Playing with Yarns

As you know by now, one of the things I love to do is experiment with different yarns, my favourite  one being combining yarns.  This week I saw a beautiful photo of a talented facebook crocheter (see image below). She had crocheted a stunning C2C blanket and added crochet flowers.  I could immediately envision this in shades of white & off-white, so off to the stock room I went.

I decided on Rowan Alpaca Soft DK combined with Rowan Kidsilk Haze for the main blanket and would add various shades of ivory, white, off-white for the flowers. So I settled in for an afternoon of crocheting bliss, except by the time I got to row 8 I wasn’t loving the feel of the project. It was soft, oh so very soft but not really showing off the ‘haze’  from the Kidsilk.  So I nabbed a ball of Rowan Alpaca Classic and started over.  It was much more like I have in mind,still soft, drapey & hazy. So much so that I did a small test piece with a hook 0.5mm smaller – that was a revelation ! The smaller sized hook gave a far stiffer stitch AND proceeded to hide the hazy part of the yarn. So I finally settled on a 5mm hook with Rowan Alpaca Classic (115) & Rowan Kidsilk (612) held jointly.

Those of you that crochet C2C will know how quickly it grows, today was an afternoon well spent, with an enormous amount of progress made.  I will try to keep working on it as much as possible but this week heralds the arrival of 2 more sets of builders to work on the second reception room and the entrance hall and… finally… I have a Kitchen !!! Woohoo, am so thrilled to make my morning cup of tea in my own home again.  The bathroom is complete too, so both the temporary kitchen and bathroom pods have been sent away (never to be seen again, Please !!). Everything is new so it’s taking a little while to absorb all the new operating aspects of everything (doesn’t technology on household goods change at the speed of light?), do you want a peak at my new range? I am so very HAPPY with the colour…

Ok, ok… the photo on the right is just an example, that I shall aspire to when I next get to cook 🙂 

Work is well underway on the stockrooms and the shop itself. I simply cannot wait for the day I can announce my reopening, I have missed you all very much.  I hadn’t realised how much of a social person I am and how I miss those chatty sessions in the shop.  We will have new yarns (Brands) to show off as well as a new look shop. Although these last 5 months have been rather trying it has given me the time I needed to thoroughly overhaul my stock and take note of where I can improve the yarns offered, through price, colour and quality.

So, for now I must leave you as supper is just about done and the family will begin baying for food before long. I hope you all have a wonderful week, with no dropped stitches or tangled yarn balls,

Much Love

Sharon xx

A little update …

It has been a rather long time coming but I am glad to say that actual work has begun on the house this week, albeit slowly but it still gives me joy to see our home starting to receive the huge hug it really needs. The electrics are first priority, then the enormous task of construction, plastering, decorating, fittings etc can follow. A few of our wooden furniture pieces were removed for restoration (those that I was rather attached to and didn’t want to replace) but the majority has to be purchased.

Some might find that a thrilling event but for me choosing the kitchen, the bathroom, the furniture and everything else at once was a mammoth undertaking. I began to feel as if the quote from Henry Ford, “Any colour the customer wants as long as it’s black”  would have come in very handy some days !! Anyway choices have been confirmed, the house is finally dry and days are filled with the sound of merry contractors (and they are a lovely merry bunch).

So, on to the shop – work has commenced there too. Once again the units will need replacing, along with just about everything else bar the yarn we rescued before the shop flooded. It has been easier than I imagined to maintain our customer base, mainly due to the unwavering support of such wonderful people. Local pick-up and online sales have been fantastic but oh boy, do I miss the interaction with my customers. I can see now that I would never be happy operating an online only store – I NEED the company of these hugely talented, innovative, creative geniuses. Every single one of you has brought something to my life and enriched it … so I cannot wait to be back, shop open and contentment restored.

Sorry this is such a ‘wordy’ post, I have photos of the house and shop etc so will pop back in a few days and upload some, so you can view the chaos the new shop will arise from.

Keep those needles clicking and those hooks twisting until we can meet again,   

Much Love,

Sharon xx

I am sure we have all seen or heard of Temperature Blankets by now – each day you crochet or knit a row corresponding to the colours you assign to a range of temperatures. I have even seen mini granny square versions and sewn patchwork versions. Recently I became aware of a new twist on these – changing the criteria for the blanket.

So instead of recording daily temperatures you record something more personal to you, such as your emotions or your level of fatigue etc. It can be for joyous reasons or more sombre causes. I think completing one based on how far you have walked each day is a lovely motivational idea. Admittedly the groupings for colour changes may have to be in metres as opposed to miles etc but that’s the beauty of what makes it so personal.

