Monkey sock swap spoilee you are very bad and naughty ...

Look what you made me buy!


I was searching high and low for your extra monkey yarn, and therefore I was thinking pink. Pink is definitely not my colour, or so I thought, until the above started calling to me across I Knit.

"Look at us" they cried, "Look at our luciousness, look how although we are both made of silk we are so different - I, Habu am rough and rustic, while my friend Fyberspates is soft and silky, look how our colours match and compliment each other, and look how perfect we would be knitted up in a wavy lacy pattern"...

So just to shut them up I had to buy them! The nice lady on the counter told me that it is Breast Cancer Awareness Month, so pink was very 'in'. So that made me feel a bit better

I did get your yarn too though. Betcha can't guess what colour it is?!

chaussettes, calzini, socken, calcetines, носки

I'm off to buy sock yarn for my monkey sock swap pal tonight - hoorah! And as the site I will be buying it from has a £19 minimum for free postage, I will just have to buy myself something too!

Autumnal shades in the sunshine

Behold these lovely yarns on the hottest day of the year (so far). The greens and greys are Sirdar Sublime Merino (mmmmm), the pale green is Sirdar Baby Bamboo, then there is Twilleys Freedom Spirit in a shade called Air, and Twilleys Freedom Wool in funky purples and greens. Here are their intended applications - can you match yarn to project???

• Entrelac scarf
• Hat for husband
• Felted hat for mother
• Baby surprise jacket
  

yummy yarn makes short scarf

You may have noticed a flurry of activity, as I have realised that I have not been posting as regularly as I might.

We went to the in-laws new house at the weekend, so that is somewhat of an excuse I suppose. I managed to pop into a wool shop and stock up on a few (non) essentials while I was there, plus in the dark evening in front of the telly (as always) I finished my short scarf/neckwarmer, made from another impulse buy - 1 skein of Louisa Harding Coquette yarn in olive, with a ball of Debbie Bliss merino to bulk it out a bit and add some softness.

Ok, so it is only just long enough to go round my neck and tuck into my coat, but I think with the addition of some tassels and a bit of stretching when i block it it will be just the thing for those autumnal commutes.

Bamboo flowers

I finally finished the purse I was making several weeks ago, from the Sirdar Just Bamboo yarn I impulse bought in York.



Now, which of my fine friends might receive this as a pressie I wonder ... it'll go in the box and await a suitable occasion methinks

Beautiful site, marvellous ideas

Have just found the following site: Purl Bee - its the blog a shop in New York (on the list if we ever make a shopping trip there) and has the most beautiful ideas for using up fabric. I particularly love the swatch portraits - definitely an idea for decorating my sewing space. The round frames make the fabrics look so much more exciting than square ones.

I have been reading the following post from Tree Fall - it's a really useful post, with lots of US fabric sites. I was wary of ordering from a random shop in the states, so it is nice to see another blogger recommending sites. Unfortunately, Manda has also disabused me of the notion that you can spend up to £18 on fabric without paying duty and VAT. Apparently (and this does appear on the Customs and Excise website, albeit in very very small print) the £18 limit has to include postage and packaging.

All of which means that my bargain from reprodepot that should be winging its way to me as we speak, might not be such a bargain after all - and now I have to wait for the cusstoms letter from the Post Office. Sigh.

Still, I'll know next time, and the gorgeous fabric I'm waiting for will be reward enough for the hassle.