The Little Yarn Detective Agency

My first days off in ages - and all the pretty new books I ordered have arrived in the meantime!!  

After settling down to flick though my parcel, I couldn't put this lovely book down - Icelandic Handknits, by Helene Magnusson (There were lots of little extra symbols in there, but our british keyboards do murder them).  It's filled with gorgeous knits I'd want to keep forever, along with stunning little items I'd be happy to make as gifts.  

The pictures inside were just so captivating, all the snow & ice & warm lovely jumpers.  After thinking about them all day, I sat down to hand-dye some fleece to spin & knit into this heirloom shawl.  I'm so happy with the result!!  It's a merino/bamboo mix and, though I'd hoped the bamboo would only absorb a little bit of the colour for an icy effect, it took in none at all, staying gloriously crisp & white - like little icebergs on a deep cold blue sea!   

The little foxy stitch markers have been stolen from the shop stock - they were too adorable to resist.  Mine.  Mineminemine.  Oh, and the little blue milk jug?  It's another of the lovely little wren pottery collection.  

As ever, I may have spent far too many hours bothering the lovely people at The Yarn Cake.  And I fear I may have scared some customers - though they did stay for coffee so I really think I helped, in the end.  

So they walked through the door. Cautious, wary, the intrepid novice yarn explorers.

Quicker than a spinner to a pile of silk I was upon them. In retrospect, it may have been a tad overwhelming. Discounting the fact that I don't work there, I had within a couple of minutes elicited who he was buying for and found her on ravelry. It's not stalking if it's helping.  We shall not discuss the fact that Antje and I may or may not have been stalking detectiving educationally & helpfully looking people up earlier in the day.  

None of this happened within five minutes... It wasn't a whirlwind of two scary ladies getting really excited over someone else's birthday present...

I blame the coffee.

Panda x

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A little day off and a Yarn Cake

You've heard me mention working.  I'll just quickly slip that in again.  So I had a day off and was determined to use it to it's fullest :D

I popped to The Yarn Cake - did I mention that I may have strategically chosen my new flat because it's on the street next to this lovely little shop?  I'm not going to lie, or be at all ashamed of this.  Such goooood caaaaaaake.  And wool.  And fluff.   I don't see my partner very much at the moment because I'm mainly working nightshifts & he's working days.  So I may have moved into the yarn cake for the day.  Such lovelies, who wouldn't??

Anyway, I sat with coffee and a magazine in the morning and was very surprised to notice this little guy appear beside me.  He made himself right at home!  Cheeky little cat.    According to his tag, he's called John.  Which I feel is an insane name for a cat, so I shall call him Cat.  Do you have any funny/naughty cat stories?  Do post me them below or on twitter, they do make me giggle!

Oh, and did I mention my new shoes?  New shoes.  pahahahaa I loooooooove them.   Shooooooooooos :D


Let me know what you've been up to!  Don't suppose I'll bump into you in The Yarn Cake one day?  x