For ill-health sufferers they may wish to record their level of fatigue, those whose income fluctuates daily could record that or you could simply record the number of times you laughed each day.

Above is an example of how the traditional temperature blanket is decided, just change the colours & criteria to suit your own project. It is a fantastic way to use up odd balls of yarn as well as providing a solid record of your yearly journey.

I personally like the idea of a motivational one, each day I would strive to do that little bit more so I could change the colour of yarn for that day. I would also be interested to note the days where I achieved less and perhaps identify a pattern (excuse the pun). Ultimately I would have a warm and cosy blanket in colours of my choosing by the end of the 365 days (366 this year) – and you can’t beat that !!

Let us know if we have inspired you to give it a go,

Much Love

Sharon x

New Year, New Me?  

Hmmm … I quite like the current me actually, although I do concede perhaps I could do with a few tweaks.

Namely to address my extraordinary talent for falling down the rabbit holes Instagram , Facebook and such lay at my feet (well, fingertips really). This is were I really excel, whole hours lost to the wonder of Pinterest boards, losing focus on tv shows being watched (there is a particular episode of Midsomer Murders that I have seen maybe 5 times but never in it’s entirety, whoops!) and the ultimate sin of having a family phone conversation where you are asked what you think… and realise you have been distracted by Ravelry and so have no idea how to respond to said question (it’s only happened twice but still, the shame !).

It’s not just that I lose valuable time being distracted by all the glorious designs & concepts online but I started to doubt my own level of capabilities.  When I give thought and consideration to my next project then view all the outrageously beautiful options others have achieved I feel despondent that my efforts will not meet that level.  I also realised my own creative thoughts & ideas were being reduced to smouldering embers by believing I could not produce any original ideas.

All of this resulted in a significant increase of procrastination.  In other words, I spent so long viewing what I wanted to make rather than actually doing it.  So this year I have resolved to only actively seek out inspiration when I am looking for a new project.  Obviously in my day job I need to be aware of current trends and ideas, this I can happily do as I advance through my daily schedule, so have no fear, the Knitters Attic will still be bringing you up to date designs and yarns.

The other tweak I shall be introducing is knowing when to accept frogging is the only solution to a project. Whether it be the yarn did not behave as I envisaged, the gauge is off or suddenly I really, really can’t stand the shade of purple I was using for a new hat.  I have given myself permission to undo the project and save the yarn for something else (maybe not that purple though !!).

In theory this should enable me to post about my many finished makes this year – there, I’ve said it aloud, so I now have umpteen people avidly waiting for my continuous flow of finished projects … Eek !!

Perhaps you will allow a small amount of poetic licence and I showcase some of the Knitters Attic team’s projects too? Indeed one of us here is embarking on the Ipsa Blanket CAL – if you haven’t seen it then all the details are here –  https://knitterknotter.com/tunisian-blanket-cal-2024/

Isn’t it stunning? It is Tunisian Crochet (something that is becoming a huge trend right now). The designer Arunima Goel is releasing the hexagon patterns over the year, she provides YouTube videos or you can complete her Tunisian-in-the-round crochet course to help you. 

Our team member is using Symfonie Yarns Terra 4ply for the CAL, it is the softest yarn and is available in some outstanding colourways, here are 4 of our favourites – 

You will need a double ended Tunisian Crochet Hook (we have very nearly sold out but more are winging their way to us as I type, message me or call if you would like to reserve one). The hexagon patterns themselves are FREE each week, just sign up to the designers newsletter to receive info when each one is released.

In other news, progress is being made on my latest pair of socks. I found the Opal 4ply ‘Charlie’ colourway a tad too bright for my tastes , so I combined it with a cream solid yarn and am over the moon with how it looks.

Well, with that all currently floating around my mind I should leave you there and move forwards by picking up my current WIP for a cheeky hour’s knitting. I hope you all have a wonderful 2024 and remember we all carry great potential – just remember to stop for a moment and allow it to surface.

Much Love

Sharon x

Day 9 of our Advent Calendar promises you a chance to win our Giveaway – A £20 Voucher to spend at The Knitters Attic !!

To enter just comment below telling us your favourite yarn you choose to knit/crochet with – click on “Comments” to leave your answer.

The winner will be chosen by a random generator and we will post the winners name on here tomorrow. You have until midnight tonight (9th December UK time) to enter.

Good Luck !

