New Beginnings.

So. We are back. Not that we ever went anywhere, but over the past few years the blog has been left a bit dormant. Life has a habit of doing that. Redirecting our focus and leaving things behind. But the love of yarn and a good knitting pattern has never quite left and I have diligently knitted little projects here and there.

6 months ago I decided to go back to study and my focus has once again shifted away from my passion for ZIGOZAGO, amazing yarns and hours spent knitting. I felt the business deserved more attention and I am so happy that I have my dear friend Pam who was very keen to put her own stamp onto the business. So as of now, Pam has taken over ZIGOZAGO and will be putting her love and passion for fine yarns and showing off her own creations on the blog.

Pam is a very accomplished knitter and has whipped up some amazing pieces with our yarn. She has a keen eye for detail and beautiful taste when it comes to combining colours and I am sure she will be able to inspire many of our readers.

I will pass now pass the baton to Pam so she can introduce herself and show off some of her latest pieces.

http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/sources/robin-ulrich-studio

http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/kozue

http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/momo

Thanks Alex!

I have knitted forever… not always appreciated pieces however… like the socks I lovingly knitted for my children that they wore without shoes and played on freshly mown grass!  Or the beanies that they have worn to school, never to be seen again. Or that piece that I accidentally felted in the new washing machine. Note delicates and woollens are separate cycles. Aargh! the woollen cycle, should have picked the woollen cycle!!!

But knitting on regardless, and made all the more satisfying with beautiful yarns and so the steep learning curve is in taking on social media and small business management, so bear with me. Luckily there are teenagers in our house who are sometimes willing to help with the Instagram and Facebook worlds but staying on their right side is the tricky bit.

A huge Thank you to Alex for her patience and kindness as all the handover has happened at a very sad and difficult time for our own family and her understanding has not been unnoticed.  I wish her and her beautiful family the best for their adventures ahead.

With new stock of MadelineTosh Merino Light and Sock yarn arriving soon……some shawl ideas….

http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/lilli-pilli

 

http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/imbue

 

http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/ysabel

Or for something a little chunkier and quicker with The Fibre Company’s Tundra…..

http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/state-street-cowl

http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/gap-tastic-cowl

And so ZIGOZAGO will move into the future still stocking gorgeous yarns, hopefully still offering useful advice and pattern suggestions and still interested in your ideas and yarn wishes.

Best wishes and I look forward to hearing from you,

If you are in Castlemaine at any time, call and make a time to come and visit our studio shop, 0417 588 288

Pam

 

 

 

 

 

 

Breathless.

Do you sometimes feel you are on the go all day, everyday, with only little snippets of downtime gleaned here and there?

Well, I just had a stretch of 4 weeks where I hardly looked up to do the proverbial smelling of the roses. Add to that School Holidays and 3 lively rascals and I am feeling  exhausted and in desperate need of some quiet time. Preferably with a knitting project. Making matters harder is the constant influx of amazing yarns and the temptation of a quick-fix project to take me to the verge of slight desperation. I even fantasise about the perfect hiding spot where I can take refuge just for an hour or two. Sometimes life is just a wee bit too fast for me and I need to take a step back and go back to basics. Do an Eskimo Roll*, more menu planning, more exercise and more knitting…and a holiday to Bali would not hurt either…

However, the second best thing to hiding out on an island with some hidden yarn treasure is of course to talk to other equally passionate knitters. The best panacea to the general feeling of  ‘blah, is to surround oneself with vibrant, passionate and slighty obsessed yarnies. To contemplate the qualities of different yarn bases, muse over the stunning range of the colour grey and debate over the many benefits of crafting. …

And to help someone fall in love with a yarn and reignite that knitting fire is second to none…

Which brings me to the mother of all yarn conventions, otherwise known as the Australian Sheep and Wool show, which will be starting this Friday in Bendigo. A yearly event, the Show has gone from strength to strengths over the past years. Partly thanks to the incredible popularity of Ravelry and the Renaissance of the ancient craft of Knitting and Crochet. While I have always loved the rural feel of the show and am passionate about  supporting our local industry, the show has now started to attract a much younger and hip crowd of yarn lovers and, dare I say the word, yarn snobs.

