I have to tell you

Melissa from Argosy yarns has a gift for colour, she chooses sumptious blends of cashmere, silk, merino and bamboo and handpaints them in subtle, lucious shades reminiscent of the countryside surrounding her home.

I have wanted to tell you about her yarns for a while now, but I felt the need to make something special from them first - and there is more to come, I still have numerous skeins to play with.

You have already seen the Acheron kimono jacket - handpainted yarn with a solid colour contrast, here it is using Melissa's Jo Jo yarn (merino/cashmere/angora) in the Blackstar Canyon and Rosemary colourways. I also want to knit this in the Anza Borrego with a champagne contrast.

what do I love about this cardigan? The longer than usual length that gives you a cosy armful of baby without having to keep pulling a sweater down at the back, the moss st offsetting the i-cord, the way that the front of the garment actually looks like the initial sketch! Pattern is being test knitted.

I just have to show this to you:

The Poppy hat you have already seen, and another version in Jo Sharp Silkroad DK, finally morphing in the Aviatrix helmet which is knitted totally on straight needles! I love how things can evolve given time (and peace and quiet!)This free pattern is still being deciphered from my notes, and I am also working on larger sizes - so it may be another week or so.