At the busiest time of year all your good intentions to knit/crochet/sew/bake etc can often get lost in your frantic schedule. So we took a look at Drops Design website and found a few of our favourite quick patterns that you might be able to squeeze in.

First up is Christmas Blossoms, beautifully crocheted baubles to complement your decorations

Next to that is another FREE pattern – Enchanted Mushrooms. you can make these in any colour you wish to blend with your current tree theme. Just click on any of the images and it will take you to the FREE patterns.

Then we have Holly napkin rings to add a touch of sophistication to your dining table and finally for a bit of fun… a ‘Merrier Christmas’ wine bag cover.  It would certainly provide a talking point and hide any wine bags of 2L-3L.

I am rather taken with the Holly Napkin rings and shall settle down this evening to an hour or 2 of crocheting, with the old christmas songs I favour playing in the background. Sometimes in the madness of the lead up to the holidays you just need to quiet your mind for a little while !

much Love

Sharon xx

As most of you will know by now, we were one of the unlucky ones who suffered flooding a little while ago. The house and shop were under inches & inches of water, along with another property we have about 5 miles away (how are unlucky were we? Over 200 properties in Suffolk were flooded and 2 were ours) Actually we consider ourselves very lucky compared to some folks who suffered much worse damage.

So the Shop here in Bredfield is closed until further notice ( NFU insurers are working hard to come up with a temporary solution while the shop will be refitted) but we are still operating with online orders.  Our stockroom did get marginally breached, damaged stock was immediately disposed of and all the unaffected stock was immediately moved to a new storage facility.

So that’s where we are … soldiering on, living out of Pods on our lawn and making the best of this ‘adventure’. We declined hotel accommodation as we have Owls and Goats that need us on site etc. So if you spot a slightly crazed-looking woman splodging around in her wellies do give me a wave. Cooking in the Kitchen Pod is an eye-opener, I’ve never cooked with a gas hob before … Eeek !! 

Moving on to more pleasant subjects – We have NEW Yarns in (they were ordered before the flooding). King Cole offers a beautiful sock yarn called Norse 4ply. It has an unusual self-striping pattern which allows for great creativity when knitting your socks.

Not only new yarns but a new brand to us – Rico Design. From Creative Melange Wonderball Aran to Ricorumi you will find exciting new yarns to try. There are corresponding patterns available too and if your visit Rico Design’s website https://www.rico-design.de/en/collections/patterns/ you will discover small FREE project patterns for you to try the Ricorumi yarns with.

All this new crochet yarn had me reaching for my hooks and I found myself wondering why I prefer some hooks (and needles) over others depending on what project I’m working on.

Years ago I happily knitted everything on the metal Pony needles – today I’m inclined to look at my yarn and ponder what it prefers to be used with. I am not, by any means, a hook/needle snob – the right one for the job is all that matters to me. For example over the years I have discovered I prefer to knit my larger garments on short tipped, corded interchangeable needles. the weight of the sweater is distributed more evenly and is less painful for my wrists.

If I’m knitting a lace pattern I prefer longer sharper metal tips. For socks I use 2 different types of needles – the addicrasytrio for the toes and heels but the 9″ mini-circulars for the foot & leg. I also prefer bamboo needles for sock yarn. It makes me wonder how previous generations managed with just bakelite needles and wooden dpns? We are certainly spoiled for choice these days. That’s why I can never recommend just one brand or one type of hook or needle.

Crochet Hooks have various grips, are usually wood, metal or plastic and vary in length. I thought I was a dedicated wooden hook user until I tried the KnitPro Gold SoftTouch Hooks.They are a joy to use and feel so comfortable in my hand.

In other news, there are a few brands we have decided not to continue stocking. We are in the process of a huge stocktake and in the coming weeks I shall being holding a MEGA Sale of these yarns. Scheepjes is one of the brands I’m letting go, as is Bernat and Regia – There will be more !!  Which means I will have room for all the lovely NEW brands I’m bringing in – I won’t spoil the surprise and tell you just yet though.

Sadly we shall have to miss out on our yummy Hot Chocolate Bar in the shop this year. I do so look forward to the beginning of December purely for that. I’m not at all convinced sipping marshmallow-laden hot chocolate in a Pod on my lawn will have the same degree of pleasure ! Thankfully my youngest daughter will be hosting us for Christmas so there are good times ahead to look forward to.

