A great start to the year

Actually, this was really last year, but who's counting?

A parcel arrived from Emma in France on New Year's Eve just as we were leaving for a day visit to London.

Although I opened it late that evening, I didn't have a chance to really enjoy it until New Year's Day.

In it was the most fantastic set of bags for my knitting, and some lovely Phildar yarn.

Emma has been busy sewing, and knowing my weakness for purple has made me a reversible tote bag, and a small project bag.

This photo hardly shows the Phildar lambswool 51 yarn, which is in the Clematite 0204 colour.

The colour is a subtle variation on purples. I might need to brighten it up with something else.

We had a great day in London, visiting Ian's brother and his family. After lunch at their home, we all travelled in to Charing Cross by train, and walked over to the South Bank. This was at 18.00, so the crowds hadn't started for the fireworks later on.

We all had supper at Tas Pide near the Globe, and then went our separate ways for trains home.

Later Ian and I watched the London fireworks on the TV.

Wednesday saw me travelling down to Luton to meet up with the knitters at the Whitehouse. Jenn was my spoiler in the latest round of Secret Pal, and she has set up a regular Wednesday lunchtime knitting meet up in the centre of Luton. It was lovely to meet with Jenn, Martina and Lizzie. We had a chance to swap some ideas about knitting, crochet and spinning.

Thursday saw me back at the Art Room for some of the back scenes work associated with our move. (I managed to get the old premises vacated and vacuumed on Dec 28th.)

As we hadn't been in properly since Dec 21st, it was cold at 5 C.

I wore long underwear and worked in my jacket to start sorting out all the stuff carried over from the stockroom. some had been put in the compact storage as it was brought down the road. More of it had just been placed on the nearest bit of floor in the new unit.

Much of this 3 day rearrangement meant taking everything off the shelving so that I could adjust the spacing, and then replacing it in the order I think will work for us.

Now all I need to do is list the location of everything.

This won't be such a hard task, as I had already listed most of it at the old unit.

By the third day I was quite comfortable without the jacket.

That was such a change from shivering on the Thursday.

Tomorrow morning we open to the public for the first time this year.

We have changed our opening hours, and will be open from 09.00 - 12.00, 13.00 - 16.00 Mon to Sat.

Wednesday and Thursday evenings we will also be open from 18.00 - 21.00.

At least now we have a landline and internet access in the Art Room, so are much more approachable.

We are busy planning a varied programme for the year, check the website for more information.

Exchanges

Suddenly it is nearly the end of the year, and here is a little about a couple of exchanges I have taken part in.

I can now reveal my downstream pal in SP11. Despite releasing the parcel into the Christmas post, the final reveal has happened. Gisela lives in northern Germany, near the border with the Netherlands. Rather like Jenn did for me, I managed to find exactly the yarn that Gisela had looked at. We even went to the same shop about a month apart, and picked out the same items. I didn't know that she had been there.

The Online Guild has had a stash exchange in December. I received this fantastic parcel from Doreen in Wales. The box has been tied with paper string in two shades.Inside the box is a selection of fibres, yarns and fabric, mostly indigo dyed.

Accompanying it is a list of the items with information about how they have been dyed.

Some items were dyed with fresh leaves (home-grown) of Japanese indigo (Polygonum Tinctoria).

This surely is much more satisfying than the selection boxes containing chocolates that we were given as children. It will certainly last much longer.

And then there is the other exchange that has taken up so much of my time lately. Here in Long Eaton, the Art Room has been moving into much larger premises. We have the opportunity to expand, and to provide more opportunities for local artists whatever their experience. For the first time we will be able to make all our equipment available, without having to constantly shift things around. Of course it will mean more work, but mostly it will be FUN!!
I want a couple of days at home, then to get back in there to organize all the items that have just been moved into the new premises. All of this must happen before a private party on 6th January, and we open to the public again on 7th January 2008.

I've been at home during daylight hours!!

And now you can see the tremendous bounty I received from my upstream Secret Pal, Jenn.

The parcel came towards the end of November, but I was never home for long enough to take photos.

So, here we have an overview of the contents, which were all wrapped beautifully in tissue paper.

And now for a few close-ups: Firstly some pretty notelets and "The Friday Night Knitting Club". All I need is a bit of time to read!Secondly, the sweetest Santa I have seen in ages. I forgot to take a close-up of the seasonal teatowels.And lastly, some yarn. I really think that Jenn is a mind reader. I had just been at Harrogate, and at the last minute bought two skeins of this lovely laceweight alpaca. I wasn't sure whether to get two or three. Along with it is a skein of Araucania Ranco Multi ina fantastic blue mix. Just a few days earlier I had been disappointed not to win one of these on eBay.Now I must get on with making up a second bed in our guest room, as tonight we have two friends staying with us.

More from SP11, and a new friend

My upstream Secret Pal has spoiled me again.
I found this lot waiting for me when I got in from Nottingham this afternoon.
It was getting dark, and even with flash this picture doesn't do my latest goodies justice.

There are two hanks of merino for felting (or spinning) in a fantastic cerise shade; two lots of dark chocolate; PURPLE sock needles and the cutest little sheep keyring.

What a pity that I have too much going on at the moment to try out the merino.
There are too many deadlines looming for the end of the month in various parts of my life.

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Today I had a great time in Nottingham after the ceramics class.
I didn't need to rush back home to Long Eaton, and despite the half-term crowds was able to do some shopping. Popping in to the John Lewis store in the Victoria Centre for some glass headed pins, I paused in the knitting section. I was hoping to chat with Helen (the Rowan rep) .

