Oh where to even begin?
I’m back from yarn-filled, sun-drenched (despite any regional stereotypes you’ve encountered) west Yorkshire. I have so much to show you – more, I think, than can realistically be shoe-horned into one blog post, unless you like your blog posts encyclopaedic.
Obviously, to anyone who’s been dabbling ‘Yarnside a-lately, there’s the main event, co-judging the Stylecraft / Let’s Knit competition to find a luscious new shade of yarn. Here’s a teaser photo, but this fabulously colourful event warrants its own post:-
…And having had the fascinating experience of a tour round Spectrum Yarns’ mill (where the judging took place), I’d love to show you the embarrassingly few photos that I took. Another post!
…And then the knitted skirt and crocheted bag I designed for the occasion deserve their own post, especially the skirt, completed over breakfast on judging day with hairspray-related advice from the editor of Let’s Knit magazine to complete its details. In fact, the whole wonderful Yorkshire experience deserves its own post, ending with a dash even further north to meet up with Gill from the Greenclogs blog, whom I’ve been gradually getting to know online, and who turns out to be every bit as lovely/creative/clever/kind/interesting as I imagined she’d be in person. (Pity I went all socially anxious and scarcely let the poor woman squeeze a word in edgewise.)
…And three other little things that I’ll say here, because they’re not big enough for their own blog posts:-
(i) Thing the first.
Today, Colin The Postie delivered many things (let’s gloss over the tedium and financial demands of most of them), including an issue of this coming month’s issue of Simply Knitting magazine (edition 133 – out todayish, I think?) with an interview with, erm, me, inside the back cover. Witness:-
My column in Simply Knitting begins shortly, though it won’t be every month.
(ii) Thing the second.
I’m drafting this pen-and-paper, as always, this time in the garden whilst loosely managing the Toddler Twinnage, and I’ve just realized that a pair of great tits are breeding in the nest box beside me. Springtime squee! I couldn’t steal a photo of Mater or Pater Great Tit going in, so this blurry iPad snap of the home front will have to suffice.
(iii) Thing the third.
(No bitterness here… Oh no, none at all…) So I got home from Yorkshire late, late, late last night, all braced for the weeping hordes to intercept me in the driveway, desperate in their need for maternal wisdom and salvage. Know what I found? No weeping whatsoever, but an empty champagne bottle in the sink and tales of unnaturally well-behaved children in my absence. Clearly, things function better round here when I’m not present. Sigh.
So, where shall we begin with this blogfest? the Stylecraft competition, surely? Right, I’ll get drafting…
It was a delight to meet you Phil and WOW at your skirt and now I see you made your bag too which I had secretly been wowing at without realising you made it… wish we had had more chance to chat 🙂
Lx
As always Phil look forward to reading more but also catching up with you in person soon too
But the skirt… where is the skirt? PLEASE don’t leave us in suspense like this!
All those colors waiting to be things…………
Your bag is beyond beautifully stunning!!! Great work. Love it!
You’re a good mum if your toddlers can be left in someone’s care without falling apart when you return, but do not be fooled. They love you and missed you and will show signs of that in the days to come. You writing style always make me smile. I don’t know what ‘it’ is, but you’ve got it. 🙂
Congratulations on the column to come and the lovely article pictured above. Good for you!!!
So many exciting things! Thanks for giving us a peek.
So lovely to read your blog as per usual and so glad you had a wonderful time up North and that Stoic Spouse and Toddler Twinnage coped without you – a positive as it gives you leverage to do more trips away! 🙂 I am looking forward to hearing all about it in person soon, you around Tues am?
Sounds like it was a lot of fun. I had to say, I spewed out the tea in my mouth when I read “…a pair of great tits….” I thought you were talking about something else until I realized you meant birds.
Sounds like you had a great time – can’t wait to read more.
You must have brought (and taken) the sunshine with you…. Very grey, damp and chilly today in West Yorkshire! Come back soon (and not just for the sunshine!)
Adore the bag!! It is just to stunning for words! 🙂
woo hoo on the skirt! I want to read about the competition but I am itching to see the skirt too 🙂 I’m sure everyone is just putting on a brave face and they really desperately needed you, too shy to say so 🙂 jenny xx
As an ex-pat from Yorkshire, I was envious of your visit, knowing that the daffodills are blooming [mine are fighting their way out of the snow] and the air is springy – wonderful.
That magazine page looks surprisingly like my Pinterest board…