So, with the island holiday in the background, life this week is a flurry of activity. Kids are back at school and the shop is opening its doors once again to the local lovers of wool and to boxes of new deliveries ordered to coincide with the wool show. Hurray for yarn deliveries!

Packing shelves and banners and bags, along with all my lovely yarns, we will be holding the fort at the Wool show with lots of wonderful yarns. A stunning range of the madly popular Madelinetosh (pending delivery of 2 pesky boxes who got lost in transit), a fresh batch of Skein, some scrumptious Dream in Colour and of course the supremely luxurious and addictive Fibre Company Yarns. This years big intro will be The Fibre company’s newest range called Meadow.

A lace weight yarn, Meadow boast an exiting  blend of fibres consisting of 40% Merino, 25% Baby Llama, 20% Silk + 15% Linen. So you have the bounce, the softness and drape, the shine and the rustic feel and dry hand. I have yet to try it out but I am told it is has a beautiful, modern feel and just the perfect weight for spring and summer knitting. And as usual with the Fibre Company Yarns, the range of colours is quite unique and elegant.

Meadow in Aster

Meadow in Pokeweed

With its feather light construction, shawls are a must for Meadow and there are wonderful patterns to tempt.

The Allium collection is a series of patterns specifically designed for Meadow and the style is  utterly modern and stylish. I love the understated elegance of the large shawls and wraps.

Roseum

Allium

Umbrel

Ursa

Shallot

Cepa

I dare you to find just one favourite…

At the show we will also introduce a new local pattern designer and fabulous knitter, Ambah OBrien and her lovely  patterns. All Ambah’s patterns are now available as PDF’s in the shop and they will be available over the Show Weekend too.

Magine

Petarli

Maroo

I will leave you with these photos and  pattern suggestions to dream up projects and maybe fantasize about your quiet place.

I am off to load the truck, track boxes and generally trying to keep it all together till the weekend.

See you at NOBLE HALL, stall 21,  in Bendigo.

Lazy days….

Summer evening walk

January must by far be the laziest month of the year, don’t you think?

School Holidays have put an abrupt end to our daily routine and my kid-free days. Instead, we go to bed late, sleep in and potter around the house, often happily spending the day in PJ’s and Nighties. The kids are busy with games only they know how to play. They explore the bush, read books or transform big cardboard boxes into cubbies….

This sweet monotony is only interrupted by the occasional play-date, or the obligatory trips to the pool on those hot, hot days.

My holiday activity, aside from providing copious amounts of watermelon and mango to the ever hungry gang, has been crochet. I have started knitting the lovely Medano Beach Bag, but my newly discovered passion for the hook is constantly winning over when I pack a project for the pool.

I have discovered this lovely little Jar Cosy pattern and have used up a fuzzy little skein of the most delicious alpaca/silk blend to cover all the jars in the house….the Alpaca give these a soft and fluffy feel, but I you can do them in cotton or some left over Canopy….

Jar Cosy

Of course, I could not stop at one, as they are whipped up in a couple of hours. Aren’t they just pretty!

Jar Cosies

My girl also discovered the magic hook and has whipped up a couple of lovely grannies….before she went back to read her 20th horse book…

A first

Of course, one thing leads to another, so I had to try out some more motifs…with the same Metalico Alpaca/Silk. A most delicious little pattern by Purlbee

Snowflower Ornament

They were super easy to whip up and will look lovely on my pin board.

And now, armed with a ball of Noro Kureyon, I am making one hexagon after another. Who know where this will lead me?

So all in all, despite the heat and fire threats that are too close to home, despite the constant food prep and tidying up, the daily rinsing out of bathers and hanging up of wet towels, the holidays are going great. Long lazy days of just doing what we feel like. And I feel these are the first holidays where the kids are old enough to happily entertain themselves for a period of time.The boys invent games, build intricate Lego vehicles, dig holes and make bike jumps. The big girl has discovered her love of books and is reading the whole day, with the occasional stint as a horse in the boys’ games.

I do love these lazy days.

