks as it's strong, soft and really elastic.
I've been playing with this month's #fibreclub sample. This is such a gorgeous blend - it's a mix of #bluefacedleicester, #corriedale, peduncle #silk and #babycamel, and it spun like a dream on my tiny Russian spindle. I've not managed to get the hang of this spindle before now, so it just goes to show this was the right fibre for it. The fibre was inspired by the Sunda Colugo, which is a gliding mammal native to Southeast Asia. The colours are quite muted and soft, which I love. I don't tend to do muted very often, and I love how this is turning out. Next month's is going to be a bit more colourful! There are still three more spots left in this 3-month slot, so if you sign up for one you'll recieve this fibre, plus one instalment at the end of this month and one at the end of November (link in bio).
I reskein all my yarn after dyeing for various reasons, and this is on the skeiner today, as it's going out to a customer this afternoon. It looked so pretty I had to make an attempt at an arty shot of it. It's #ohsofine in Second-hand Rose. I love this soft pink...⁣ ⁣ #speckleyarn #specklesaresohotrightnow ⁣ ⁣ #indiedyer #handdyedyarn #sockyarn #yarnporn #igknitters #strikking #knittersofig #knittersoftheworld #crochetersofinstagram #nevernotknitting #yarn #yarnlove
I’ve just written a blog post about how to choose a supported spindle. When I first started spindling, I was a bit overwhelmed by all the different options for drop spindles and supported spindles, and I honestly didn’t know where to start. Tibetan or Russian? #Tahkli or bead? Over the years, I’ve tried quite a few different types and got a much better idea of what suits me, but there are some things I wish I’d known when I first started. Hopefully this post will help! (Link in bio).⁣ ⁣ #supportedspindle #catandsparrowuk #spinnersofinstagram #spinstagram #spindlespinners #handspinning #learntospin
This is my latest spinning project - it's a two-ply sock weight in one of the newer blends in the shop, #bluefacedleicester and #masham, in Riding the Unicorn. It was so lovely to spin - loads of lustre and shine, and a nice woolliness to it (I know, I know, it's wool, but some wools are woollier than others, you know?). I started knitting some socks with it, and I love how they're turning out. #catandsparrowuk #spinnersofinstagram #spinstagram #knittersofinstagram #sockknitting #i_loveknitting #handknit #handspun
A friend of mine found a copy of this book - Knitted Garments for All - in a charity shop years ago and bought it for me, because I have awesome friends who know me really well. It was published in the 1940s, and it's like looking into another world. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ I love this picture. The caption kills me. 'Tough clothes for tough jobs by all means - but you can be attractively tough!', because it's every woman's desire to wield garden implements all day in full make up and a new hair do, wearing a cabled sweater in 4ply that probably took 8,000 hours to knit.⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ It's easy to forget that I can sling on a mass produced sweatshirt that gets thrown in the washing machine when it's grubby. A cabled wool sweater would be perfect to work in, as it's breathable and hardwearing, and can be repaired relatively easily. It would be comfortable and stretch in the right places. Washing machines were not widely available in post-war Britain, and wool requires much less washing than most people think. It's a self-regulating fibre that needs airing and spot cleaning more than a regular wash with detergent. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ I love that the clothes that people made and wore on a day to day basis tell us so much about the way we used to live, and what our priorities used to be. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ #catandsparrowuk #fashionhistoryfriday #vintageknittingpatterns #practicalknitwear #chicknits
My regular Wednesday coffee and knitting date with my friend Stephanie went by the wayside over the Summer of Covid. I really, really missed it, so it's great to be back, although socially distanced. I still haven't finished my #starflakemkal shawl from last year, and it's almost time for the #westknitsmkal2020 so I need to get this finished. I'm going to do the next one in handspun, so I need to select my fibres for that. Nothing like leaving it until the last minute, but I refuse to miss it - it's a tradition now! ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ #catandsparrowuk #ohsofinesock #sockyarn #epicknitting #knittingandcoffee #beehivecoffeehouse
Sometimes I dye a colourway that I just can't resist snaffling for myself. This was one recent one that I just fell in love with. It's Zebra Finch on the most gorgeous Devon-bred Bluefaced Leicester from @jarbontextiles. This stuff is divinely soft because it's been double sorted. As you can see, it takes colours so beautifully. I spun this one fairly tightly into a 3-ply, and I think I'm going to make a pair of mitts. Nice, squooshy ones for the coming frosty mornings. What would you make with it? ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ #bluefacedleicesterwool #britishwool #handspunyarn #wemakeyarn #spinstagram #handspinning #spinnersofinstagram #combedtop #feltingfibre #spinningfibre #catandsparrowuk
Looook! @fromeyarncollective has made an #amaswester window! Posted @withregram • @fromeyarncollective Ama Four Ways! Our new window display has no less than four different versions of @harveyknits wonderful Ama Sweater pattern! Clockwise from top left we have @catandsparrowuk Wensleydale DK, @westyorkshirespinners ColourLab DK, @nellieandeve BFL/Masham DK and @knitrowanbyme Softyak DK. The Cat and Sparrow and Nellie and Eve versions are available as dyed-to-order kits (and with alternative colourways). This pattern is perfect for playing around with colour. A fun knit resulting in a really wearable, flattering garment. Written for chest sizes from 28” to 58”. A digital copy of the pattern can be purchased via our website. We had so much fun knitting these - I hope you do too!😍 #FromeYarnCollective #MaddieHarveyDesigns #NellieAndEve #CatAndSparrow #HandDyedYarn #WestYorkshireSpinners #KnitRowanByMe #AmaSweater #LocalYarnShop #LYS #FromeYarn #FYCFO #Knitting #Knit #HandKnit #SlowFashion #ShopWindow #KnittersOfInstagram #Frome #ShopFrome
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