Saturday 17 September 2011

On my needles...



This is the Debbie Bliss Cable and Teddybear Jacket from the first Baby Cashmerino pattern book, and it's lovely. But annoying. Seems like a showy-offy pattern to me, but maybe that's just because I'm not a big fan of fashioning cables that need not one, but two, cable needles. I'm not big on referring back to earlier rows: I don't want to work it like row whatever, I want you to tell me what to do! And I'm not thrilled with having to endlessly shift about between a series of pages with charts and long lists of abbreviations.

But still, I like a challenge and it's going to be so gorgeous when it's finished...

Monday 12 September 2011

A great time of year...

I know, the nights are drawing in, the weather's turning blustery and cold, but still for knitters this must be the best time of year. All those long evenings to fill with knitting, crochet and other crafts; all those great things to make.

The shop's getting busier - people are planning their winter woolies and Christmas presents for knitworthy friends and relatives. And in response, we've got loads of new stock - lots of lovely patterns, plus Patons brilliant and soft Colour Works Aran and Louisa Harding's Grace. For anyone intending to make small project presents, the Three Graces pattern booklet has some lovely ideas. We've got the standard Grace and are awaiting delivery of the gorgeous and classy Beaded Grace. And there's more...new colours of the Artesano superwash double knitting are in stock, two new superchunkies from Debbie Bliss and Artesano are on order and I'm hoping to order a variegated DK weight this week. Wonder how quickly we can get these on the website?

Who needs summer?

(PS Don't forget the Food and Drink Festival at the Piece Hall this weekend. Three days of celebrity chefs and local delicacies.)

Sunday 4 September 2011

British Wool Weekend

Well, we've spent a couple of lovely hours this afternoon mooching round the first British Wool Weekend in Harrogate - lovely and relaxed atmosphere with gorgeous yarn, buttons and other fibrery stuff on sale for very reasonable prices. But honestly, someone needs to slap me round the head now and then and remind me I have a wool shop, because can I resist buying yet more wool for myself? No, of course I can't! I'm now the proud new owner of some lovely buttons, 200g of pretty silk bouclé and 400g of unspun beauty, which is going to necessitate me indulging myself further with a drop spindle. It's either that or begging someone else to spin it for me, but I fancy going down the drop spindle route first. I like a challenge.

Congratulations to June, who organised the whole thing. Looking forward to next year's already.