If at first you don't succeed....

Remember the last post re: difficulty photographing dogs?


He's in there, honest, you can just about see one ear!

Untouched, straight off camera. Well, I was trying to keep him from knocking them off at the time! it's definitely a two person job.


Aaah, doesn't he look cute??? Not really, I think he's working out how to safely disembowel me!
Actually, being the wimp that he is, it's more like, "no, mummy, stop doing this to me!! I'm just a poor doggie" etc. etc.


Well, It's difficult to find photos that don't give stuff away re: SP10 so you may find a few more of these. So, what have I been up to so far this week?

A few more inches on the YO Yo Jackety coaty thing (pic to follow) - currently all icky smokey after knitting night so has to be fumigated before resumption of knitting, but great for mindless knitting ( only 16" to go....).

Parcel 1 of SP10 is winging its way over the water and my wallet hurts... plans to send next one Surface!

Knitted pressie2 well under way, it's the metre and a half of I cord (x2) that's getting to me, still, I cord holds no fear now! Major timetable to get everything ready for next parcel, am I a slavedriver or what? Old habits die hard!

I got my super duper cheap copy of Inspired Cable Knits so I can continue my sweater (once the madness is over), got a ding in one corner, otherwise mint.

Plus, Jaeger Matchmaker Merino now half price ( so I got her to save a pack or four!) So life still good!

Sprung Has Springed, Piccies, Yarn and Poochies too!

Aargh!! Click a button in the wrong place on this damn thing and it publishes!!!

Peace, tranquility... I've been racing round like a loon in the local park trying to get a half decent pic of these two reprobates...problem is, there's a real time lapse between pushing the button and it taking the photo so that's why many of my pics have to be stagemanaged as below...

Floppy, squirrel-watching.

After all, as I've joined the Purling Puppies, I felt I hadn't taken one of them in a while- best to grab them when they're snoozing...

I also snapped some of the greenery but that'll have to wait for another time or I'll overload you with images!

Also, as I've not much in the way of FO's ( I can show you); I've got a pic of one of last years FO's, a complete rewriting of Knitty's Leo.

The original was a 5x3 rib which I redesigned for some Matchmaker Merino Dk then fiddles again to knit this in Jaeger Matchmaker Merino Aran - Another Yarn shop bin selection, at £1 per ball, the whole thing cost me under a tenner! Being rib, I wanted to add something to keep me interested so the travelling cable pattern evolved- not easy to see on the photo. As I was working with 2 colours ( not enough of one), I played with skipping the cable bit to add interest.


Remember Marble Mountain? Would this be Linen Lake then?


My recent two Hauls of Rowan Linen Drape, aren't the colours glorious?

And I loved the colour of this cotton 4 ply, I've already earmarked a project from the Romantic Knits/Beads Buttons and Lace books.

And just to show I haven't spent all my time knitting, here's some gorgeous carded batt I'm spinning. There's merino, silk 'n' soya in there so it's got a lovely sheen...


There's under 300g in the bag but I have got a similar amount of a wool/silk mix in similar colours so I may blend, it depends what weight it comes out as.

And finally...


Bargain of the year, cute bunny ears. The dilemma is this;
1) I give them to Kath for her little one, bearing in mind they may never be worn

2) I attempt to take at least one pic of Floppy wearing them. Not as crazy as it sounds, I semi-trained him to " wear" a pair of reindeer antlers for very short periods at christmas, unfortunately never when a camera was in sight.

3) I buy a second pair so I can fulfill both criteria

Poor Kath, she's going to think I have a real thing about bunnies! ( whereas it's really I can't pass up a bargain!)

Will this post make up for earlier?

SP10, Blogger theatrics and all that Jazz

So, I've been noticing for a week that I haven't had my icons for adding pics etc. to my blogs, hence why I haven't posted for a while (that plus I've finally got my SP10 match so I've been frantically knitting, more of that later). Anyway, for anyone suffering the same problem, it appears Java's pretty crucial to the whole process (and as a side issue, the recent Java Update has meant anyone not updating could be in a load of doo doo program wise), so it's back to Firefox again where everything's hunky dory. In all fairness, the computer's been whinging for a Java update for ages so I guess it's my laziness, but it does appear Blogger likes Firefox best- they even mention the fact in their help stuff, yes, I actually looked this time!