But while our summer heat forces us to slow down and swap our woollen projects with cool cotton and fine yarns, our knitting friends in the northern hemisphere are coming up with gorgeous patterns to inspire. This gives us something to look forward to, projects to plan and yarns to stash away for when the cool weather comes.

Some patterns that are just lovely are:

Twigs and Willows

Crocus Shawlette

Entangled Vines

Oak Trail

Antler Cardigan

Just a few, to get you planning and thinking and dreaming.

And speaking of dreaming…..

The shop will be opening on Saturday 9th February. I will post more details on the grand opening on the website and of Facebook soon, so keep your eyes peeled.

Hope you are all keeping cool and safe.

Alex

Chicken Soup for the Soul

Today is the kind of day where you just want to stay in bed all day. Grey, miserable and cold outside.

Phlegmy, cloudy and foggy inside. In my head that is. It has just hit me and I am inclined to go all sooky. But I won’t. Well, can’t really as this is the reality of life, isn’t it. But I will give myself a bit of self-nurturing today. A day on the couch with my little man. A few good books, a pile of Lego’s and he is a happy camper. For me some knitting, a soft pillow and lots of Chai.

But not before I put on the mother of all Chicken Soups! It may be a cliché, but I always make Chicken Soup when one of us just has the slightest sniffle. It works and it make me feel good. And because I was feeling nurturing and it has been on my to-do-list for ages, I made a double batch of Super Granola. Because I can’t stand Weetbix and the kids have been complaining about the Porridge (don’t blame them)…

Maple and Orange Zest Granola

So today, to shake things up a bit and because we can’t live on knitting alone, I will share some of today’s recipes with you. How’s that?

Super Chicken Soup not just for the Soul

1 large organic chicken

2 leeks

2 celery sticks

2 onions

lots of garlic

2 carrots

a mixture of herbs (thyme, rosemary, parsley)

ginger

white wine

shiitake mushrooms

Sea Salt, Herbamare, Tamari or some stock powder to taste

I chop up my chicken in pieces. I reserve the breasts and drumsticks to either add later or use for something else. The rest I break up and with the back of a big knife, I also crack the big bones to release the goodness of the marrow inside. This makes for a richer and more nutritious broth. Trust me…

In a big stockpot and a splash of Olive Oil, saute the chicken pieces to render the fat. When the meat starts to colour, add your chopped veggies and herbs. Saute for a little while, then add 1/2 of while wine (that’s right). Let the wine evaporate and then add water to full the entire pot.

Cover and let it simmer. All day if you like. We had some for lunch and then some more for dinner with some pasta stars in it.

To make it extra nutritious, you can do what my nonna used to do. Its called ‘Straciatella‘ .

In a small bowl, whisk one egg and 2 handfuls of grated parmesan and pinch of sea salt. Add it to the soup with a whisk and serve. Delicious!

This is what we had for lunch.

While the soup cooked, I also made a batch of our Granola. And this is how it goes:

Maple Syrup and Orange Granola

4 cups of rolled oats

1 1/2 cup of mixed nuts and seeds

(Sunflower, Pumpkin, Sesame, Pecans, Cashews, Walnuts)

Shredded Coconut

Slivered Almonds

Zest of one orange

pinch of sea salt

Your can also add some dried fruit after the baking

85 g of unsalted butter or Coconut oil

1/2 Cup of Maple Syrup

Melt Butter and Syrup and stir through your Oat mixture. Spread on a baking tray lined with baking paper. Bake in a warm oven (150C) until golden. Time depends on your oven. Mine is dodgy, so I have to keep a careful eye on it. Generally, you can tell by the delicious aroma coming from it…

When the others are coming home from school, we’ll have it for afternoon tea…..

But it wouldn’t be me if there wasn’t just a little bit of knitting, now wouldn’t it? So here is what I started on the weekend.

Molly Beret

I had some Canopy Fingering left over from the Setesdal Love Hat. And it is perfect for this soft hat with the delicate lace brim. Can’t wait to see this one knitted up…..Raveled here.

So it is back on the couch for me.

Hope you are having a fabulous start of the week.

Malabrigo – Arroyo

I am always exited about Malabrigo Yarns.

