Yarn Blog | Adventures with Yarn

Hi everyone,

I am so proud of myself. Nothing like bragging is there… Janice finished and blocked three baby sweaters for me, and also did the same with three sweaters for me. One of them was knitted in a yarn by Cleckheaton called Rapid Ribbon and Mohair, long discontinued I would imagine as I bought it in Canberra in about 1995. Another was done in Eva by Adrienne Vittadini, again discontinued, but it looks fabulous knitted up in a Capelet designed by Norah Gaughan. The third project was also a yarn by Adrienne Vittadini this one is called Dianna and I completed a top down henley by Knitting Pure and Simple. What a feeling of contentment to have all those projects completed at long last. Now I am about to knit the second sleeve on a jacket project for Janice and all my half finished sweater projects will at long last be completed. I do have some scarves and shawls on needles but they are ‘newer’ UFO’s. Oh I also completed the little Deco ribbon bolero and it is gorgeous. I made it in the lurex stardust line and it really would make a wonderful evening bolero for over the holiday season.

Tomorrow we have a felted bag workshop which should be a wonderful class. Betsy is the teacher and it is one of her designs that the ladies will be making. Betsy is our class teacher on Wednesday evenings and I know her classes are always fun. The following Saturday October 28th Janice is holding her first finishing and blocking class for the fall workshop schedule. Last year we only planned two classes for her, but the response was so overwhelming that we quickly had to reschedule two more . So far two of her four classes are full and the other two in the New Year should fill in the weeks ahead.

I am just looking at the stash of yarn I have in full view of my desk…… Now I have six projects completed I can think about my next ’shoppong spree’ from the stash this time. The other Australian yarns are nagging me to become sweaters now they have seen the Cleckheaton yarn knitted up and that the sweater has moved into my wardrobe. This weekend I will spend some time going through patterns and books to find something special for two bags of yarn I know I have had since about 1992.

Well I need a cup of tea and a cuddle with Chester and Lester this evening.

Sally

G’day to one and all,

I have been reading the book the Yarn Harlot recently and one chapter has given me a guilty feeling. It was the one about the unfinished sweater talking to the rest of the yarn in the closet. Needless to say I organised all of my yarn and dragged out all of the UFO’s that were lurking in plastic storage bags. Last week I gave Janice four sweaters to finish and block, they were in addition to Dad’s v necked pullover that I have also completed. Guilt feeling is now over for a while!

On the needles now I have the deco ribbon bolero for the store, a Knitting Pure and Simple henley, a jacket by Classic Elite for Janice and some more baby things for the great nephew we are expecting December 30th in South Australia. I also have a couple of scarves and two shawls to complete but they can wait until after the baby is born and I have all the little things knitted for him.

October 1st saw Janice, Alice and I out in the “outback” of Grass Valley. Three Alpaca farms organised an open day for townies to visit and gush over these gorgeous creatures. Alan and I had spent an afternoon earlier in the year at Barefoot Suri Alpaca Farm where we had a fabulous time with Dottie and Ken. So on Sunday this was our first stop, because we knew the owners and also because it was the closest one to Auburn…. We all enjoyed our time there, Alice and I both purchasing alpaca lace weight yarn, while Janice bought a teddy bear made from alpaca. From there we went to Opus Two Alpacas across the other side of Highway 49. Again we were made to feel welcome and found it interesting that this farm had two Llamas in the paddocks with the Alpacas as they act as guard animals against wild animals. I bought a Teddy Bear this time which I have had to put on top of a cupboard as Chester and Lester decided they would like to play with it. We didn’t make it to the third farm A Star Alpacas and this was only because we all needed lunch and headed back to old town Auburn. Perhaps Alan and I will take a trip up to A Star Alpaca later in the year for a Sunday excursion.

The new yarns continue to come into the store each day, and if I hadn’t had a fright on Monday with just how much yarn I have in the spare closet, boxes and window seats I might be tempted to buy more for myself. I am being strong, this week, and concentrating on finding patterns for some yarn I moved from Australia to California in January 1997. I don’t want to move it back in storage bags so have got it all out on top of the window seats hoping it will give me some incentive located where I can see it each day.

Well I have to deliver some needles to one of our customers who happens to live in Folsom. How’s that for service!!

Have a great day
Sally