Yarn Delight!

My Christmas presents from My Lovely Dad and Painter were so thoughtful! They gave me beautiful yarn local to their area in pattern kits. I got a hooded scarf pattern and beautiful merino and kid mohair yarn to make it with. It is soo soft!

I also got a kit (pattern and local yarn) to make a bag and purse!

The yarn is untreated so has that incredible yarny smell!

Add to that the lovely slippers and complete surprise of an iPad 2 from The Big One and I became one very spoilt and happy gal!

"A small group of thoughtful people could change the world. Indeed, it's the only thing that ever has."

- Margaret Mead

Currently Knitting...

Do you remember that I decided to learn Scandinavian/Fair Isle style knitting? Well I started over the Christmas holiday and am utterly De-LiGhTeD with how it's looking!

The scarf is knit in the round so will be super cosy!

It's considerably easier then I thought and yet the results look so impressive! I think I'm going to change the colours gradually in different sections and am very excited about designing my own patterns eventually! I've already had one order for a scarf in this style so I may be very busy click clacking for a while!

"If the knitter is weary the baby will have no new bonnet." 

~Irish Proverb

Currently Knitting...

The weather here in Manchester is changeable to say the very least! I recently cast on a quick knit cowl to help combat the frequent chills. My summer scarf/shawl just ain't cutting it!

I got seduced by this gorgeously coloured Sirdar Escape Wool which was in the sale in a local yarn shop here and got knitting. It's not the cosiest yarn (49% acrylic) but I do love the colour changes.

"During 'Whatever Happened to Baby Jane?' I knitted a scarf from Hollywood to Malibu"
- Joan Crawford

Can You Ever Have Too Much?

As I previously posted Purl City Yarns recently launched a range of Possum Yarn - in fact they may be the only UK stockist to have it! So I could not resist pur-chasing a few balls, I mean it's not everyday you come across Possum Yarn!

That was a couple of weeks ago now...so yesterday, what with it being Friday and me being so well behaved and not going drinking after the show each night I thought I deserved a wee little yarn treat. I accidentally/on purpose strayed into Purl City and picked myself up this amazing Schoppel-Wolle Crazy Zauberball. I have been tempted to have a go at socks for a little while now and this amazing self striping ball makes a pair...so...

I will try my very hardest to be good and not buy anymore but it's soooo hard!

"For people allergic to wool, one's heart can only bleed."

 ~Elizabeth Zimmerman

For the Brand New

Our lovely friends R & K are expecting a baby, the bump has been called Herbert while he is a bump but when the baby behind that bump emerges he shall have a name which is secret to all but them.

While awaiting Herbert's arrival I planned and started a baby blanket for him. It has taken me nearly a month but it is nearly nearly finished. Just as he is nearly nearly here.

Now I am crocheting round the edge and then it will be finished and ready for the brand new baby and his brand new name.

P.S Talking of little brand new people:  Happy 1st Birthday Leo!!!

"Every child begins the world again...."

~Henry David Thoreau

Purl City : A Yarn Addict's Heaven

A few weeks ago I found the pearl that is Purl City Yarns, a boutique yarn shop, in Manchester's Northern Quarter and it is an absolute treasure trove for any yarn enthusiast!

I had popped in to have a peek and was quite literally blown away by the incredible range they have on offer. None of your 'normal-verging-on-boring' standard's here, instead treats galore of unusual brands, huge ranges (all clearly sectioned and labelled into yarn weight categories) and simply stunning locally hand-dyed yarn.

Artesano

Drops

Austermann

Fyberspates

Lorna's 

Malabrigo
Louisa Harding

....to name a few...

During my first visit I was struck by how relaxed and friendly it was, there were two ladies on the comfy central sofas knitting and chatting away. I was greeted, asked if I needed help then left to wander when I declined. I felt like my eyes were as big as saucers taking it all in. 

Eventually I asked to be directed to any local yarn and Vicki took me straight to the locally hand dyed WildFire Fibres range, it was so beautiful I could not resist and picked a skein for my Afghan blanket. We had a brief chat about the shop and I explained that I try to find local yarn wherever I go on my travels and how happy I was to find such gorgeous local DK yarn...

It turns out Vicki is incredibly modest as doing a bit of research on Ravelry once I got home, I discovered that she is the talent behind that very yarn, Wildfire Fibres!

Red Alert 

Yums-a-lot!