Anyway, enough techie mumbo Jumbo, onto some serious yarn talk. I have been knitting, but because of SP10 I'm not sure if it'd spoil the magic so I am taking pics as I go and it'll have to be one big explosion after it's all over. Pity, because I'm doing some interesting stuff right now that I wouldn't necessarily do for myself. I am knitting for myself, a big (huge!) coat jacket in Yo Yo but as there's 29" of stocking stitch to knit all I can really show you is the pretty colour change. The Growing Roots cardi's on hold 'till I get my book ( see below)

The second Valentine's sock is still stuck on the needles, mostly 'cos I can't be a***d with it and I've had my next installment so it's starting to pile up. I see Anne finished Round 2 of Sock Madness only to bow out, don't blame ya, if it's too much pressure, is it worth it? Too many times I've taken on far too much and ended up having to let people down so I'm (trying) not to let it happen again despite my life not being at its most stable right now.

We've been budgeting away for a combined £500 car bill, with MOT, Insurance and a Drive shaft all needing doing at the same time, well, the job was done but the noise is still there so that means the wrong shaft was changed and it'll be another £180 to fix it. There's a question mark over whether both shafts needed changing or if the fault lay with the Garage for changing the wrong one, or the least noisy one, I know my opinion but my soft hearted husband seems to be wavering.

I'd list a few bits on ebay but the market's not wonderful at the moment and there's nothing worse than going through the time and trouble to list a whole heap of stuff and have half of it not sell or go for peanuts, it's demoralizing! And I've inadvertently made the library buy the same book in twice, it appears Romantic Style and Beads, Buttons and Lace are one and the same, one for the U.S. audience, one for U.K. Now I know you're going to say I didn't force them to buy them but I still feel guilty about it ( but not so guilty that I won't slip a few more interlibrary loans in on Monday!)

THEN I bought a few balls of lovely yarn to send to my Spoilee and lost one on the way home! Plus I've been putting myself under pressure to find the perfect pattern then disliking knitting with it ( why do I do this to myself?) Plus himself's been glued to the computer (probably to take his mind off the car) so I've been feeling pretty lonesome and scoffing a whole lot of choccie, bad sign.

God, I'm obviously in rant mode today, apologies for anyone who actually ploughs through it, I PROMISE I'll stick some sort of pics up, maybe later so you can scroll past this crap and look at pretty things!

On the positive side, I got another bargain of the decade, Inspired Cable Knits for £1.98 plus postage off Amazon ( God Bless You, Warehouse Deals!). For those not in the know, it's still Amazon but when they get a book with scratches, scuff marks etc. that's not 100% perfect, they mark it down to ridiculous prices and I've got a few real bargains that way.

I await the postie with bated breath!

Sunday's Drama (and some yarn to drool over!)

Well, Sunday morning, I'm tidying up the living room (for that, read clearing enough space for 3 people to sit down for a change!), a number of cars start reversing and darting down different roads opposite. I thought maybe a big lorry was trying to get thru or something, but when a big Police van blocked one of the roads opposite, I wondered what was going on. When a fire engine crawled past, my attention was piqued; when a Fire Incident Vehicle trolled past, I was definitely expecting a fire or something but couldn't see anything from my window. I had to drag myself away (to finish clearing), and kind of forgot about it, it was only when my brother showed up and remarked that the road he'd usually take was blocked off, I decided to investigate further.

I didn't have my camera at the time, so the hole was less pronounced than below, but you can kind of work out what happened...



... To explain, that wall's been bulging for months, there were some bricks at a 45% angle from the wall when I walked past it on Friday, so you can fill in the blanks from there, the wall collapsed all over the road (hence the reversing cars), the police then Fire Brigade were called in to investigate, then by late afternoon, a scaffolding company had been called in and you can see them taking away the loose bricks and later putting planks in place to hold the rest of the wall together. Being somewhat important, it takes up half the road so that end is now closed for business for the forseeable until it gets repaired, hopefully sooner rather than later!

I guess that's what happens when you don't check your gutters and point your house!

Anyway, onto more yarnly pursuits. After bombarding you with pics the other day, I felt i could sneak a few more in this one! I've been to Ryder House today, bought 4-ply cotton in a vibrant purple for a fab project from Beads, Buttons and Lace, Rowan 34? with Linen drape patterns in it and of course, a quantity of Linen Drape in turquoise, Purple and Claret (although other shades are calling to me!) From a previous haul we have...



