Wow it’s October Tea Time already! Please be warned there are SPOILERS below…

Our theme for this month was Rainwater Mint.

The Tea

This month’s tea, Rainwater Mint, by Scullery Made Tea is not your average minty brew. I’ll admit I’m not a huge fan of peppermint tea however this one is lovely and fresh and not too overpowering. I think it’s the garden mint that makes the difference for me. Peppermint tea lovers will certainly not be disappointed in this one.

Rainwater Mint. Photograph by Scullery Made.

The Yarn

The inspiration for my colourway this month comes from my herb garden. One of my favourite spots is a little herb and lavender garden we have just outside the Augustbird studio. This tiny garden is filled with mint, lavender and a handful of other herbs along with a small rainwater tank. I found myself visualising my sweet garden as I sipped this tea or spoke the words "Rainwater mint."

The Augustbird herb garden and rainwater tank. This little tank provides all our water for dyeing yarn.

My idea was to take some colour elements from the garden; the lavender and various soft greens from the herbs and water them down, almost as if they had been washed over with fresh rainwater. I also wanted this colourway to be reminiscent of an Impressionist painting when knitted- think Monet’s Water Lilies.

Songlark (White Gum Wool 4ply) is our yarn base for this month.

Rainwater Mint on Augustbird Songlark (100% ethical superfine merino 4ply yarn)

 

The Pattern

This months pattern is a delicate shawl by Sally Oakley. I didn’t give Sally a very easy colourway to work with, however she was up to the challenge and her shawl design ‘Rainwater Mint’, is nothing short of delightful. Rather than fighting with this dappled colourway she embraced it, creating a graceful, vintage like shawl that complements the yarn and the tea. I was lucky enough to have Sally make one of these for me and it is already getting a great deal of use.

Here's a little from Sally about her design:

"This design has been a delight to work on. For me, it's all about freshness and ease. Rainwater Mint tea is simple and refreshing, but it does have a hidden complexity to it; rather like a garden. When I first saw Rebecca's beautiful colourway it really did remind me of a Monet painting. Rainwater Mint - the shawl - is light and airy. A good size and shape to wear, and a design that makes the most of one skein of Songlark. The leafy border is a nod to the mint, while the body of the shawl represents rain falling at different angles. Most important of all, Rainwater Mint is an enjoyable knit; a relaxing project that grows pleasingly quickly. I hope it brings you refreshment and relaxation too!"

 

Rainwater Mint. Photograph by James Oakley.

October Club Packages are already on their way to Tea Timers so you should receive them soon. The pattern will be emailed later this week.

Thank you Sally for your lovely design, thank you Scullery Made for your refreshing brew and thank you to all our lovely Tea Time club subscribers.

Rxx