I love the surprise I get when I knit up a skein of this lovely soft merino….looking at a skein, you never quite know how its going to look, don’t you? Even the seemingly oddest combinations look great. Once knit up into a hat or a cowl….

This is the first time we are stocking Arroyo. And it looks to become a regular…I love Sport/5-ply yarns. Not too heavy, but not as dauntingly fine as fingering. Just perfect for garments that still need some body and warmth and it does not nearly take as long to knit up…

Sooo, I did some digging around the Ravelry maze for you (’cause it can half a day alone to go through all the wonderful patterns on Ravelry without getting any knitting done…), and I have some ideas and inspiration to get you dreaming about your next project….

Cria – by Ysolda Teage

I just love this simple cardigan for so many reasons: It is flattering, simple yet with lovely details. A variety of yarns can be used with different effect. Pashmina for luxury, Arroyo or a simple Cascade Sport. And it fits a wide range of body types.

Elowen Shawl – by Judy Marples

If you want to show of the beauty of your artisan yarn, this is a wonderful shawl! A simple structure allows for the colour variations to shine, whilst being still interesting to knit. There are some great shawls knit up with Arroyo.

Elowen Shawl

Just Yer Basic Sport Sock

For an extra cushy and warm sock….why not!

Man Cowl (or Anyone)

Not that you are limited to a man…this is a great all-round cowl to show off your beautiful skein.

Lila (C)loud

Something so lovely for a little girl…..

Stacked Eyelet Cowl

A simple cowl. Lovely…

Camden

How about a sweater to show off a great colour. Simple enough to knit, but stylish and intriguing at the same time….

Camden

Elisabeth – for kids

In a pattern popularity contest, you can’t go past Elisabeth for girls….a beautiful pattern with lots of interesting detail.

Riverside Cowl

Do we really need another cowl? Oh, but this is a perfect match…

Gathering Stripes – for kids

All of Veera’s patterns are stunning, and this lightweight jumper for kids is no exception. And it comes in grown-up sizes too.

Ruby Tuesday

A simple and elegant cardi.

Wurm

A beanie to fit every head!

Fresco Simply Slouchy Hat

 

How is that?

There are so many more pattern….and one gets heart palpitations and anxiety attacks just trying to choose….at least that’s how it feels…I want to knit up so many patterns but just know that I just haven’t got enough time in the day to do it. So I am counting on you to share some of your projects with me….

Enjoy!

 

Choices for Abuelita.

Today the Shop finally went live.

It has been almost a year of dreaming, imagining, planning, researching, networking and hoping. In fact, it was after my overseas trip in March last year that I have begun in earnest to consider turning my passion and (slight, ahem) obsession into something more. A venture where I could indulge in all things fibre as well as share my interests with other like-minded women.

How often have I said that I wish I could sit and knit and sew all day….well, I still can’t, but somehow I think I could get away with it now and call it R&D, don’t you think?

I have started with the lovely Abuelita Yarn because of its buttery softness and color range, but also because of the company’s  sustainable practices. Their sheep are treated well and no muelsing has been practiced. The yarn feels super soft yet still earthy and ‘organic’, with some unevenness in the thread still present.

Worsted, or 12-ply is just perfect for all kids winter projects; beanies, warm socks or cardigans. In winter I love to wear fingerless mittens, and they are a great quick project. I always am on the lookout for easy, practical vest patterns for the kids, and here is a little selections of my favourites:

Classic Vest – a great basic for little boys in this colour.

Hunters Vest – a bit rustic and very practical for babies. How about in this lovely  red?

Twisty River Vest – a bit more elaborate for the advanced beginner in denim blue….

Tomtem – famous all over the knitting world….

Tiny Tea Leaves – on my list of ‘to-do’s’ with this lovely yellow.

Lace is Aus 4-ply and is perfect for some intricate lace work. While it takes longer to complete a project, the feel and texture of the finished garment is unsurpassed. Here is one lovely top I have knitted with Abuelita Marino and Stormy Day....

Lucia's Lace

Since I discovered pattern lace work, I cannot go past a lovely lace scarf…..and there are so many patterns to choose from. Here are two of my favourites.

Lace Ribbon Scarf – simple and sweet.

Checkerboard Lace Scarf – perfect with this colour or maybe even this .

