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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

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
Look! @fromeyarncollective has made an #amasweater window! #CatandSparrow kits are available - the top left corner is Grape Expectations and Pink Peppercorn - on a scrumptious #Wensleydale DK. #knittingkits #britishwool #knitstagram
A little Sunday #sockknitting... I can never remember how to do #judysmagiccaston so I have to look it up every time. Are you a #toeupsocks or a #topdownsocks person? I’m toe up every time because I love to try them on as I go. #sockknittersofinstagram #handspunsocks #catandsparrowuk
12 years ago today I married this guy. I can’t possibly say all the things here but it remains the best decision I’ve ever made. ❤️🪕🧶
Oh, I do love a bit of colourwork. I'm relatively new to it in the grand scheme of things, but it's addictive. This is a detail from a new pattern I've been working on, that will be released at the end of the month, predictably called the 'Autumnal' hat. Here it's knitted in #catandsparrowuk #superheroDK in Crushing It and Dormouse. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ #knitweardesign #hatknitting #fairisleknitting #colourwork #strandedknitting #knitstagram #knitspiration #knitallthethings #yarnstagram #indiedyer #dyersofinstagram
Meet these two gorrrrgeous new colours - Zephyr and Flamingo - dyed onto #alpaca, #seacell and #silk combed top. They're amazing together, and just as lovely apart. This is such a magical blend to spin - the alpaca is super soft and warm, with a beautiful fluffiness. The silk adds depth of colour and lustre, and the seacell is dye resistant, creating a beautiful marled effect. It's also super strong. I absolutely love this for shawls and cowls - perfect for this time of year! ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ #catandsparrowuk #handdyedfibre #spinningfibre #feltingfibre #spinstagram #spinnersofinstagram #spindlespinners #combedtop #semisolid
Check out these jewel-toned silk hankies. I absolutely love the gold and the berry colours together. Silk hankies are just so much fun to play with as well - you can knit, weave and crochet with them as they are, use them in felting projects or spin them into beautifully slubby, luxurious yarn. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ #mawata #silkhankies #silkfibre #silkspinners feltersofinstagram #makersgonnamake #needlefelting #handspinning
Look at my gorgeous new stamp! I've been stamping everything made of paper in the house that my husband hasn't hurriedly removed from my reach. We're branded to the max. Seriously, though, I was so impressed by @getstampeduk. They turned this around in 3 days, and it's made from responsibly sourced oak and rubber and they plant a tree for each custom order. All their packaging is totally plastic free as well. Looooove. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ #getstampeduk #sustainable #responsible #ecofriendly #catandsparrowuk #logostamp #rubberstamp #littlethings
This is my #yorkshireyarnfest exclusive colourway, dyed onto #SilkHankies and #RomneyCombedTop. These two fibres take colours so brightly and with such clarity - I just love how they almost glow, like the light on one of those crisp autumnal days that inspired it. Don't forget you can get 10% off all orders today if you use the code yorkshireyarnfest. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ #autumncolours #fallenleaves #autumnleaves #catandsparrowuk #handdyedfibre #spinstagram #spinnersofinstagram
It's #yorkshireyarnfest today, and I'll be doing a little live video at 16:40 BST this afternoon (19th September). The theme is autumn leaves, and I coincidentally have some lush autumnal colourways in this super-squishy single-ply Dk in #superwashmerino. These three colours (Making Hay, Tequila Sunrise, Nebula) are made for each other! #autumnleaves #autumncolours #handdyedyarn #knitstagram #knittersofinstagram #crochetersofinstagram #makersgonnamake
I'm so excited to relaunch this yarn. #lonerangerDK just absorbs colour and flings it all back out into the world. It's the most squooshy, delectable single-ply merino that knits like a dream. The stitch definition of this yarn is amazing - it's perfect for cable patterns because they just show up so well. There are several gorgeous colours live in the shop now (back orders will be fulfilled within 10 working days). I'm also really excited because it features in the new #ormesweater by @ewefeltything, which I knitted in Faded Glamour. I love it. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ #cableknitting #knitstagram #squishyyarn #yarnstagram #knitallthethings #knittersgonnaknit #merinowool #yarnspiration #knittersofinstagram #crochetersofinstagram #crochet #hookit #catandsparrowuk #handdyedyarn
