Stash Enhancement Expeditions

Since I last posted quite a few nice things have happened. The Mid Kent Knit 'n' Natter had their inaugural meeting last Wednesday at the coffee shop inside Ottakars in Ashford and five of us turned up. The company was great and the mochaccino coffee was bellissimo! The journey was a bit difficult though. I missed the bus and, as there's only one every two hours, I ended up taking a taxi and it cost me £20! I can't afford to do that too often (less yarn money!)

Then, yesterday, we had a great time at the Stitch & Creative Crafts Show at Esher. Well, at least, I did. DH chauffered me there and managed to look moderately interested in most things. I did very useful things like making sure that plenty of photos were taken and lots of good things ended up being transferred from the various stalls to the boot of our car. As soon as I've also taken some photos of the goodies I bought, I'll show and tell all!

We're also really looking forward to going to visit our DS and his partner soon in Wales where they've just bought their first flat. Even better is that the village they live in, from what I can gather from my hopeful perusal of our Map of Great Britain, appears to be close enough to Colinette to make it only common sense to fit in a visit whilst we're there!

As regards what's happening on the knitting front, Plan B for the Starburst Shawl has now been abandoned due to all those yarnovers not looking neat enough for my liking. I tried altering my tension and also knitted the diamonds in stocking stitch instead of garter stitch to see if that would make a difference but I still wasn't happy with the result. So, I've now reverted to Plan A - the original plan for the autumnal clapotis - and I've made a small start.


I haven't given up on the multidirectional method of knitting. I think it's a really interesting concept and plan to try out one or two of the other patterns later. I'll avoid anything with very closely positioned yarnovers though.

I also made a start on the Spunmag Vintage Capelet which I’m knitting in the recycled alpaca and lambswool that I got from Texere for only 90p per 50g ball. I’m now just beyond the point where the lacy border ends so only the easy bit is left to knit.


I’m really enjoying knitting this on my new Addi Turbo circulars. Now, I know that lots of people swear by their Denise needles and I have to say I love the fact that there are all those diameters and lengths of needle in that compact little box (and I need to be careful what I say here because I sold my set to Katie) but my basic honest nature demands that it be said. (Katie, if you’re reading this, please avert your gaze and read no further!) Knitting with Denise needles, in my personal opinion, is like trudging through treacle - there, horror of horrors, I said it! Not that I’ve ever trudged through treacle but it’s a good metaphor. Sticky and not getting anywhere fast due to them being made of plastic. On the other hand, the nickel plated tips of the Addi Turbos allow them to glide along really smoothly!

Going back to the capelet, I’d originally intended to embellish it with some beads that I got from the Designs sale but I’ve now had a rethink and decided against it. The beads are pre-threaded and designed to be knitted together with yarn which means they’d be placed randomly and I wasn’t sure how that would work in this case. Also, I wasn’t able to remove the beads from the thread and transfer them onto the yarn I’m using because the holes weren’t large enough. . The yarn, itself, is quite stiff and doesn’t seem to drape very well but I’m hoping that, when the capelet’s finished and blocked, it will be okay.

My stash seems to be growing in an alarmingly rapid way. DH hasn’t objected yet or even raised an eyebrow. I wonder how long this will last. Yesterday, he was remarkably co-operative and kept coming up with cash to pay for things that I was oohing and aahing about. He was also extremely helpful at Silkwood Yarns where he actually offered, without even being asked, to hold a skein of yarn for Nickerjac who was winding it solo. On that note, and as a taster of what's to come in my next post, I’ll leave you with a photo of the Silkwood Yarns stand at the show yesterday . . . . .


. . . . . and let you drool over all those yummy scrummy yarns!