Have a look a the shop and feel free to send me any feedback. I am looking forward to this next journey of mine….

Stay warm

Alex.

Point Mousse

No, its not a dessert, but french for Garter Stitch.

I am very happy today, despite and because of the rain.

With the lower temperatures I am finally able to cast on a new project, my hand have been itching to knit since I left my other knitting project at my friends place in NSW…. I have a few patterns that I got from France a while back and so I have started a little test knit with some Debbie Bliss Cotton from the stash. The patterns is called “le gilet des estives” or summer vest. It is a lovely, feminine little vest with front button closure. The tricky bit is to translate it into english…but my french it not too rusty and lucky for google translate…

When I got this pattern from Citronille I also ordered a stack of sewing patterns and they are all adorable in its simplicity and style.

So while it is still raining outside, the kids are playing and I get some sweet time to just sit and knit my point mousse. That’s a weekend just after my taste…

Happy Weekend to all and hope your houses are dry.

Alex.

Summertime Sewing

If you are anything like me, then you don’t think about your summer wardrobe until you are actually hit with a heat wave, stand in front of your closet and moan….

I guess it’s a bit of denial….I am a winter chick, give me layers, woolen rollnecks and scarfs anytime.  I bless every day that the thermometer stays below 30C.

But now it cannot be avoided any longer. It is getting warmer and I am digging through my cupboard in search of last years summer tops, skirts and shirts. Well, it’s looking pretty dim…I am in need of some wrap skirts (to add to the other 4 I already made in previous years. One can never have enough wraps, I say), and this year I must make some Tunics and maybe even a floaty top.

So, in search for inspiration, I have put together a little list of “must-have’s” that I want to share with you.

First off it the “Undaunted”, as simple boat-neck top by Jennifer Casa from JCasa *handmade. An easy top, whipped up in no time and ever so versatile. You could make 5 and be set for summer…..

Go on, have a go. ‘Cause here is the pattern.

Or how about a simple knit skirt?

This is sewn in knit fabric and they are super easy to work with. And there are some terrific new designs on the market now. Check out the pattern here.

And of course there is the lovely Aline Skirt Pattern from “Make it Perfect” right here.

Anyway, this is just me. You might be super organised and bought your entire wardrobe during last years summer sale, neatly folded then and ready for summer wearing now. Or maybe you are more the Martha Steward kind and have got all the neutral basics covered and just need some funky accessories??

Well, I am starting from scratch and get working.

What is your favorite style this summer?

Happy crafting

Alex

PS: tomorrow we will be talking about some Christmas sewing….

New Arrival

 

I am very exited to announce that Saffron Craig Fabrics are arriving next week… These are just some of the styles, we will have 10 different styles and colorways available.

And in case you are wondering what to do with it? Well, here are some ideas for you:

This pattern is the ultimate summer skirt. The pattern includes 4 different styles and embellishments.

Or how about this adorable little jacket?

Fabrics and Patterns

 

What an amazing day I had!

 

We had planned to take the train to Melbourne. Only, we missed the train so off we all scrambled into the car. The kids and Nonna meet up with Nana and spent the day frolicking in the city. I, on the other hand had a date with the Quilt Market Fair!

This being my first trade fair, I had only a vague idea what to expect. So, the first stall I visited was Toni Cowards,of Make it Perfect. I already knew one of her patterns so I was thrilled to meet her in person and was impressed by the range she had worked on since I purchased her first pattern. There are now 2 groovy skirts that I can’t wait to try out, a stunning girls jacket, adorable boys shorts, some super comfy jammies and much more.

I am very pleased to be able to stock some of her patterns and proud to support such an inspiring australian designer.

Next, visited the stall of Australian fabric designer Saffron Craig and placed an order of 10 different fabrics. The colors and designs are stunning, don’t you think?

Little Birds, Idigo

Blossom Patch

Bird Tree

Woodland Elks

Are they inspiring or what?

While the shop is not officially open, you are able to purchase the patterns from next week. The Saffron Craig Fabric will take a bit longer to arrive, so I will keep you posted.

Alex

PS: I am having trouble linking the pages….be patient while I get the hang of WordPress