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It's been a fab weekend, today, for the first time in I don't know how long, we had a proper day to ourselves and the energy to go further than the local area so I spent oodles of money in...

...Bakewell!

In typical jammy fashion, we turned up into the only car park with a farmers market on the only day of the month when it would be there and found yummy cup cakes (sorry, they got eaten too quickly!), an incredibly expensive but unfortunately disappointing pie, a selection of wild mushrooms, some speciality breads and a fibre stall! Not to forget the two craft fairs, the deli with its fab cakes (we sat here and ate them)...

...and also our time-honoured favourite, homity pies from Bloomers!

It must be ten years since we drove there yet they still stock our vegetarian favourite even when we're now no longer veggie's.

And there was a craft shop where I purchased wool I hadn't seen anywhere else...and...

...This fantastic scarf I picked up on a craft stall. It's based on a Japanese wood print that I know and love and colours I love too so I just had to have it. We got a new set of home phones too as our old ones are on their last legs, an expensive but wonderful time was had by all!

Anyway, earlier in the week, I finally got around to the promised dyeing, here's where I ended on Tuesday...

That's 500g of English Wool blended with Viscose neps. It wasn't expensive and still quite soft so I was happy to play with my least favourite Ashford colours and blend them to shades I DID like...

Don't they look pretty all braided up? I had a fab time and learnt one hell of a lot. And yes, they've reduced some, that's where the giveaway bit comes in, see?

As I've dyed these in a test to check shading etc. I'd like to offer you the chance to spin a plait for yourself. As most people who read this blog are on Ravelry, you can PM me there (I'm chrispindle) with your name and address and the first 8 will get a random plait. For entries in the U.K. I can stump up the postage but unfortunately non-U.K. postage might be a tad expensive so if you really want some, I might need to tap you for postage, your choice.

Any non-ravelry entries can still be in for a chance if you put your e-mail in a comment on this post. For security, I'll delete the details as soon as I contact you so you don't get unwelcome e-mails!

The weights vary from 25-40g so there's enough to have a play with and wash. It will produce an interesting textured yarn because of the neps but I'd love to see what other people do with it. I'd welcome any comments, I have washed them but if you have any dye loss, let me know or even just to tell me about your favourite colours.

I had another fab day on Wednesday too...

...This is all I can show you 'cos there's some I'm spinning up for my swap pal right now and I don't want to spoil the surprise! I am seriously loving the colour combo's, you know that kind of feeling when it's all plaited up and you go "did I do that?".

The long skeins are actually 3 short lengths plaited together. I saw this fab painting in a restaurant and the colours stuck in my memory. It was an orangey goldy brown 'n' black sunset piece with the oil really ladled on with a palette knife. The blues have a seasidey quality to them and the other three remind me of the vibrancy of spring flowers, daffodils, bluebells, all sandwiched between layers of green.

Next week I've got full 100g+ skeins to dye, I'm starting with Wensleydale which has fab sheen and I may be revisiting a colourway or two, you'll just have to wait 'till next time!