dolly dimple knits

Woolfab

We went, we saw, we bought. We went, we saw, we bought. We went, we saw, we bought. We went, we saw, we bought. ......... pretty much sums up yesterday really. If you didn't go - WHY NOT ??? ARE YOU MAD ???? Seriously, put next year (provisionally 30th June & 1st July) in your diary now. It was SO worth the journey.

Jill and I knew it was meant to be when we saw this just at the edge of the village we were staying in

How much more of a sign could a pair of knitting-mad-knit-fest-goers ask for ? (I was tempted to stage a mock Yarn Harlot "sock on tour moment" but it was buried in my suitcase so the moment passed ....)

Woolfest was quite simply the most, most gorgeous and unusual yarn and spinning stuff and sheep and lamas and goats, oh, and knitters of course, I have ever seen in one place. EVERYONE I spoke to had blown their budget. It was that good. It was so good I hardly took any photos. I was too busy drooling and lusting - kind of messy sounding really but you get the picture.

I met so many old and new friends. Jill and I went already planning to meet up with India and Irene and one of the few photos I DID take looks like this

That's Jill in the middle for those of you who don't recognise her without a glass of red wine (that came later !) but India and Irene are experienced camera avoiders and gave me the slip at the last moment.

One of the photos I DIDN'T take was of Polly and another of Kerrie - both of whom I met for the first time - and being a very lax blogger failed entirely to get pictures of. But it was really lovely to meet them and I can confirm, for the record, Kerrie's children are officially gorgeous. Hugely so.

I simply revelled in gorgeous things yesterday. The colours, the yarns, the inspiration, the fabulous creations. Of course, my favourite fabulous creation was without doubt this one

It was lovely to meet up with Emma, Oliver and Allan again - all too briefly but a great reminder I NEED to go and see her again soon........ if I dare (more on that comment later !)

I'm really pleased with my loot from yesterday

Wonderful Silkwood Hand Dyed from Twistfibre (who had one of the best stalls there I reckon), beautiful Artisan Laceweight Merino from KCG Trading Ltd (another of my favoured stalls tho' not quite as much as Jill favoured it - I think they thought she was stalking them ....), some fabulous dyed curls of Wensleydale to trim scarf ends, rosewood needles from Scottish Fibres, ceramic buttons from Injabulo, lace scarf patterns (yes I know, me who NEVER knits lace !) and fabulous books Loop-d-loop and Knitting on the Road - Sock Patterns for the Travelling Knitter.

The sheer choice kind of fazed me a bit this time round. Next time I shall be much more prepared.

After all the fun of the fest, Jill and I stayed here - which was lovely with idyllic country views from every window ! Despite the fact that we managed to blow all the overhead lights in our room and then got ourselves locked in the next morning, it WAS lovely. Really. We should all stay there next year ?????

Dinner was recommended here -The Yanwath Gate Inn - by Peter and India - and it was superb. Really. We should all eat there next year ?????

See ? Preparation is the key.

I may have to prepare a bit more seriously for my next trip as for a welcome home present, Hazel, my 7 year old managed to get bitten by a neighbour's dog. So after the heaven of yesterday, I spent most of this evening in the hell of Accident & Emergency waiting for her to have some butterfly stitches applied. She's fine. She may be a drama queen at home but when it comes to public performance she's a real trooper :0)

Given that the last time I went away knitting (last Autumn when I went to Emma's) Rowan my littlest one put her teeth through her lip and ended up with the paramedics checking her out, I'm really starting to wonder whether I do dare go away again. I mean, at this rate, next time we could be talking about Rosie, my eldest losing a limb or something ..... !

But going away is worth it when you have such a great time and such a good reason or 2 or 3 reasons to come home :0)

This week ...

... I have mainly been doing sums.

Now it may not seem it, but this is monumental for a gal who took 2 attempts to gain a 'C' pass in Higher Maths as she could never see the f%^&*"g POINT OF IT !!! Are you listening Miss Strang ???

Miss Strang was my maths teacher throughout secondary and what a b ............ bloomin' lovely old dear she was. Not. However, I have to concede from the vantage point of supposed maturity (38's mature but not OLD right ??) she may have known something about teenage psychology. As she threw my prelim paper disdainfully onto my desk, curling her lip, (just under her ample moustache) and said " You, Heather, you will never pass your higher maths" , I thought "Oh yeah ? OH YEAH ?? I'll show you, you old b^G !" - Pah ! Damn teachers ! Amateur psychologists everyone of them ! Just as well really .....

So I got my 'C' and this week I did this

Maths ??? Yep. That comes in when you decide that with the large size at a finished measurement of 32 inches (!) this will be more "Floozy" than "Flighty" so you decide to upsize the pattern a little.

Then you realise the yarn you want to use (sent to you as a lovely gift by the fabulous Kay !) knits at different gauge, so you downsize and footer about until you think it will work.

And finally, you start knitting - and you know what ? It does work.

Flighty in Cotton Glace works. So long as you do your sums.

I've knitted this twice before in the recommended Cotton 4ply and I really love the back detail. My only problem this time is the straps are a little too long but that's easily fixed so I'm pretty much set to go. Who knows, I may even wear this next weekend .........

I'm now going into mad yarn festival going mode and as homage to all the wonderful American bloggers who seem to decide annually to knit a new sweater just in time for the Maryland Festival , I will be attempting to knit ......... a bag. Cop out ? Who, me ? I don't know what you mean ?!

Hey, Hey - Wait a Minute Mr Postman ......

...has been the soundtrack to my life this week. Dont'ya just loathe those little"we called to deliver a parcel while you were out" postcards you find on your doorstep when you know you can't get to the parcel office for FOUR bloomin' days. Happened to me this week. Twice . Aagh !

But it was really worth waiting for. See what I picked up first

This is the Froth scarf in KSH that's Rowan International's current membership renewal gift. I chose Trance for mine and it's a gorgeous colour :0) Tempting enough to start on KSH scarf even tho' it's summer no matter what Stephanie says.

But wait. It gets better. The second package was from Anita and it was full (actually I should say FULL) of fabulous goodies. See what she sent me.

She sent a ball of organic yarn in a wonderful deep chocolate brown, 2 skeins of jade green chenille, 50gm of Koigu (yes I know KOIGU !) in beautiful reds / blues / purples, Lush Soap, Cornish biscuits and not 1, not 2, not 3 but 4 books . I am not just overwhelmed but totally whelmed out of my head !

I've been avoiding doing any work today by browsing through the one on Cornish Guernseys - I think it's the fishing thang. 4/5 generations ago all of my family were fisher folk but that ended with the Eyemouth disaster when almost all the men in the family were lost. My great granny lost her father, 2 uncles, a cousin and 2 brothers that day, as well as the family boat and income. That must have been pretty overwhelming too. Great jumpers though.

Now before you think I'm just trying to distract you - I'm not. I have been doing some actual knitting tooo.

Take 2 skeins of discontinued Rowan Magpie in dark brown, add 1 skein of something orangey and bit tweedy that you find at the bottom of your stash, work some Booga J magic and you get this

... no wait, I mean this

The felted Kureyon flower is my own wee addition - a makey-up pattern from inside my head - but I like it. Let's hope my soon-to-be-having-another-birthday friend likes it too :0)