NORO Cuthbert

'Cuthbert' is finished and so are the socks! I have worn the jacket twice this week and have never had so many complements. It is truly lovely - warm and cosy, and you you can dress it up or down. A brilliant easy knit - I'm delighted. Another pair of socks on the way (it is a bit addictive) and a wee surprise for Tracy's birthday (shh...).

Gary's birthday socks

Since Gary spotted this ball of sock wool and asked if I could knit him a pair of socks for his birthday, they have been to Birmingham and back. I had a slight panic when I wondered if there would be enough for the second one, but a top tip from Tracey Ullman and Mel Clark's book 'Knit 2 together' is to weigh your first sock and then the wool left over. Postal scales are useful - and yes, there will be enough!

There are some really different ideas in Tracey's book and I have plans to knit a linen door curtain for the patio doors. They recommend Euroflax linen and apparently they have no UK distributor, so last night I bought 500g of linen cotton on Ebay that is coming from Russia. It is 4ply, I think so I plan to use it double.

I am less keen on the Witches Britches in the book - I guess these are a bit tongue in cheek!

Signs of spring?

It has been a bit of a catch up day for me at Alba Yarns today. although Gary was here yesterday things were quiet, but lots of orders and payments arrived overnight. Maybe folk worked out I was away.

It has been a beautiful sunny day here today, and these little snowdrops were looking at their best.

A grand day out Grommit…..

Up at 4.45 is not much fun, but by 8.50 I was in the queue for registration at he NEC in Birmingham for the Craft, Hobby and Stitch International exhibition (not quite Harrods sale, but close…). My first experience of Eastern Airways direct service from Inverness to Birmingham, which was very slick and efficient.

What can I say about the show? It was immense – I sat and planned where to visit over a coffee, as the yarn stands were well spread out. I think I managed to visit all the yarn stands and quite a few others too. I came away laden with samples of brochures and made lots of new contacts. I will definitely have some new ranges arriving in the next few weeks – watch this space.

Around 17.00 my feet could stand no more and I set off back to the airport (what a great venue the NEC is, all linked by an indoor walkway). A bit of contemplative sock knitting while waiting for the flight home and back in the house by 21.00.

Wensleydale didn’t figure, but still a grand day out…………………..

(Wallace and Grommit fans will understand).

Exhausted…….

Returned last night from a truly exhausting couple of days (from the day job) not Alba Yarns.

Highlights were:

Dreaming of fish and chips all the way from Inverness to Inveraray
Getting fish and chips
A glass or two of wine on Thursday night
Meeting lots of nice folk
Gary visiting M & S and buying a ready dinner for my return
A glass or two of wine on Friday….
The delight of a night in my own bed
Waking up and feeling pretty normal and getting back to the world of wool
New delivery with summer stock – the colours are so lovely

Not so good was:

Poor Derek missing out on fish and chips ‘cos we got the last ones
Getting home at 20.00 on a Friday, truly past it…..
Why do deliveries always happen when no-one is in?

The 'antique' Aero woolwinder.

It has been a quiet, cold and dreich weekend at Alba Yarns woolly HQ, and so progress has been made with my 'Cuthbert' NORO jacket. There is something quite satifying about the winding of hanks of wool and my trusty Aero wool winder (see other pic)has been once again pressed into service.

The other exciting happening for us yarn lovers is that I am heading to Birmingham on 19th January for the big trade fair - Craft Hobby and Stitch. Reports will follow!

Dinner time for alpacas (carrots are go!)

Many thanks to Isabel for the great pics.

Beautiful alpacas

A souvenir from Isabel and Hamish's recent holiday - a visit to the Alpaca farm.

How cute is this alpaca?

Tracy's tank top - a result!

It's finished! This has been a nice quick project and both Tracy and I are very pleased with it. She decided on the pattern from the RYC Baby Alpaca book when she was here at Christmas and chose the olive green Debbie Bliss Cotton Cashmere as she liked the colour.

I wouldn't mind one the same, but have had a burning desire to knit some NORO and have started the delicious little jacket called Cuthbert in the Jane Ellison book. The Kochoran in shades of pink, grey and red is very lovely. Photos will follow.....