...2 balls each Rowan 4 ply soft ( it is too!) in turquoise and pink for that recent sock pattern on Knitty . It's not as bright as the camera would suggest, but you get the idea.

Also, the yarn for those Space Invader Socks- they will be for my brother as they'll be too big for me but, surprisingly, he's keen! (although he wears through socks in a matter of days so they're not likely to last long!)



Also that cable and lace eyelet pattern I was talking about. I found (and wound) a 500g hank of pure wool DK this morning in blues and greens, unfortunately knackering my back in the process (again!) and thought it might work really well for this one so watch this space!

This is the evil fluff of Death, otherwise known as the softest Shetland you've ever known plus a tad of Tussah silk. It's springy so you can't have the lightest tension on the wheel ( or it won't wind up), but too much and it breaks by the minute! It's yet to tell me what it wants to be, but there's not much of it which is why I wanted it fine. Never mind, maybe it'll be a Spin Thursday and I'll find out then.

So, quite an eventful weekend, all things considered, Did the Mother's Day thing which was a joint outing as it coincided with my dad's Birthday, sorted the innards of a new computer for him so he's chuffed to bits with the results and ma's got plenty of flowers and a basket from my Bro so she's happy too.

I'm waiting in eager anticipation for the next sale selection at my LYS and in the meanwhile, I've had an e-mail from my Secret Pal! Still to find out who my match is, it's all a bit behind at the mo. which is a shame as i've knitting needles at the ready for my pal! maybe tomorrow?

Pic Fest (or what I've been up to this week!)

So, for any of the more eagle-eyed of you, yes, the previous post did sort of finish abruptly, I hit publish by mistake ( something I've done more than once!) , had to go back and edit it then it wouldn't show the rest of what I'd typed so I gave up and grizzled ( as you do in such a situation).

Anyhoo, I've made this one rather picture-heavy (mostly due to a heavy dose of retail therapy on Thursday at my LYS), although I actually cut 6 other images from the final selection, so think yourself lucky!

Firstly, my first (can I say that twice?) Valentine Sock. Not sure whether the pics are smaller than usual 'cos you plain can't see the textured hearts though you can on the original.


Never mind, at least you can see it's finished. Decided lack of enthusiasm to do the other one though, but I have had a busy week so I guess I'll get back to it.

This was meant to be my completed throw/long shawl thingie. I thought it must be long enough on the way home today ( for that read getting to be a bit of a pain to knit with becasue of the length); so I cast it off only to find it's still 40cm short! One more ball then! it's still the easiest pattern ever so I can knit it without having to concentrate which is a great bonus.



Remember the Inner Child I wanna? Well, I did.. One back from Inspired cable knits knitted in Marble. Love it. the colours keep playing tricks in different lights and changing the more colour repeats I do which is fun. The pattern's pretty easy and keep trackable, it'll be armhole shaping next.

You can just about see the cable movement in the close-up. As it's sitting amongst k2 p2 rib, you won't be able to see the pattern properly until it's stretched out on a human but it should fit my contours pretty well. Whether that's a good or a bad thing is yet to be seen!

Despite being pure acrylic, I find it nice to knit with and not at all plasticy, at the end of the day, providing it's soft and pretty, I will knit with anything, so I'm not that much a fibre snob.

My library's gone bonkers! I now have NINE books that they are buying in for me rather than doing interlibrary searches. Here are the latest hoard...

There's Kaffe Fassett's Pattern Library- it kinda does what it says on the tin. That's my only interlibrary book from Bury?

Then there's Cat Bordhi's Second Treasury , Love it! There's more from the wacky world of Moebius, bowls, baskets, hats, cat beds and loads more PLUS all the joys of felting your finished knitting- truly a follow-on sequel.

The back one is the Inspired Cable Knits I've been waxing lyrical about previously- that's the cover sweater peeking out. And finally, Beads, Buttons and Lace By Jennie Atkinson, a writer for Rowan. There's loads of really pretty things in here including that gorgeous Butterfly Dress ( form the cover of Romantic Knits) that uses - wait for it- 3 Balls Of Kidsilk Haze PLus one ball contrast! Four 25g balls for an entire dress! By god, that yarn really has some yardage!