This last weekend I took The Big One along for another visit so I could take some pics and he could pick some yarn for his new beanie...for which I have the following brief: Long-ish, not too tight, but not too slouchy...wish me luck!

We picked 2 skeins of squishy-gorgeous Drops Karisma in Charcoal and reluctantly I pulled myself away from all the delicious yarns on display and headed to the till.

There was a customer ahead of me who revealed she was a new knitter, both the ladies in the shop were so warm, so welcoming and encouraging. They told her all about Ravelry and the events they have in the shop.  Now I know this probably sounds like obvious customer service but I can't tell you the amount of times I have been patronised and made to feel generally inferior as a young knitter. So despite having such a superior range of yarns available, on both the occasions I have visited Purl City,  I am happy to say that is where the sense of superiority ends!

Vicki recognised me and she and the other lady (didn't get her name!), proceeded to tell me all about a new yarn they are launching in the shop this week. Possum! Yes real Possum, as in the New Zealand animal. They explained that due to being so destructive to New Zealand's environment and therefore being annually culled, their fur had been going to waste and so have since been spun into yarn! Purl City are throwing a New Zealand themed evening on Wednesday night to celebrate the launch which I am hoping to attend.

Now if that doesn't convince you that this is not your normal yarn shop I don't know what will!

"If I stitch fast enough, does it count as aerobic exercise?"

- Author unknown

Possibly The Best Day Ever... Part 2

After leaving Ruth I headed back out to the heat of King Street, to walk to the other end to find ' A Coffee and a Yarn' the second of the two yarn shops I had sourced in Newtown.

It's a lovely space, the walls are covered with vintage knitting patterns and the wool is nicely presented.

I really liked the little touches  - like the patterns, the 'have a go - knit row' trays on the tables

I ordered a mushroom and herb quiche and sipped on a delicious iced green tea with morrocan mint while I waited for it.

deli-cious!

After enjoying the air conditioning while reading more about Ava I started to make my yarn selection. There were only a couple of Australian yarns here so the choice was simpler but still took time, eventually I settled on 2 balls from the Nundle Collection.

Nundle Woollen Mill is Australian owned and operated, proudly producing Australian pure new wool.

- Nundle Collection website 

I am knitting an Afghan with all the different balls of wool I have now picked up on my travels. All 8 ply luckily! I have taken to making my colour choice based on the place I'm in. For me Sydney is very much about the water.

So 2 wool shops in one day I skipped off back to the train station to head to...The Sydney Fishmarket! The next place on my list of perfect activities.

Many go out for wool and come home shorn.

- Proverb 

Possibly the Best Day Ever...Part 1

Today I walked miles, smiled loads and just about had a truly terrific day.

It started with a trip via train to Newtown to explore two yarn shops I had come across so...yeah...yarn shopping, I think we all know how highly that ranks on my 'favourite things to do ever' list. 

Pocket Aces.

The Granny Square was my first stop and my giddy aunt was it delightful! I have learnt while here that the main Australian yarn supplier is Morris & Sons and while being shown around the delicious boutique shop by Ruth I learned that she is one of the founders and runs the company with her sons.

She could not have been friendlier or more helpful, her patience in showing me all the Australian yarn on offer was much appreciated and her enthusiam to show me all around the shop, the patterns they have started to publish and the knitted up samples was infectious.

The lovely Ruth

After much mental wrestling I finally settled on pur-chasing one of their most popular patterns and some delicious yarn. I wanted it all!

If you are in Sydney and a knitter I cannot recommend The Granny Square more, a complete treat, especially if you get to meet Ruth!

I hope to have time to pop into their York Street store as Ruth was telling me that the upstairs floor is for exhibiting various forms of craftiness.

"Where does virgin wool come from? The sheep that runs the fastest."

-Harry F Banks

Working up to Casting On

I love knitting. I really love knitting things I've never made before. Right now I love making hats and mittens with a cable pattern. Cabling gives me a real sense of achievement and hats and gloves are quick and easy enough to keep my attention.

I'm about to cast on for my next project. I always try to have one large project on the go (at the moment it's a crocheted blanket, using up my guilt stash of wool) and then a smaller, more technical, project to keep me challenged....it's at this point that I feel overwhelmed. I have so much wool to use, so many patterns I want to do and so many requests from friends and family.

This is the bit I long for.



This is the bit where I'm in my stride, can see what I'm creating (and whether it's correct) and everything about it is bursting with the potential to be something lovely.

So if I can just decide on what to cast on......