Just one more thing to add (and the most important), I really need to tell you how much the love and support you have all shown has made this difficult time so much more bearable. I have been moved to tears by your concerns, offers to help & unwavering support. I find it hard to use the term ‘customers’ when in actuality the word ‘friends’ is far more appropriate. So Thank You, from the bottom of my heart, you are amazing and I’m grateful to everyone of you. 

Keep the Knitting/Crocheting going !!

Much Love

Sharon xx

I have been wanting to offer Evening Classes for sometime now and a quick poll of subjects revealed learning to knit socks as the winner.  So over a course of 6 weeks we shall be learning and producing a perfect sock (maybe even a pair).

I shall take you through everything from choosing yarn and needles (there are so many different options), the different types of heel & toe styles and how to execute the perfectly knitted sock.

You can bring your own yarn if you already have a favourite you’re keen to use or you can purchase yarn here at the beginning of the class (maybe arrive 10 minutes early if you want time to choose). We shall also be offering special ‘The Sock Flock’ kits – comprising of a ‘Sock Flock’ zipped bag, 100g sock yarn, dpns, mini-circular needle & stitch markers.

Everyone will be using our very own tried & tested  Sock pattern. Each row of the pattern has been written out individually and there is space for you to add notes or check off each row as you go, so you will never be wondering exactly where you are up to (see image of example pattern below). If you are brand new to sock knitting it can become confusing working on just one half of the sock for the gusset/heel/heel flap. The best advice I can ever give is work the pattern AND trust the process. Of course I am there with you every step of the way to help you and show you the methods used.

Just to note I do  plan on offering a further evening to Evening Classes Socks in a few weeks for those who cannot attend on a Thursday. I shall also be offering  Advanced Sock Evening Classes and  Brioche Cowl Evening Classes very soon, just need to fix the dates and then I will announce the details.

I am super excited about these Evening Classes, I love the thought of a regular class that allows us to meet & progress together, hence I have named the class as a whole as ‘The Sock Flock’. Don’t forget there will be Tea & Cake too !!

Can’t wait to see you all,

Much love

Sharon x

July & August are fabulous months for yarn enthusiasts within the East Anglia region.  There are 8 participating yarn shops this year and each one has unique properties to offer the discerning Yarn Crawler.

At Norfolk Yarn you will discover a gem of a Rowan Flagship Store, at Sconch you will be able to partake of refreshments at their cafe whilst eyeing up the glorious shades of every yarn colour possible. Venetia’s offers you gorgeous handdyed yarns, Diss wool shop has an incredible amount of beautiful knitted up samples to squish. Crafty Lasty can offer you some rock bottom prices on their imported Turkish Yarns and Yarn Worx stocks some exquisite high-end items such as Furls Crochet hooks. If you head to The Wool Patch you will find fabric alongside the yarn, and the infamous Lavenham Blue Yarn.  

Truly each and every shop has something different to discover. Those of you who have already visited us here at The Knitters Attic know our diverse yarn offerings, but did you know we have Knit Club, classes and Yarn Tasting Days?

Why not pop along to all the shops and get your passport stamped so you may enter the Grand Draw? 

I can promise you that you will receive a warm welcome.

Download your Yarn Crawler Passport here https://theknittersattic.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/EAYC-1.pdf

Late to The Party …

Firstly, my apologies for the lengthy gap between this and my last Blog post.  You know how it goes, Life presents you with a series of Events that have you lurching from one crisis to the next – when you come out the other side you take stock and realise that you have let so many important things fall by the wayside. Never fear, all is restored to good order and I’m back in the fold.

Now, you may recall back in January that I announced this was The Year I was going to be true to myself, yes? I have done much work on myself to achieve a very pleasing result. The Knitters Attic has undergone a new working model and is proving to reap the benefits of all the hard work.  I make time to spend with family & friends too, it’s no longer all work and no play. 

Which leads me to my ‘down time’ – I’m an avid cook, crafter, homemaker etc but the one bandwagon I was too busy to jump on during Covid lockdown was that of…. Sourdough !! So, 3 years late to party I maybe but I finally decided to join in the trend (that and I really LOVE bread!!).

But wow – so much choice, so much advice, so much consternation, where to begin? In the absence of having a useful Sister (ahem, you know who you are) with a starter to share I accepted that I would have to start from scratch. Now, apparently the very 1st decision to be made is to name your Starter – trust me this is as difficult as trying to name a child or pet, gulp ! I veered, for a while, between Mabel and Margot but ultimately decided Margot would probably laze around in the jar and spoil, whilst Mabel would work extra hard and I would end up with nothing but air bubbles. Finally I decided on Gertie as a name. A name which I later recollected I had previously chosen for my starter when I toyed with the idea 30 years ago.

