Swatches, swatches, swatches

Holidays are great, but it has been back to work for me this week with a vengeance.

Two bid orders arrived last week. One from Sirdar and the other contained my organic merino wool and baby alpaca. I needed to do tension swatches for the whole range and prepare sample packs before it goes on the new website. I'm on the last one today, so nearly there... It is sooo lovely!

Scottish holiday

I got back on Saturday from my short break with Tracy in Prestwick. The weather was lovely (although has gone down hill since my return). In my absence there were two huge deliveries and now I need to get back to some serious work for the new website. Gary has done sterling work in my absence and it looks great!

Monty, my 'grandcat' really approved of the Noro 'everyway wrap' - see photo in earlier post - but it proved impossible to continue knitting!

Smokey, our boy, has missed me too and I've had lots of cuddles and purrs since my return. Mind you he is not so popular when he tries to 'help' when I'm at the computer.

Another prize!

Before I left for my short break in Scotland last week, Gary had more success in the petanque competition. He got through to to semi finals and returned home at 7.30pm with this huge piece of pork! We managed to get it chopped up small enough to put away in the freezer. The piece we tested on the grill was delicious.

Wrap of many colours

This is one of these clever patterns with reversible cables from the fall Interweave Knits. The NORO is very effective and also lightweight. The finished garment is deigned to be worn in lots of ways.

Our prize!

We went to the Mairie yesterday afternoon for a reception to all the residents who had won a prize in the 'gardens' awards. It is not a formal competition, but prizes are awarded to the gardens that improve the look of the village. We were delighted to win and our street did well, with a total of three winners. We enjoyed a a buffet of mini gateaux and sweet wine, after the Maire said a few words and we had been awarded our prizes of winter floral arrangements.

It has been a busy week here. Work needed on my PC meant I had a backlog and then when it returned from PC hospital – it crashed and had to go back in! It is back now but there are still a few problems with the new wifi set up. Oh, the joys of IT..

My cross stitch kit order arrived, and is now all checked off and ready. The Sirdar sample books also arrived and I have been working on an order for them. Two highlights this week (one woolly; one not) were the arrival of my un-dyed yarn samples, which are delight, particularly the baby alpaca. Can’t wait til the full order arrives as I want to use the organic merino aran for the Everyway wrap, from Interweave autumn magazine.

The non woolly excitement was when a letter arrived from the Mairie telling us we have won a prize in the village completion for our garden. All credit has to go to Gary, as he does all the hard work. The prize giving is next Saturday.

Work has started on the new website and it is looking very nice – but it all very top secret at the moment.

Taso’s Christmas scarf is finished and the extreme hood progressing. This afternoon, I have been working on a pattern which will be a freebie for the new website. My first pattern!

If we are organised and the weather stays dry, we intend to take stands at the markets at Eymet and Ste Foy next week.

(Quite) Extreme knitting

This is a little project for a hood/snood (yes, it is 30 degrees here today - but I'm thinking ahead!) Worked in four strands of Bergere's Alaska and size 20mm needles. It is quite hard work actually, but it looks good.

More soap

We also made liquid soap - but it does not make for an exciting photograph!

Last week was really different. I want on a soap making course with Melinda Coss in her house in Larocal. Melinda is the acknowledged expert on this subject having started a business initially from a hobby in her kitchen progressing to large industrial premises where she and her staff made superbly natural soaps and toiletries for Harrods, Tesco, Safeway, Asda and Sainsbury in addition to supplying exclusive shops and hotels in the UK and in France. Melinda is currently involved in setting up soap making units in rural Tanzania & in Cape Town to encourage and enable young people to run their own businesses.

http://www.makesoap.biz/

Over the years Melinda has written books on just about every craft you could imagine, but it was our common love of knitting which made the week extra interesting.

My lovely soap! I just have to wait 4 – 6 weeks now until it cures. Lots of lovely Christmas presents…. They smell divine – I can’t wait to use some.

During the week, we had lots of time to talk about making soap as businesses and other ideas focussing on development of Alba Yarns. I left with my head buzzing! This week has been busy following up leads, so watch this space for news of developments!

Tomatillos

I had never heard of Tomatillos until I bought a new book by Jamie Purviance to go with my Weber Q grill (you really should get a cookbook with these grills WEBER..). Until the book came along, the grill had not been used to its full potential. Mr Purviance is a genius!

Anyway, I was intrigued by his tomatillo salsa, acquired some seeds from the US and grew them. This week we had enough to make the salsa. They are funny little things, and start off with a little coat like a cape gooseberry.

After all that, I guess they must be an aquired taste - too bitter for both us. So sorry Mr tomatillo...