Call off the search!

Nope, I haven't disappeared, run away, fallen into an alternate universe :-) I've just had trouble finding time to update my blog since before the weekend. Last Saturday we had a big shopping expedition, not something we do that often. First stop was - tada! - the new LYS in our little town!

The shop started out as a haberdashers, it changed hands last year, but when we happened to walk past last Friday I spotted they had started selling yarn as well (yarn radar). They currently do a range of Sirdar and RYC. The lady who owns the shop said they had only started with the yarn a few weeks ago, and she is planning on stocking the Rowan yarns as well as RYC. Fantastic news, the other LYS has a pretty good range but doesn't do Rowan. They will also carry patterns and books and the like. I bought some RYC Cashsoft DK in pale pink, at centre below:



At left is Rowan Wool Cotton in "Citron", a fab pale limey green, a good bargain from eBay this week (8 balls for a tenner, guvnor). The yarn at right is King Cole Merino Anti-Tickle DK in a pretty lilac, from the original LYS last week because I had to go in and buy 7mm needles, ahem. I think I'll do a Spring hat and scarf with the lilac, I fancy a cable hat and maybe wristers with the pink, and the Wool Cotton will hopefully be a sleeveless/very short-sleeved fitted top (pattern yet to be decided). Being a Rowan novice, can anyone tell me if they have any suitable summery patterns for Wool Cotton? I need an excuse to buy another pattern book!

Once we had left the LYS(2), I bought some fabby green shoes, or rather cloggy-type mules, from Clarks. Ever hopeful that we will have weather warm enough to wear them at some point! We then went to the nearest big town (now called a city), to one of the retail parks where they now have a huge Borders. A good browse was had in the craft section, which was useful to see a number of books on my wish-list, and others I'd heard of. I bought Stitch 'n' Bitch Nation (I don't have the first one yet so am approaching this backwards), and a Vogue pocket-size book of hat patterns.

In knitting news, I'm being very focused, despite multiple yarny temptation, and am bent on finishing my two current projects. I want to get Latifa cast off and blocked, then I can work on ruffling in between other things. Branching Out needs to be finished fairly soon as I want to send it off along with the bag (also needing finishing) during the Easter break.

It looks like we'll manage a visit to Colinette's millshop during Easter week :-) Thanks for the directions to the garden centre Cherry, sorry you won't be around but have fun on your city break!