Anyway, as of this morning Gertie is now the latest addition to the household. She will be petted, fussed over and mollycoddled and then most likely hissed at and thrown in the fridge to be ignored. Where she will flourish and bloom no doubt !! That’s the standard behaviour I gleaned from the 342 blogs I have read on the subject. I’ve also discovered that sourdough can be painted, with gel food colouring. Sadly I am not going to give Picasso a run for his money in the artistic department but as the dough bakes it does soften/blend the drawn lines so I’m optimistic. I will post my efforts, fail or success. That’s someway off though, feeding the starter for at least a week and then producing the loaf leaves my knees trembling in trepidation.  I have read so many times that the starter is ‘Live’ hence carrying a name – please sourdough-starter-guardians look kindly on me !!

Not much yarn news this time, unless you count the quiet reflection time I’m achieving by sitting knitting and observing my starter dough on the shelf. It is astounding how much knitting I get done now I no longer worry about knitting anywhere.  My father had a further recent hospital admission, from the hours spent in the ambulance, a&e, then the admission ward (plus all the further visiting times on another ward) I almost achieved an entire sweater. I cannot praise everyone enough, from the paramedics to the nurses, for their commitment to getting dad back up on his feet and back home, so very grateful to all our NHS.

Unsurprisingly I have nothing to report with regards to the starter dough yet, will keep you up to date soon. 

Much Love Sharon xx

Did you know … we have over 4000 different colours of Yarn in our shop !

I’m going against all my principles today and am working on a Sunday. We are in the process of implementing an all-singing, all-dancing POS system. Which is fantastic but oh boy, is it a lot of work!! For the majority of The Knitters Attic’s existence our online sales exceeded our shop sales and we had set up our system with this in mind. These days it’s very much not the case, so to provide a smoother service we have taken the plunge to install a complete new system, rather than just add to our existing one. We have got the next 3 solid days to achieve this; I’m optimistic but please bear with us this week if you visit and find a little upheaval.

Knitting-wise I’m romping away on socks, a blanket and samples for the shop. I have a wish-to-knit list as long as my arm … so why am I suddenly so taken with this crochet cardigan, Abigail by Emma Wright? It’s crocheted up in Rowan Alpaca Soft DK in the image below but any DK yarn would work just as beautifully. It is rather stunning … and it has pockets!

In other news, once the POS system is in place and order has been restored I shall be extending The Knitters Attic shop opening times, increasing by a day, Tuesdays. The hours 10-4 remain the same but that’s 5 glorious days for you to pop along, have a look, partake of a coffee and sit & decide your colour choices. With over 4000 colour options on display, in varying weights, nobody should be hurried to choose. Take your time, compare, look at them in daylight, feel their softness (or lack of, you know who you are Sale Yarns!)

The POS chaps have arrived so I must leave you here. I figure if I ply (pun intended!) them with coffee & a danish every hour, they will forgive any shortcomings they find whilst setting it all up.

Just to end on a fun note, how cute is this Grumpy Owl? The pattern is free on @gwilami‘s Instagram page. 

Much Love, Sharon xx

Holiday Opening Hours..

Just a quick note about the forthcoming holiday opening hours – our shop will be open on Christmas Eve until 12 noon, we shall then be closed until 4th January.

We have had the most loveliest of years thanks to our wonderful customers and friends of The Knitters Attic. You have all shown phenomenal support, after sadly losing my mother earlier this year and having a very poorly father to worry about too. It has been almost magical to get through the year with such love & understanding.  The new classes have been very well received and we have some seriously exciting news to impart in the New Year with regard to the next ones (pretty sure you’ll love them !).  Thanks to you our sales have gone from strength to strength, despite certain delivery companies doing their best to thwart us.  We’ve read so many reports of other businesses being hounded by customers for late/non-existent deliveries but on the few occasions it has happened to us we have had nothing but the most wonderfully understanding customers. It sounds clichéd when we say this but it truly does make us so glad to be working in the knitting/crochet world. There’s no better customers in the world in our opinion !!

We quickly want to add that should you be local and in dire need of replacement needles or run out of yarn for your current project etc (whilst our shop is closed)  then give us a call. We can arrange payment and leave your items to be collected in our safe place.

All that’s left is for us to wish you all a very merry Holiday Season & a Happy New Year … have fun and keep safe !

