Wonderwool vouchers available now!

Newsletter subscribers, your Wonderwool Wales vouchers are on the way : )

To claim your discount, simply print off the newsletter and bring it along for 5% off all purchases (and then stand back and wait while I try to calculate 5% of even the simplest of numbers!). (Note to self: must.bring.calculator).

If you're not a subscriber yet, you can sign up here and still receive your voucher. I'll be processing requests until late Thursday.

Hope to see you there : ))

xxx

Oh crikey - is it really Wonderwool already???

Very quick post to say that sock and fibre clubs were posted today, so it's postie-stalking time : )

Don't want to spoil the surprise but sock club members are getting a special treat this month - an exclusive preview of my brand new sock yarn! No clues but I just love it - softness, squishiness and total sock-knitability. There's a DK version too, perfect for slightly thicker socks and for those who find regular sock yarn too fine to work with. I've two DK patterns ready and two more on the way - more news of which to follow so watch this space!

Am panicking like mad about Wonderwool - so far, forgot to order more credit card slips (hopefully now on the way), ran out of gripseal bags and carrier bags and kit bags - aaargh! Had to buy (lots) more plastic storage boxes because....

....Yes, we have a brand new range of acid dyes and dye kits launching at Wonderwool!

Lots of new yarns (and dyes of course), so need lots more storage space, new display stands etc. etc.

Our new catalogue will also be available so make sure you pick up a copy.

Have lots of photos and news of recent events, but if I don't crack on I won't be sleeping between now and Wonderwool, so I'll sign off and hope to see you at the weekend!

New design for Simply Knitting in this month's issue!

Yippee! I've finally got my design mojo back and this month I have my latest design featured in Simply Knitting : )

This month is a cute little stripy top with a "how to" feature on knitting in the round (esp. dealing with those dreaded "jogless" stripes!).

I hope the evidence of dyeing all the yarn for the new colour range isn't obvious on my little paws (yes, they are my hands in those pics, honest!). I spent hours scrubbing and manicuring them, although Pete maintains he still spent ages airbrushing me to make them look neater!

Speaking of the new hand-dyed range, it is in my lovely lambswool/angora/cashmere DK yarn - absolutely soft and squishable and substitutable into most DK patterns. The pic above is "Sea blue-green" for those who like their knitting bright. For those who like something a bit more subtle, check out "Camouflage", coral and denim (yes, I can do subtle!). Oh, nearly forgot, there's a special offer price for Simply Knitting readers, too : )

Next month is the matching jacket and the "how-to" topic is "steeking". And I'll be teaching steeking at Baa Ram Ewe in Leeds if you'd like to learn how to cut your knitting with me alongside you to cheer you on!

February club pics - Midnight and Stormy Skies

Bit of a proverbial with last month's sock club as I forgot to take any pics at all and the extras were snapped up before I realised they'd all gone. So, if you have a pic (yarn or knitted up!) that you wouldn't mind me using, I'd be eternally grateful : )

I did, however, get my act together for the fibre clubs....

Roving medley (in merino/tencel), colourway "Stormy Skies" (no prizes for guessing the inspiration for this month!).


And Fibre Adventure club in a yummy combination of bamboo roving, merino/tencel and some gorgeous Romney fleece.

Spring!

My first gardening foray of the year and here's what I did.....

I found the madder I planted last year survived the winter, despite it's less than ideal growing spot - yippee!


The front garden looked much better after a bit of a makeover

Before:


During:

After:

(I also needed a makeover - specifically, a long soak in the bath to soothe my tired limbs and a footspa!). Luckily you have been spared the prospect of that photo!

But, I also spotted these:
Lots of frog spawn!!!

(Photographed it while it lasts. Usually the fish eat a good half of them - yuck!). Hopefully there will be enough left to ensure we get at least some frogs later in the year. I need them to eat the bazillions of snails and slugs that insist on munching on my dyeplants and lupins : (