Sadness

This week hasn't been a good one. It started with the news that a lovely friend has been diagnosed with breast cancer. Truly awful news. So everything thats gone on since has been tinged with sadness. My dear friend is a knitter and regularly reads my blog and as this is such a personal issue I won't say any more. Except to remind everyone to never ever miss a mammogram check as this is how it was found.

Knowing how generous knitters are I'm sure you'll join me in sending her your healing thoughts and many, many hugs.



If ever there was a bright and cheery yarn to try and lift the spirits this is it. I was lucky enough to win an auction on Ebay for this beautiful Noro Iro yarn which I've coveted for a while. I got it for an amazingly cheap price, just over £21!!! And that is including postage ;)

Straight away I kind of thought I'd really like another lot of 5 skeins to make a zipped jacket I'd seen in one of Jane Ellison's books so I got up early one morning to make sure I won another lot, as this was one of the two final lots! And can you believe someone had the cheek to bid against me. Unbelievable. Anyway I ended up getting it £27 including postage so still a very good bargain indeed. Hopefully it will arrive soon.

The bleeding sock yarn saga continues. The vinegar solution didn't work on its own and after rinsing, and more rinsing got rather fed up and then quite cross when I got blue hands :(



However, after getting some further advice from very helpful knitter I tried heat setting in a microwave. The results were definitely better and a lot less dye came out when I rinsed and washed. The yarn is still in the sun so will get a knit test soon no doubt. I'm not sure you can tell from the photo but one half is much lighter than the other. Darn!

Unfortunately, the promised replacement yarn has not arrived. It was sent out over a week ago 1st class post but never arrived which has been most disappointing:( Another should be on its way to me shortly though.

The thought of the new autumn/winter season starting next month has got me a little excited though and stopped me fretting too much over my missing yarn. The Rowan mag will be out on the 1st August as will the new brochures and new yarns. I saw a couple of previews in a mag.......and yesterday saw a preview of the new Jane Ellison Noro book which excited me even more. So looks like lots to look forward to. Good.

I even remember seeing an ad for a totally new yarn range, Sublime. Don't know any more than that, apart from it says 'natural yarns'. Oh yes, music to my ears ;)



I picked up this foldaway garment dryer thingy in the John Lewis clearance sale for £5 and very handy it is. Each week I've been washing a knitted garment for the last few weeks, in readyness for the new season and the sad end of summer. But best to wash it all now as don't woollens take forever dry when its cold? Aren't I organised ;)



I have managed to finish something, event though its only a sock. Its Opal Petticoat and looks lovely on. Interestly it looks a bit boring on its own, but is so much nicer when worn. I was just trying it on after grafting when dear Thunder bombed over and crashed on my feet for snugs. He obviously approves ;)

Those that have read by blog for a while will now I suffer from a lot of intolerances and allergies. Add that to the fact I'm a veggie it makes life shall we say, rather interesting......so I was very cross indeed when I suffered an allergic reaction last night to fried tomatoes. I won't go into details but having a burning tongue and blisters all over it is extremely painful. It is also most difficult to try and sleep with your tongue hanging out. Which I needed to do as it was too sore to leave in my mouth.

So no surprise that a visit to the doctors today was necessary and I'm being referred to an allergy clinic. So that just about sums up how the week ended. Oh and did I mention my DH came home today with a great gash in his hand. Roll on next week....purrrlease.