Follow the Bunting!

Yarndale, what can I say? It was brilliant, so many people selling gorgeous things. Bunting everywhere, a lovely sunny day, a double decker bus decorated with bunting on the outside and sheep on the inside. Smiles and happy faces. That was my experience. Some however were turned back as there was no parking left and some left waiting for ages for the loo or a coffee.

I'm sure that problems encountered this year will be rectified for next year because it was too good not to do again.



Ducks by the canal, the walk to the venue was delightful with bunting and yarn bombing all the way.


Trees with Pom poms and bunting.


Wow! Just wow!
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Location:Skipton

Dyeing Yarn at Toft Alpaca

It was really sweet how the mummy alpacas surrounded the babies to keep them safe as we entered their field, they were so close we could hear them humming to each other.

I spent a lovely day learning how to dye yarn, it was a great workshop, Debbie Tomkies was full of information, she showed us several ways of dyeing yarn to achieve different effects. We also made a range of colours using different quantities of dye to see how easy it was to make the colour we wanted.

This was my main effort, hopefully when I've knitted it up into socks it will be striped in the three colours. I'll post pictures of the socks when they are knitted. 

Harriet at Toft Alpaca was the perfect hostess, the lunch was lovely and the piece of carrot cake as huge. I would really recommend workshops at Toft.

I didn't come home empty handed. Not only did I have my dyed yarn, I also bought 500gms of grey alpaca fluff for spinning, its so soft.

Day Three - Yellow

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Day Two - Two August Challenges!

This is today's picture for the August Break Challenge, yes I know the title should have been circles, but the fluff I used for this yarn was called bubbles so I'm going with that, bubbles, a bit like circles, maybe.

The second challenge is that of the Wensley Yarn Workers August Challenge, this is my offering, the idea is to use the photo as a stimulus for creating something yarn associated. I couldn't resist the fluff to make this art yarn to go with it. It was fun to spin as it was full of slubs and bits and sparkles and silk and, and.. it was gorgeous. I actually preferred the fluff than the spun yarn.

August Break Day One - Breakfast

An odd picture I hear you say. Well this is the first picture in the 'August Break' Challenge. Breakfast was the title of today's  photo. Very apt as The traindriver and I had our wedding anniversary yesterday, we had a meal and stayed the night with breakfast at the Knife and Cleaver in Houghton Conquest. It was lovely. We chose this place as it is where we spent our wedding night four years ago.

Tomorrow's photo challenge is 'Circles'.

Sock Kits

My have I been busy today. Nine, yes nine sock kits. I have sewn the zippy pouches, printed off the pattern, made row markers, put needles together with washi tape and assembled them. Next week they will go into my Etsy shop (there is a link here on the blog) but this weekend they are coming with me to Derbyshire for the Wensley Yarn Workers Open Day. I will be knitting socks to inspire others to pick up pointy sticks and join in.






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More Adventures in Spinning

As a new spinner I decided to take part in the Ravelry Tour de Fleece, with my challenge to create yarn I could knit. I joined the Woolmakers Bliss team and tried to spin every day that the cyclists cycled. the only exception was last Friday as it was my son's wedding day so I was busy.

This picture shows from left to right the progress I have made. I love the red on the right. I just had to start knitting with the pink. I'm having fun.



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