Let's Get Up To Date

Gosh. It's pub knitting again this week which means that I have missed out about a month of my life. Things are getting back on track though and I want to do a bullet-point(y kinda post, you know me, I can't shut up enough for bullet points).

1). New patterns on the internet! Lots of SUMMERY garments and some intarsia (oooooooooh). I bloody love intarsia I just haven't made up my mind what I'm going to knit (and how I'm going to fit it in....).

If you click on this sentence here then you'll get to all of the new patterns. I really do think that King Cole have outdone themselves this time and the Bamboo Cotton DK is ready and waiting at your service for summmmmmmmmmmmmer! :)

2. On a similar note - I don't know if you lot have noticed but we have a sale pattern folder in the shop. It looks v. inspiring: 

Jokes. But it's full of lovely little patterns that are either for yarns that we no longer stock, or some that we inherited from another yarn shop and now, some that have been blue-tacked/sellotaped to the wall so the edges might have been caught or the picture may have faded but the words and the design are still fine. 

Best thing about this?! PAAAAAAHND! That's right, every pattern in here is just one of your Great British Pounds. The folder sits on the same shelf as the other patterns and they don't appear on the internet because it's too much bother to keep up to date with these ones seeing as they're mainly in singles. If I was better at marketing I'd called that an 'exclusive in-shop offer'. So next time you're scanning the pattern shelf, give this lonely little folder a go. 

3). I've done the window!!! All the while I was singing 'Step into Christmas' which more or less explains how long it's been since I've done the window (not quite but you know...). I cleaned the window inside and out with newspaper and everything and it's so shiny I can't even begin to get a good photo so you'll have to put up with this: 

And this: 

I'm dead proud because all of the yarn moves from blue and purple, through teal and turquoise to bright limey greens! Best window ever! But there's no rhyme or reason to the yarns chosen and it was too much of an effort to price everything individually so I'll have a think about that. Hope it doesn't put people off thinking 'if I have to ask the price I probably can't afford it'. Not true!!!!

4). Things have slowed down a little on the Yarndale front but we still have four places left so if you know anybody or their grandma who wants to come then make sure to let them know. Yarndale have now opened out their online booking process so we'll be getting tickets in advance (because so many of you have booked that's now part of the package). We'll be doing that either once everybody's booked or on the 30th of June - whichever is easiest. 

5). I'm going on my hols next week so if you want me for anything then get in contact now. June will be in all week and she's a fab knitter so don't hold back but if it's me you want then let me know. Just found out that Verity it magically in the same place at the same time so I shall be spending Tuesday on the beach with Alf and Vezza in our (almost) matching swimming costumes! Isn't that brill!?

6). This is a big one! Dee of Singing Bird Artist fame has an exhibition!!!! It's been a long time coming and a lot of hard work on her part and I'm dead proud and excited and I'll even be back from my holiday!

She'll be a better descriptor of her work and what it means (and believe me there are many many layers) but as far as I can see it's about colour, fluidity, yarn, play and recycling. The piece will be hung amongst the trees to blow around and twinkle in the wind and there will be a picnic on  the first day where we can sit and knit and appreciate being outside after a long winter. Joy!!! You are all invited. :)

Isn't that a fab poster!? Photography by Keith Turner and the rest of the (beautiful) art work is by Dee.

I think that's it. Not as many bullet points as I was expecting but maybe I'll have another one to add before I post this (I'm writing on Monday and hopefully posting on Tuesday). 

Love Eleanor. :)

Right - this didn't get posted yesterday so I now have LOTS more to tell you. :)

Firstly - I moved the shop around!!!!! It's summer ain't it and the shop's been looking a bit shabby for a month or so so I thought it was time and just got stuck in yesterday. I didn't sit down yesterday at all (apart from to answer e-mails as discussed at knitting group...). I even ate my lunch standing up to create an air of urgency. Moving the shop around is quite a job with the space being so small so it's a bit like one of those tile toy things - like this:

Anyway, done and dusted now. The cottons and summer yarns are to the right as you walk in the door. They look like this: 

That is, from top left to top right:

1). Smooth DK - prints then solids.

2). Patons Cotton DK.

3. Patons Cotton 4ply.

4). King Cole Comfort - prints and solids.

5). King Cole Big Value 4ply. 

6). King Cole Big Value Baby 4ply. 

7). King Cole Cottonsoft DK.

8). King Cole Craft Cotton.

9). Bamboo Cotton DK and the Bamboo Cotton Prints.

10). Regia Sock.

11). Zig Zag Sock.

12). Patons Fairytale Dreamtime 2ply.

13). And the luscious Regia Laceweight. 

(Linky linky, gets us up the google rankings. :) )

The  Pricewise DK and the Fab DK are now in the shelf across from the window and they look blady brill! Even if I do say so myself... 

I particularly love this little combo:

Beauts ain't it!? Like something out of Attic 24. But I'm already stalled on a blanket in this stuff so it can remain on the shelf for you lovely lot to admire and buy. :)

And then I realised that I haven't told you about my HOLIDAY knitting!!!!!!! Remember last year when I made the Oranje? Well... I didn't quite finish it on holiday but I'm trying again. 

This year I'm making the Eight Petal Sweater and it looks a little something like this: 

OMG OMG OMG OMG isn't it LOVELY!?!?!?!?!? It reminds me of jumpers when I went through an 'ugly jumper' phase. I love love love love love it and have been thinking about it every day since it was released over a year ago! I've chosen my colours: 

And borrowed the pattern from June: 

And I am GET, SET AND GOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!

SO excited about my holiday!!! 

And then finally, proper finally this time, I've just discovered this: 

Which is the Happypotamus by Heidi Bears and it is just CRYING OUT to be made in this. Please somebody make my day/week/month/life!

And now I really do feel like we've caught up. I'm sure I will but if I don't get back on by the time I go on holiday then see you sooooon and I'll miss you and I'll diligently hunt out ALL of the yarn in that little corner of Devon (though I have a sinking feeling that there aren't any LYS's... Maybe we could start a Knit Combe Martin?). 

Love love love love love, 

Eleanor. 

P.s. 

Actually we haven't caught up. I have a rant. I'll keep it short and sweet.

We bank with RBS. I took some money in last week to bank and thought it was around £250. The cashier counted it not once, not twice but thrice (and I was watching her) and the final receipt said £380 something. Which is possible - it's not unknown that I've been that far off... Anyway, they ring me on Monday saying that their till was down and that they were just going to take £100 out of my account and I was so stunned, gobsmacked and shocked that I said yes. When I spoke to my mum she told me to get angry. The cashier may have made a mistake but that's not my fault! So I rang back and shouted a bit and the manager said she'll pass it on to her higher ups. Fine. Didn't hear anything yesterday so I rang back this morning thinking that they'd forgotten me, all ready to shout but the lady said that they were putting it back into my account today. Quite pissing right you are lady! But I couldn't be cross even when she blamed me saying that I had to know to the penny what I was putting in the bank etc etc etc. Of course I should, but they'll still be counting it and typing it in so that doesn't stop that mistake does it? Anyway, doesn't matter now because when I'm back off holiday we're going with the Co-op. Stick that in your pipe and smoke it RBS. 

Really am going now!

xx