origin' has arrived

My first small order of the new BERGERE de France origin' range has arrived. The yarns and very luxurious and the designs are just amazing. The pattern book is so fabulous and will be gracing my coffee table. Anyone who has seen this range has fallen in love with it and I have a customer visiting tomorrow to collect her book and decide what she wants to knit - a difficult decision as there are so many delicious designs.

Le marché

We set off at 6.45 am for our first day at market at Eymet. It was raining when we set off, but the sun came out after dawn and it turned out to be a lovely day. The other stall holders said it was really quiet, but we were quite pleased with our first outing and have plans to improve the stand for future visits.

I love deliveries

I have two orders expected this week. Today, the Bergere de France order arrived, while I was at La Poste with my parcels. A wasted journey as it turned out as it was closed with a sign on the door - 'greve' (strike). Bah humbug!!!
All systems go on my return to get the new stock photographed and on the website as soon as possible. There are two new magazines 149 and 150; the first for kids and the second for all the family. I am so tempted to keep the yarn that arrived for me (Teddy and Eclair) for the pattern featured in VOGUE knitting, but I'm not even halfway through the Christmas sweater.....

The second delivery arrived at lunchtime and it's been all systems go to bet it all checked and photographed. The King Cole yarns are for the value range and we will be taking these on our market trips. We're hoping to get to the market in Eymet on Thursday.

Soap packing

Yesterday, I packed up some of the soap I made in September on Melinda's soap making course. They are wrapped in tissue and then pretty fabric tied with ribbon. These are destined for Jo and Brigitte to thank them for the walnuts. And the black and white one went to Margaret for her help with the picking.

Il fait beau!

The wether has been glorious today and yesterday, in stark contrast to the UK. Amazingly for November, G found two ripe figs still on the tree this morning. The pyracantha hedge is looking at its best with the sun shining too.

I have plans to use some organic walnuts to dye wool and my friend Margaret ans I set off this morning to pick some that were left over from the harvest. We picked a huge bucket full and as a bonus some lovely field mushrooms too.

At last!

Much excitement last night when we discovered that we have at least two hedgehogs visiting the garden. G heard their funny snuffling noise and at first thought someone was trying to saw down the hedge (what an imagination!). Any way, then he spotted the little chaps rooting around and this morning the grass bears the evidence where they have been digging up worms. It must be too early or not cold enough yet for them to hibernate.

Success (well in a temporary sort of way)! After trip number 5 to Libourne - 325 km/200 miles, this morning I got a temporary card to authorise me to sell at markets. It is valid for a month and would you believe it, I've to go back in a month to collect the 'proper' one. C'est la vie française!

Still no card...****

We had another trip to Libourne today to get the market selling card. Only waited half an hour this time - but guess what? They wanted nother piece of paper I did not have with me. How difficult can (French) people make this? Anyone in business here deserves a medal. Determiniation has set in and we are going back tomorrow. Third time lucky, I hope.

Anyway, a little pic of the first ECO wool sleeve to cheer me up..

This cheered me up...

The quest for my official card to sell at markets continues. After waiting for an hour in the queue at the sous prefecture in Libourne - they wanted a piece of paper I didn't have with me. They never make things easy here.
I was cheered up by the arrival of a promotional package from Bergere de France yeasterday. in fact I can't stop looking at the contents as they are so gorgeous. They have launced an new lxuxury collection of yarns with a superb collection of patterns. A ball of cashmere for me! I would love to stock this, but need to work out terms. The range is called Origin' - more about this later.

French bureaucracy

After the delights of yesterday's weather, 'le temps anglais', as they say round here, has returned with a vengeance. As we had an appointment with the Chamber of Commerce in Libourne it didn't matter much. I had hoped to take some photos of the Pomerol vineyards, as the CCI is right in the middle of them, but they were not looking their best today.
However, I can now take my wares to market since I got the appropriate permissions! At least once I get to the Prefecture for my carte de commercant ambulant. I managed to go and get the obligatory photos taken, but will need to head back to the prefecure another day.

The sun has returned!

After a week of rain and wind, it was pleasant to wake up to the sun this morning. It made my stroll to La Poste very pleasant. (No bike today - too many parcels).

The main street of the village is looking wonderful, now the new road surface has been laid. We have had two years of work, but the village is looking superb.

In French class this afternoon we covered character traits, which was useful. "Je suis une tricoteuse".....is not a trait I was told!

Friday Night Knitting Club

As most people will know, Julia Roberts was was of the earliest celebrity knitters to 'come out'. I'm sure it must be a suberb way of killing time between takes. I have just discovered that she is starring in the film version of 'The Friday Night Knitting Club' by Kate Jacobs, which I loved when I read it.
I can just see Julia as the lead character, Georgia. The film is due out in 2010 - I'm counting the days!
PS Julia, if you are ever in France and need wool, let me know.

Gary's Christmas sweater

Now the wrap is finished I have made a start to Gary's sweater (hopefully for Christmas?) Becacuse he does all the photography for the websites, and as a result he has a wish list of yarn that takes his fancy. This is my first project from the Knit Naturelle stock - it is important to test it out!

Finding a pattern is always a bit more tricky! Anyway he finally settled on the diamond cable sweater from the Sirdar Eco wool III book. Made a start to the sweater last night. The Sirdar ECO Wool is lovely and soft to work with and will produce a really warm garment; it will be ideal for playing petanque in the winter!

Everyway wrap

Thank goodness Smokey is a bit better today; yesterday was terrible. He could hardly stand and was the personification of the term 'spaced out' after the injection the vet gave him. This morning he was HUNGRY and his voice has returned. What a relief!

My everyway wrap is finished. Knitting is great therapy and it has helped take my mind off poor Smokey's troubles. He also likes it when I'm sitting down; although knitting and cuddling don't mix - he needs my full and undivided attention!

Anyway, I'm not surprised this has proved such a popular pattern as it is so easy once you get to grips with it (check for the errata though; error on the chart), and such a versatile piece.

Vet visits

Our poor cat Smokey, who is now 16 has not been well. Just back from our second visit to the vet this week. He has an enlarged heart and it is beating way too fast. He needs pills every day (he's getting used to that), but sadly the water pills he was also to take were making him sick. Today, he got the works, temperature - so undignified!!; blood test and then an injection to stop him feeling sick. He's now on a special diet too, which he seems to like thank goodness. He came back limping and feeling sorry for himself, but hopefully if the woodburner is on tonight that will make up for everything.

Knit Naturelle est arrivée!

At last the new website has gone live. The trouble with selling wool, is that recently I've had no time for 'me' knitting! The swatches are all finished and we even went to take some pictures at the Post Office yesterday for the new site. We thought it would be quiet on Sunday morning, but it was like Piccadilly circus, and we got some very funny looks...