Swedish Knitblogger who loves spinning, knitting, dyeing and yarn. I will do some other roundabouts about life too.

Tuesday, July 18, 2006

Yarnvacation (familyvisit) part 4 of IV

Dear brother. He is an artist, and lives in Käckelbäcksmon, near Viksjö with textile artist Christina Oscarsson (showing her work at Kalmar Slott this summer, Shibori - Life fundamentals (DNA)). WOW. They just built a porch, and it was nice meeting them, Martin (my brothers son) mom's sweathard, and Nisse (the cat). I talked to Christina about my plans to go to Kallmyra mohair, somthing she could not understand when there is Älands Mohair much closer. In Älandsbro, just north of Härnösand. We went there. And met the wonderful Pip-Larsson.He is a South African mohair-male goat that only been bottle-fed, stayed in caranteen came a long way to Sweden, to get some fresh blood into the angora-mohair flock. Anyway, he was so small back then, when he met the flock, the all gathered around him, and he squeeked like a baby. For this he was named Pip-Larsson. So Pip, means "squeek" in Swedish. Larsson, is a great Swedish common name, like US have Smith and Jones. (well, I'm thinking of the western heros;-)Anyway, Pip-Larsson's proud owner, - and the owner of Älands
Mohair Eva, tells me that they are three mohair goat owners that has have a company together - one in Vika (Dalarna, near Falun) one in Kalmar (?) and her. And that one of the flock there was very much awaiting Pip-Larsson. So, just when she decided that her flock were not nice enough to him, he settelled in. So, they send him away and Eva said to that he was a very shy goat, so there was no worry. When she called back day after to ask how he settled in, she was told that they have not had a blunder - Pip-Larsson has been on everyone in the flock all night! So, this charming fellow is now back and separated... What a charming King! Anyway, the result is her beyond words wonderful combed mohair (that is spun in England (or was it Denmark?) and coloured (Färgkraft again!). Just fantastic colours. And the quality, Not carded but COMBED mohair. One, two, three threaded and bouclé (the latter from the older goats). Why are the shelfs empty? I have already digged in. Great price. 150 SEK /hg and definitely worth a visit. Wow, did I fell in love with this yarn. It is quality, so much that I just cannot wait to go at it. With all wonderful colours I just couldn't buy white (which is of course the new colour to buy ;-) Dying to dye (haha, thought of that a long time!) Well, the mohair shop are actually doing socks on machines
on machines from Italy and England. Great work. I also learned that the mohair is used in airplane seats since they are inflammable. Well, warm and durable, and surprisingly soft.
I remember the mohair from the late 80s this was not even close in softness and feel. This is so much more a soft very slightly fluffy, like a great merino, but no, it is mohair. Just fab yarn. Really fab yarn, really fab yarn. Ahh. Pictures on the way. But I got to keep the suspense on this blog.

6 comments:

HPNY KNITS said...

thank you so much for this post! it feels almost as if I was there. of course now I have to find a way to actually touch this mohair....... I always felt it was too itchy by itself but it sounds like a cloud.
so many fascinating places!

Garngamen said...

I think old mohair is a bit itchy, but this kidmohair is wonderful. Well, you have to figure out a way to send me you address...I can probably get a hank for you!

Cecilia N said...

So! Did you go to the exhibition at the museum in Härnösand: Gästabud?

About your comment in my comments: I'm not going to the stickstämma in Hemse. I'm going to Gotland with my family and I am in a hurry home (in the same time as the event).
So we will not meet. But I envy you all. I was visiting the exhibition when it was in Härnösand and it looked tempting to be in the crowd.
Coming from outside it was as looking at a camp crowd: friends forever who had just met.

Someday I will have both the time, the money, the opportunity and the strength.

Anonymous said...

Skåningsmåla mohair in Kalmar i probably the answer on your question. Owners Birgitta Arnesdotter & Mats Landström

HPNY KNITS said...

thanks for your very kind offer, but I could not possibly ask a fellow knitter to "sacrifice" one of her kidmohairs!
better yet, next summer I'll have to visit Sweden.
:-)

Garngamen said...

Dearest Hpnyknits, If you show up here in Stockholm, I promise to Ill give you a yarn grand tour. We do have guest rooms. So get one of those cheap flights here and we will be yarnhunting! Do you read old comments? hmm...I just missed thisone until NOW!