There are some less-than-useful patterns too, the dressing gown that leaves a foot long trail behind ( I can just imagine breaking my neck going down the stairs 'cos one of the hounds has stood on the hem!) and the ubiqutous shrug- really pretty pattern, just needs a front! Overall, I'd recommend it though- but it does help to have a closing down LYS whose selling them cheap!

Speaking of which, Bargain of the decade, I was in there on Thursday and she was selling off balls of - wait for it- ROWAN LINEN DRAPE for 50p per ball!!!!!!!! Guess who's her best friend? She was also getting rid of Monte Cristo pure cotton so I've asked if she can find 2 packs of any of the colours for that fab Rowan Cardi on the cover of the first Knit Today. Watch this space....

She's also reduced the paper patterns, now £1 rather than 2 so I've taken the opportunity to add a few more projects to my pile. Below is a pattern for FDC Mohair Multi, the one I rave over



Generally dated eighties style patterns but I love this one. Don't you love the way it changes colour? That's one of the brightest but the range covers loads of shades. I picked up two other lacy cabley Jaeger DK patterns to knit up more of it so I'm covered on that score!

I've also three options for my two colourways of Marble Chunky, Left is a lacy arrowhead affair, centre a cable number and right a kind of combination of both, PLus whatever I don't use on this, I've loads of other chunky wool to use so I'm quids in!

And Finally, the other library book- Loop D Loop, also good but perhaps one to mull over properly at a later date showing off my Handspun silk. And, yes, the pic's fuzzy but by that time I couldn't be bothered to do more!

Ten grams in weight, 33 WPI ( roughly) and I think I worked out around 370 yards long. Haven't a clue what to do with it, but probably simple lace to make it as long as possible. Indigo dyed Silk Cap from RawFibres ( which I believe is no more). Learnt tons, the most important lesson being I HATE SPINNING SILK CAPS (and Hankies)!!!!!!!! I spun it so fine, it was forever cutting into my hands, had to change to the Kromski too 'cos I was so sick of the vibration on the Ashford. Still can't fix it and it's really getting me down. Closer to woolfest, I plan to ring Wingham's and see if they'll service it while I'm there, maybe they can cure it, who knows?

I like my Kromski, it's got much less of a pull than the Ashford and finer ratios so you can spin fine easily, but it is noisy. I plan to get an extra leather bearing for the back or front and screw it in with the original, that'll at least stop the rattle from the flyer working back and forth as you spin. Then if I could cure the bobbin rattle too, it'd be a silent spin!

Current spinning is the most divine soft Shetland mixed with a modicum of Tussah silk. Lovely to hold, a bugger to spin! The damn stuff is so springy, it needs the lightest tension for fine spinning and then it either won't draw up or it breaks every five seconds! Most exasperating!

Maybe by next post I'll have done something with it?

My Latest Projects (or how I desperately want to start something new!)

You know how it is, when you were a kid, you'd been ill, you were recovering and you wanted to start loads of things but didn't have the energy to finish anything? That's me right now!

I'm (barely) holding a cold at bay, the Asthma meds have mostly taken care of the sniffles but boy, am I under par! I kinda want to snuggle up in bed all day, have someone else take care of me and just sleep it all off even though I know I'd ache after a while.

So, the knitting's been slow, I've two projects on the go at the moment, one for days when I have a couple of brain cells functioning, the other for truly brainless days. Guess which one this is?


Correct, It's the latest Fyberspates sock club installment as promised. You can just about see the textured hearts in the design, it's got a fold over top which is why it looks a little weird. It really fazed me at first, so soon after finishing the other pattern 'cos it was so thick in comparison!

I debated whether I'd been sent the correct thickness at first 'till I told myself to stop whinging and just get on with it. As usual, I've had to do major overhaul to the pattern, this time it was too wide so after 6 swatches on different needles I decided I didn't like the shape of the original heart anyway so shaved 2 stitches off the width of each ( plus a little length) and now it's the perfect width for me!

After using an alternative heel I thought I really ought to take a photo while it looks all flat rather than when I do the foot and it all distorts. So that's where I'm up to when I have the brains to follow the pattern!

This is the other WIP, lace for the braindead! It's in my fave Patons cargo to knit up quick, takes 7 balls ( 700g!) and requires no finishing other than tidying loose ends. Bliss! (but boring!)

So, why do I want to start something new? I already have a Spirit Jumper half-made desperate to be finished (just in time to be stored for next winter!); my Starmore sweater started from god knows when and numerous bits of finishing to do on almost completed sweaters that I just don't want to deal with!

