Good Morning

Probably my final post for a bit as I am heading home today,Tess and Les are on the way home and I still have 21 bunnies eight cats and a lit raeburn!!!!!

Spent most of yesterday fighting off a really horrible headache but still manage dto wind up and label a lot of the yarn that I have managed to dye over the last few days and am trying hard not to buy any. I di go for a quick walk down the high street for cabbage for the bunnies, Morrisons do a nice range of selected seconds cabbages and lettuces. I have to say the high street is a little deceptive as you are lured further and further down the road only having to struggle my way all the way back up the steep hill with the shopping.

I had a wonderful suprise this morning, Ceri, Robins son, sent me some wonderful photos of Robin taken on a day trip they had out last October, in fact thinking about it it would have been the Knitting and Stiching show weekend at Ali Pali. They are wonderful shots of the three generations, Robin his son and grandson, I admit I shed the odd tear all I have to do now is work out how to print them off lol.

Quick Note

Yes I still have 21 rabbits (no babies) 8 cats (including the dirty stop out) and a lit raeburn so all going well this morning, nothing else much to report on except nearly finished the pair of socks that I left here last time 14 rows to go and I'll be done and have manged to hank and label all the yarn I dyed yesterday so ready to tackle the next bunch.

Dr Dolittle I'm not

So ok the story so far one mild panic as only having seen seven of eight cats for twenty four hours discovered happily sat in empty rabbit cage, just a dirty stop out.
Possible pregnant rabbit no sign of any action just enjoying being spoilt with fresh veg, other bunny who is having phantom pregnancey very depressed and off food, such a pity as she had made the most beautiful nest, even bribery of a cabbage leaf had no effect.

Only thing behaving itself is the Raeburn just a little worried that I might run out of fuel.

On to more knit based things, I visited a LYS in Cheam this morning called Whichcraft, nice place well organised staffed by a very nice lady as I know the owner has a full time job elsewhere. They are a Rowan stockist and seem to have a good amount of stock, they also stock Patons and Twilleys, the main reason for my visit was because they stock Silkwoods yarns. The only complaint I had, well not really a complaint was the fact that not everything was out on display so my advice would be is if you can't see it ask.

Before you ask yes I did buy something I brought four balls of Twilleys freedom, basically a roving similiar to brown sheep so going to have a little experiment with a felted bag.

I came back and dyed another four lots of wool, including another batch of water lily as apparently it has been very popular at the Sheppton Mallet show.

Lessons in Dyeing

Number one. always check that your hank that you are dying is correctly tied otherwise you will end up with the mess I had all over the kitchen table this afternoon.

Number 2 Kemtex Slate isn't grey in fact its a veru nice denim blue but not quite what I was looking for.

Lesson over other than a couple of mistakes managed to dye around half a kilo of yarn and it is all dried, weighed and labelled.

Unfortunately we did have an unwanted visitor this afternoon, a fox sunbathing in the middle of the lawn, I feel another sleepless night ahead, also I have a bunny that might be about to produce little bunnies (definitely no sleep). Raeburn still alight though.

Shopping Monster

Its terrible now that I have access to the computer I've gone mad and have been checking out all the american knitting websites and book sites and got very excited when I came across one fine yarn as they did the Jill Vosburg patterns and the shardigan plus the crayon box pattern that they are talking about on the ample knitters site, so I merrily ordered away including a couple of odd balls of yarn that I couldn't resist, I came to the checkout and attempted to pay by Paypal, as I don't have a credit card, to be told after filling all my information that they only accept US funded paypal accounts how frustrating.

I still have 21 rabbits, eight cats and one lit Raeburn so all going well if a little tired from lack of sleep. Dyed two sets of yarn last night and am about to go and tackle another batch.

Bad Blogger!!!!!!!

I know slap my wrists its been a while but the god news is that Yvonne's husband Matt has taken pity on me and has taken my lap top to give it some TLC so hopefully work schedule allowing I may be back online from home real soon. In the mean time I am back at Silkwood for the week to play while they are away, its great here its like a home from home with the added bonus of a dedicated space to dye in.

The weirdest thing just happened to me though on my way back from stocking up for the week in the high street on the way back I bumped into one of my best friends from Uni who I haven't seen since 1999 when we graduated, between him and Kerry I managed to survive my final year of my degree including the highly stressful final show, I would never have made it without his belief in me and my work. We lost contact shortly after we graduated due to illness, I was so upset at the time because he made me feel like I could do anything I chose to do (which is still with me today, he was a huge influence in my life). Well I gave him my phone number as he was in a rush, on the school run, unfortunately I don't think he'll call too much time passed, but just in case he ever reads this I just want to thank him for everything he did for me. (I know all a bit sentimental but I mean every word)

Fiddly Funghi

I am so fed up with not being able to post photos on this thing. I would really have liked to show you the yarns I dyed at tess' on Wednesday when I had a great time down in the dye cellar where she just let me loose. So if you buy any yarn from Silkwood then it might be one of my skeins. I now have the task of tackling the cotton that she has there when I go and look after their place next week.

I also brought DK cotton in pinks and greens last night for a modular bag pattern. It seemed quite a quiet night considering it was the first Thursday in the month at Liberty but fun none the less, especially inspired by Jane from the Guild wanting knitted Funghi for the leighton buzzard festival, which gave me an excuse to visit borders afterwards and of course their famous double choclate cheesecake, dragging Yvonne with me.

Now off to dye some yarn for these funghi and then to dig out some fine needles (not like me at all) to work out the construction.

Oh yes stand booked at ally pally, we are now in the main hall with a corner stand.

Conquering Olympus

Well we had a wonderful time at Olympia with Silkwood and have been asked to come back next year so we must have done a reasonable job. Many thanks go to Jill, Yvonne and Sue who came and helped us with the Knit and Relax.
We have also taken the next step to signing up for Ali Pali in October so fingers crossed, it will make it easier going with Tess and Les as I then don't have to worry about furniture removal and there are more of us to guard the stand and I can still go and play on the Knit and Relax stand.
My spending at Olympia was very restrained in fact the only Knitting item I brought was some lovely angora fleece from Tess to practice my spinning on. To be honest there wasn't to much else there, Magknits were there and Black sheep but nothing to much to tempt me but maybe I was just to tired as although the shops are fun its exhausting and am now suffering from a loss of voice after four days of none stop talking.
I also talked to people from the new Knitting magazine who are interested maybe in some of my patterns and maybe doing an offer including my kits, we will see.