I'm fascinated by the use of knitwear in fashion through the years. I find it so hard to believe that hand knitting is generally viewed as a nana-zone dedicated to the creation of itchy sweaters when there are pieces like this out there. The first slide is a picture of Marie Helvin, modelling a design by Kansai Yamamoto. This is one of a number of incredible knitwear pieces he designed. The top is #intarsia, the bottom quilted satin. Yamamoto designed many of David Bowie's outfits for Ziggy Stardust including the 2nd slide - a bonkers one-legged knitted lurex catsuit with wrist and ankle rings. I absolutely love these flamboyant, extraordinarily joyous creations. (Photo 1 by Hiroshi Yoda, Photo 2 courtesy of @vamuseum). ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ #fashionfriday #kitwearhistory #knitspiration #notjustfornanas
These colours! More #silkhankies. These will be going live in the shop tomorrow. Whoop!! #boldandbright #handdyed #silk #catandsparrowuk
This is my exclusive colourway for the #yorkshireyarnfest on 19th September. The festival theme is #autumnleaves, and as my favourite kind of autumn day is the bright, slightly crisp kind I wanted something bright and happy. I do love a bit of autumn. I was all ready for it to get started so I could break out my knitwear, and then this little heatwave came along. It's on the way though, and I can't wait. Soon it'll be October, and then it's only a short haul to the mince pies. Crikey. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ This is dyed on some absolutely luscious Romney I got from #johnarbon. I've been waiting for the right inspiration as it really takes colours so beautifully, and this is it. #Romneywool has a lovely open character and spins fine yarn really beautifully. I get these colours would look fantastic in a pair of boot socks. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ #spinnersofinstagram #igspinners #feltersofinstagram #wooladdict #yarnspinnersofinstagram #handdyedwool #handspunyarn #spinspiration #handspinnersofinstagram #handspinners #igspinners #spinnersofinstagram #spinnersofig #spinnersoftheworld #spinning #spinningfiber
Are you a #thrower or a #picker? I've always knitted English style, throwing the yarn around the needle with my right hand, but I taught myself to knit continental style, picking up the yarn held in my left hand with the needle, so that I could do stranded colourwork. My tension is definitely tighter when I pick, so I tend to just settle back into my comfy throwing ways. It's not fast, but it's knitting for joy of the process, rather than speed. It's nice to know that I have continental up my sleeve if I need to knit fast though!⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ This #WIP is a hat design I'm working on. It's knitted in #catandsparrowuk Superhero DK in Dormouse and Crushing It (my new favourite pink). ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ #knittersgonnaknit #hatknitting #fairisleknitting #knitweardesign #wipwednesday #Englishknitting #knitallthethings #iamarealknitter #slowfashion #strandedcolourwork
I'm really delighted to be taking part in this month's @yorkshireyarnfest on 19th September. I'll be presenting a wee 15-minute video on Instagram, and showing you some of the wonderful fibres and yarns in stock. I'll be launching my @lonerangerDK on Friday as part of the run up, and I'll also have an exclusive colourway on several fibre bases inspired by the festival theme of #autumnleaves, not that it's particularly autumnal this week (chugs iced tea). #spinnersofinstagram #igspinners #weaversofinstagram #feltersofinstagram #wooladdict #yarnspinnersofinstagram #handdyedwool #handspunyarn
I’ve loved test knitting the #ormesweater by @ewefeltything. I’ve finished it, and now I just need to weave in the ends and block it. It’s super squishy and warm, and I love the detailing down the side. It’s so flattering! This is knitted up with #lonerangerDK in #fadedglamour, which is coming to the shop for 19th September - #yorkshireyarnfest. 😍😍😍😍#catandsparrowuk #knitstagram #sweaterknitting
I love pottering about the internet looking for interesting bits and pieces about the history of knitting and spinning. This amazing book is in the @vamuseum collection and was published in 1838, and gives a very rough recipe for knitting stockings and socks. There's no gauge information and no specified needle size. There isn't even any foot size information. #Sockknitters working from this book would have had to figure all that out for themselves. I can knit myself a pair of vanilla socks without referring to a pattern these days, but these instructions totally flummox me. Do you reckon you could knit a pair of socks from this chart? ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ #knittedsocks #knittinghistory #handmadesocks #knitterofinstagram #knitstagram #knitallthethings Photo courtesy of #victoriaandalbertmuseum.
I've had a shipment from @jenkemery of #turtlemade, who makes the most fabulous 3D-printed tools for spinners. I've got midi #turkishspindles, Andean plying tools and mini niddy noddies, all in fantastic colours. If you've not tried these spindles, they really are fantastic - well balanced and sturdy. I love the niddy noddies and plying tools as well - they're so handy. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ #shopupdate #catandsparrowuk #spindlespinners #handspinning #andeanplying #niddynoddy #spinnerstools #fibretools
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