I waver between a Victorian lace project or a stitch patterned sweater (yet to be found) for my variegated 4ply kid mohair blend or knitting the cover pattern from Inspired Cable Knits in Marble DK. Or them socks on Knitty (even though they'd probably turn my hair prematurely grey). Or probably a hundred other different sweaters once I start looking thru my knitting books and mags.

The Long Skein Tale part two

Not wanting to end my adventures halfway thru, I had to tell you of the final chapters.

So, yesterday it was drying, being such a skinny skein, it dried quickly and by the morning, you could just about see subtle changes where I'd done dots and dashes, it'll more be a shadow but should add interest.

This afternoon, it had to be re-stretched in order to wind off on a wool winder before being re-skeined to an appropriate length. Remember having one door that opens into the area? Well, it was even more crucial today as the skein had shrunk so a heavy thing to keep the door from opening too far was also a necessity.

You can just about see the wool winder on the floor. As usual, roughly an hour of pacing up and down the hall ensued ( perhaps a little less frantically than yesterday!) What really surprised me was how different it looked wound on the ball winder and later on the bobbin when I decided it needed a little extra twist

And finally.....

...The rewound, respun skein in all its glory! I'm pretty chuffed with this one- as usual a little less vibrant in the flesh but extremely pretty!

I'm definitely going to use it for socks, hence the extra twist for wearability, but I'm toying with those Space Invader Socks on Knitty - Imagine the sprites in multicolours, or am I going on an acid trip?

And finally, I managed to get a quick pic with my Mum in her cardi, not artfully displayed or anything as we were rushing to get out for her bus home, but at least I got one!

My Dyeing and Wool(fest)!

Okay, if all you want to see is the pretty yarn, scroll down to the end of this post.

If, on the other hand, you want to see my first dabblings into the world of long skein dyeing then read on!

So, first, find a hall, kitchen or other long stretch with doors at either end. With handles. It also helps if one door opens into the aforementioned space (so you can get your skein off at the end) ; a lock on that door is good too (to stop it swinging open prematurely!)
So, after running frantically up and down the hallway many times with my yarn bobbin rotating on a DPN (and dropping it at regular intervals), it looks something like this...

Thankfully the photo has mostly missed me out so you can't see how red faced I am! It's amazing how many ways you can sneak excercise into spinning and Dyeing!

Next, the skein gets ( for the first time in my life) an overnight soak in cold water with vinegar added, it really makes a difference to the finished colourfastness. (You don't really want to watch a skein in water do you?)

Next pretty photo is the beginning of my dyeing enterprise. As the skein was skinny, I could lay it on either sides of the cling film then roll them both up to the centre. You can just about see where I've done dotty and dashy effects - this took time and effort- not really worth it! You'll see in the eventual skein that it's done a pretty good job of covering everything!

I used between 2ml and 8ml dye stock which I diluted mostly 5X except yellow which I diluted 1:1 to save it from disappearing. (This mostly for myself as a future aide memoire!)

Anyway, squirt it, roll it over, squish it about a bit to cover the white bits and then roll it up and start all over again until you have this..... ( roughly an hour later)

My big, rainbow doughnut! I had a decision to make as to how to fix the dye- I've always used the Microwave in the past but it is a bit brutal (and the yarn was handspun laceweight Bluefaced Leicester) so I turfed out my little-used electric Steamer, set the timer for 35 mins and waited for the ping.

Being super cautious, I left it in the steamer for an hour before curiosity overtook me and I had to have a peek. Amazingly, it had taken almost every drop of the dye solution and the colours were bright and gorgeous ( if perhaps not quite the effects I was looking for!)

Don't forget the skein was at least 20 foot long? so I couldn't fit it all in view! But this gives you and idea of how well it dyed. Again , being skinny skeins, it's almost dry by now and I'll probably ball then skein it over the weekend. As it started to dry, you could see slight variations where I'd tried to do dotty things so they'll probably show as variations in the knitted fabric.

I'll have to decide whether I do make socks with it- there's 85 grams and acres of yardage ( but i can never be bothered to count!) or do something lacey, but is it too bright?

The main thing is, it survived unscathed! I was careful washing it in not too hot or cold water, not rubbing or squeezing too much and it's really turned out well!

