Shawl set magic in the Etsy shop to celebrate the end of hobcal

When I recorded podcast episode 33, sitting talking away to myself and my phone in the garden room, I had a mad idea that I would record two podcasts on that day. The second would be edited and loaded up with the Etsy shop update. Why do I never learn? Two hours of videos just would not fit on my phone…. then we had storms and the sky was black with loud thunder and rain… and then there are only 24 hours in a day.

Anyhow, here I am with a blog post about the shawl sets and new yarns that I will pop into the Etsy shop this week. I am going to publish this blog post but for a couple of days only the winner of the giveaway from Episode 33 will be able to view it – so that she can pick out the three skeins she wants for her prize before the Etsy shop is updated and things start to sell out.

So that I don’t have to keep repeating this for each set, can I just tell you now that each skein is 100g and 380 yards and contains 85% Romney lambswool, 5% Bluefaced Leicester and 10% British alpaca.

I have been really inspired by my dyeing as a result of taking part in the HOBCAL – the crochet along hosted by Sandra of Cherry Heart and Sam of Betsy Makes. Combining three colours together in a shawl pattern is just so much fun and dyeing yarns that could make some glorious combinations is just as exciting.

For my own shawl I used this classic and quite neutral set; Best silk lingerie, cream and pewter. With just a little of the natural avocado dyed yarn that Clarisabeth of the Crochet Cakes podcast gifted to me…

Crafternoon shawl set

This has one skein of pewter, one skein of best silk lingerie and a skein of natural cream.

Silk and wisteria shawl set

This is a variation; instead of pewter I’ve included wisteria, which tones with the lilac speckles in the Best silk lingerie really well.

Purple rain shawl set

In the latest Etsy update I’ve added a new colourway: Purple rain. I can’t claim to have thought of the name – it was down to several of the lovely people who follow me on Instagram. I was actually a bit stuck for a name but Purple rain is perfect.

I dyed it because I’d been asked if I could produce some partner colourways for Iris, one of the most popular yarns in my shop in the last few weeks. It goes really well and makes a really vibrant trio with Chartreuse…

Iris and lilac shawl set

I also dyed up a less intense version of Purple rain, which I’ve called Shades of Lilac. This goes equally well with Iris and Primrose.

Keep calm shawl set

This is the colour combination used by Alyson of the Keep Calm and Carry Yarn podcast and it looks stunning. Mint julep is married with natural cream and Chartruese… This is the colour combo chosen by the winner of the giveaway in Episode 33 of the podcast – good choice Marikaisa xxxx

Primrose and aquarius shawl set

In this set I’ve combined Sepal with Primrose and Aquarius… this is a very similar colourway to the original Hotel of Bees shawl in the version displayed in the pattern.