While waiting for her to be free I got into conversation with a girl working on some lace knitting.
Jazz turned out to be having problems making sense of some of the instructions at the start of a shawl. I took a look, and talked it through with her. So now she is going to start afresh with different needles as the ones she had with her were pulling on the yarn too much.

I've checked out her blog and Ravelry entries, and hope to get together with her again soon.
That might be a bit hard with all I've got on, but it was so much fun talking knitting.
Eventually, I had a brief chat with Helen before making my way to Primark for tights on the way back to the station.

Last night I went "shopping" for yarn in the loft, and have a project in mind.
First I have to do some sampling, and then settle on a sweater shape.

Sheep and shows

Last Saturday I was at the rare breeds show at the Melton Mowbray cattle market, representing the KCG (Knitting and Crochet Guild).

I took my camera along, but only took a few pictures of sheep busy breakfasting.
I can't even tell for sure which breeds they are.

I think that these are North Ronaldsway. Seconds after I took this, a bit of friendly rivalry broke out, and horns were pointed in a menacing way.

These are longwool sheep. Just think about spinning their fleece.

And these sheep seemed to be waiting for something to happen. It was only 07.15 in the morning, so it was very quiet in the sheep pens.

The rest of the day was fun. We knitted, and talked knitting and crochet with passers-by. The Leicestershire guild of Spinners, Weavers and Dyers had a stand next us as usual.

SP11 has got off to a good start. I received this little package on Tuesday. It contained the perfect colour of Zephyr (Plum), and a Chibi. I used this to good effect when sewing up a cardigan that had been knitted by a friend of mine.

Yesterday was the first day of the autumn shows for me. I was at the NEC for the Knitting and Stitching show on the Relax and Knit stand. We had fun, and taught several people how to knit.

SP11 questionnaire

1. What is/are your favourite yarn/s to knit with? What fibres do you absolutely *not* like?

I love fine yarns spun from wool, linen, silk, hemp, you name it, as long as it is natural.
I have no use for eyelash type novelty yarns or acrylics.
I do like my sock yarn to be 4 ply, and to have up to 25 % polyamide or the suchlike to strengthen it.

2. What do you use to store your needles/hooks in?

Various items, including a beautiful needle roll given to me in the most recent round of secret pal.

3. How long have you been knitting & how did you learn? Would you consider your skill level to be beginner, intermediate or advanced?

I could knit before I started school, and have continued to do so.
In some areas I am advanced, in others merely a beginner.

4. Do you have an Amazon or other online wish list?

Yes, but not accessible.

5. What's your favourite scent?

Rosemary or ginger or other natural single fragrances like seaweed for soap.
I don't use bath oils etc, or candles

6. Do you have a sweet tooth? Favourite candy?

I only like chocolate with 70% + cocoa content.

7. What other crafts or Do-It-Yourself things do you like to do? Do you spin?

I make ceramics from porcelain, anything from a small bead upwards in size.
I spin, and particularly like blends of wool with other fibres such as silk.
I sew occasionally, but frequently recycle clothing from charity shops for that.

8. What kind of music do you like? Can your computer/stereo play MP3s? (if your buddy wants to make you a CD)

My taste is all encompassing, it depends what is on the radio at the time.
Otherwise, how about Jan Garbarek, Arvo Part?

9. What's your favourite colour(so)? Any colours you just can't stand?

I love purple, magenta and other jewel colours, and small amounts of the complimentary colours like acid yellow/greens.
Pastels are only good for overdyeing.

10. What is your family situation? Do you have any pets?

We are three adults here now, all the goldfish died long ago!

11. Do you wear scarves, hats, mittens or ponchos?
Scarves and gloves; and a hat when it gets really cold (but I have a handspun one anyway).
Never wore ponchos, and can't imagine taking to them now.

12. What is/are your favourite item/s to knit?

Anything that will satisfy my curiosity, which means lots of socks ( I work in a place with a concrete floor, and heating from above).
Otherwise small creations from fine wire, possibly with beads or sequins too.

13. What are you knitting right now?

Socks, and sampling for designing a cardigan.

14. Do you like to receive handmade gifts?
I love to, and give them too.

15. Do you prefer straight or circular needles? Bamboo, aluminium, plastic?

Sets of 5 sock needles, especially ina hard wood like ebony.
Circulars for the rest.

16. Do you own a yarn winder and/or swift?

2 of each, and 3 niddy-noddies!

17. How old is your oldest UFO?

I'm not sure, sometime, I'll have to root around and find a Shetland type sweater that I started long ago.

18. What is your favourite holiday?

Any time away from work, appointments etc.

19. Is there anything that you collect?

Yarn, fibre, fabric, seed beads, sequins - should I go on?

20. Any books, yarns, needles or patterns out there you are dying to get your hands on? What knitting magazine subscriptions do you have?

Jane Sowerby's "Victorian lace today", especially after hearing her talk at the Knitting and Crochet Guild AGM.
I'd like to try out Fleece Artist Sea Wool, as it sounds interesting.
I like the idea of casein needles, a 2.5 mm set of dpn's would be just the job.
I subscribe to Yarn Forward, and Spin-Off.

21. Are there any new techniques you'd like to learn?

I'm much more likely to work them out for myself!

22. Are you a sock knitter? What are your foot measurements?

Yes, I knit socks all the time as they are so portable, and invariably get people talking to me.
Continental 39

23. When is your birthday?

June 12th

24. Are you on Ravelry? If so, what's your ID?

Waiting for my invitation, 2388 people to go first.
Mind you there are 15, 242 behind me in the queue.
This will give me plenty of time to work out an ID!