Changing subject, here's one I prepared earlier! Not really, I finally got my February sock yarn from Fyberspates. It's sooo thick compared to the socks of doom which you'll remember have only just come off the needles and as usual, swatching the pattern came out miles too wide! After hours playing with needles and swatching, when I finally knitted up the pattern, I decided the hearts were the wrong shape anyway so I changed the 16 stitch repaet to a 14 stitch and lo and behold, it now fits me!

There are still a few teething troubles to iron out (like when I get to a certain point in the pattern adn all hell breaks loose!), but I've knitted the flap, the rib underneath the flap and I'm gallantly knitting down the leg but I'll post a pic when there's more to see.

My other little indulgence of the weekend was this gorge skein of cashmere from the Yarn Goddess on Ebay. Plenty for a pair of socks and half the usual buy-it now price so I'm a happy bunny.

It's a little more subdued than the pic (camoflage) but I thought it looked so nice I'd use this pic anyway.

Sp10 will soon be upon us, I've had my e-card and I'll be getting my pal any day now! And the real Woolfest's getting closer...bit by bit...

I'm back! ( and fully? recovered)

Phew, it was touch-and-go whether I'd make this weekend at Anne's , I was not at all well Thursday (on 24hour fast to be precise) and it was a case of sheer willpower (and bloody mindedness) that I got there on Friday. However, much relaxed and rejuvenated, I am now feeling much better. So here first is a photo of my kind hosts...
We went on a walk on Saturday round a local lake, it was really pretty and I got some lovely photos.

Anne was collecting some moss for dyeing ( note Islay? in the right hand corner eyeing it up as potential food- typical dog!). So, a grand time was had by all, and much fine spinning was done, but try as I might, I couldn't fill the bobbin! No point in posting a pic yet as ther's not much to see, just wait a week or two 'till i've spun another bobbin, plied and dyed, hopefully that'll be more interesting!

I did get in a few hours of knitting too, and finally finished these babies...

Fyberspate's yummy Alpaca yarn, finally knitted up into the Helter Skelter pattern otherwise known as the Socks of DOOM because of the amount of frogging and re-working of the pattern I had to do to get the tension right. They are very pretty, and, yes, the second one did knit up like a breeze after the traumas of the first. So 2+ hour journeys can be fruitful too!

Here they arev from the side so you can see ( just about) that I've modified the pattern so the pattern is only on the top, not underneath so there's no bits to dig in.

Still, I'm now ready for February's sock yarn when it arrives- it's a bit off 'cos the pattern that went with it was meant to have a Valentine's theme which has long since passed so I'll have to decide whether I use it or not. Lord knows when March's delivery will turn up!

I also had a smackerel of plain knitting ( for chatting time) so I didn't lose track of the pattern. So the current WIP is...

...Renee from Colinette Yarn's La Bella Vita Book. The yarn is Fandango, knitted on 8mm needles and boy, does it shed as you knit ( it's a Viscose chenille). It's actually a lot more subtle than the pic ( usual camera tricks) but only after I finished the back (which I love) did I realise there are 4 seperate shades in the 5 balls I have for this project so the front is now a mix of 3 balls and will look more orangey than the back. I'll see once it's knitted up further whether I'll do a minor frog and make the back the front and vice versa, but it's a quick knit so I should have it finished in a week either way.

GOOD NEWS: while I was turning the house upside down looking for packaging materials for my recently sold Ebay items, I came across not only the lost ball of Bigga but also the lost pattern for Cargo so I'll finally be able to finish one project and start another.

Unfortunately, I also see a grand zip-sewing-in fest in my near future as the now-completed Point 5, the Bigga and an old Noro project are all overdue zips. Deep and boundless joy!!!! ( NOT)

And finally, blame Kath for working in Abakhan for this one, my Marble mountain! Brand new out, each of these unassuming balls actually weigh in at a whopping 200g! James C Brett have really outdone themselves this time, first creating the super cheap (but very pretty) Marble DK, and now Marble chunky, same gorgeous colourways but better, softer and with more shades of colour. I'm in love!!!

So I had to ( persuade) my husband to pick me up from Chester and on the way home, stop in at Abakhan so I wouldn't miss out! I can't wait to start knitting with this BUT I'm going to trawl my ( somewhat massive) pattern library to find 2 beautiful patterns to knit it into- in a month or so's time - maybe... 'Till then, I can just look at them...