Although we will be closed in our bricks and mortar shop until 4th January you can still order online and we shall be sending out your orders as they come in. I intend to take a few days to myself, to relax and enjoy with family, then I will be back in my office planning for next year.  Quite a bit has been put in place already but I feel I would like to increase the social interaction and the wellbeing benefits of groups of knitters/crocheters. Perhaps on a simpler, less time consuming basis for them, shorter classes, one-off yarn socials for example. A couple of years ago we held a Knit-in-Public-Day here, it was so much fun and a refreshing take on a knit & natter group.  So keep an eye out for what’s coming up in future post & newsletters.

Much love,  Sharon xx

Half price on ALL Rowan yarns Today? … Don’t mind if I do!!!

What an absolutely cracking day we had yesterday – it was wonderful to see so many old friends (and new) in the shop, snapping up the Rowan 50% Off Yarns. The online orders poured in too, we are just so happy we found a way to thank our terrific customers for their loyalty & support this year. Knowing that so many are now about to commence with a project they have been dreaming of left us full of bonhomie & good cheer. We have been working through the evening packing the orders to get them to you as soon as possible.

If you wish to take advantage of these wickedly-low prices then just use code THANKYOU50 at checkout.

The image above shows the Oslo Hat by Petiteknit (an incredibly talented designer, all her patterns are available on Ravelry, it’s really worth taking a look at them). To knit a similar one we suggest using 1 strand of Rowan Alpaca Soft & 1 strand of Rowan Kidsilk Haze

Of course there are many colour options and many of the Rowan yarns will knit up beautifully with the Kidsilk Haze, you may need to increase/decrease a needle size but as long as your gauge matches the pattern it will be fine. With the 2 yarns mentioned above we would suggest commencing with 3.5mm needles and making your tension square first.

As the Rowan 50% OFF discount is valid until midnight Sunday you still have a whole 24 hours to find your perfect colour choice. Knitting a hat will involve using dpns or a circular needle as you reach the crown of the hat.  If you are unsure of anything please do give us a call/email/message and we can certainly help.

Wishing you all a delightful Sunday, with plenty of time for your knitting & crochet.

Love Sharon xx

‘Tis the season to be jolly … and ‘tis also the season for late-night knitting & loud proclamations of “I’ll never get it finished in time!”
Why do we do it to ourselves? Spurred on by the thought of happy beaming faces unwrapping a oh-so-complicated fair isle sweater or one’s entire family decked out in matching hat & gloves – we are all guilty of overreaching ourselves at this time of year. Who hasn’t handed over a partially finished project with apologies and a firm promise to not eat or sleep until we have completed it? It is shameful to admit but as a yarn shop owner I do not possess a ‘Christmas Jumper’ simply because I only have the desire to knit one in the exact same season I’m knee deep in gift knitting. 

Last year I knitted everyone scarves, heavily patterned texture scarves, which were a huge hit. This year I have spent more time worrying about how to top that than I have knitting – a victim of my own success! I had, foolishly, thought I could knit everyone socks this year (note to self start knitting those in January next time). 

Thanks to Royal Mail it has been an incredibly stressful run up to Christmas this year. So many parcels are taking so long to get to their recipients, a couple have even disappeared in transit – I use tracking for my packages, can you imagine the anguish of discovering the parcel has ‘disappeared’ at the local sorting office 2 miles away? And they blatantly ignore my request to be allowed to ransack the sorting office and find my missing parcels myself … completely unfathomable! (I am kidding but a part of me believes I would find it every time if allowed). So my apologies to my lovely patient customers who are no doubt as frustrated as I am.

A large delivery this week left me feeling bereft – every year for 10 years I have gifted my mother the latest knitting needle gift set. As most of you know I sadly lost my mother earlier this year. Each December I would have the immense pleasure of her oohing & ahhing over the latest edition (more often than not earlier than the 25th as she was thrilled to use them for last minute knitted gifts).
It’s the same for our Boxing Day Cast on, instigated by my mother we would all have great fun choosing our yarns & pattern prior to the day, then get together to all cast on at once. It’s too painful to replicate this year so we have switched things up and will be having our own version of it on Christmas Eve. I’m still looking for THE pattern, you know the one that takes your breath away and you MUST knit ? Any ideas anyone ?
One thing’s for sure, I won’t be getting my pattern from my local craft superstore – popped in there with my sister yesterday, was happily browsing the art section when I overheard my sister extolling the virtues of my yarn shop … to the shop assistant!!! The same shop assistant that works in the craft superstore that we are actually standing in, that sells yarn (gulp). Cue me slinking out the door wondering if I should just leave her in the car next time!

Sharon x