It's Arrived!!!

Yippee - my Socks That Rock order has arrived!!! Shipped Friday, arrived Tuesday. Wow, the US Priority Service is very, very good! I had to wait a bit till a new lot was dyed, but it all adds up to the excitement doesn't it? DH let me take a pic of the STR and Malabrigo before they get wrapped up. At least I won't forget what they look like.


The Malabrigo is in Emerald and is just divine.....words can't express how soft this yarn is - it's almost like cotton wool.

The STR colouways are 1 skein Sherbet and 1 skein Watermelon Tourmaline. Both are lightweight. Sherbet is so bright you almost need shades. As you know, I love bright colours and as DH said, who wants boring socks? The WT is such a yum yum colour you can't help but stroke it! I'm so pleased with these pressies I can't tell you.

What I find quite amazing is that I've seen more than one blogger buying 12 skeins of STR at a time!!! The first time my eyes nearly popped eyed, then a few days later someone else had ordered loads. I mean, 12 SKEINS!!! I guess its the same amount you get as if you'd joined the sock club, but I gotta admit, I'd love to be getting a package from STR each month rather than 12 in one go. Kinda makes my 2 skeins seem very minimal indeed ;)


And if that wasn't enough the most amazing pattern book arrived from Get Knitted. I've been waiting for it to be released and finally its here. Yup, its the latest Noro book from Jane Ellison, Noro Unlimited. It has way surpassed all my expectations and I love it. You know when you start to get excited as you turn each page, not quite believing your eyes. There are so many patterns I want to make I don't know where to start. The felted socks, felted bag, fingerless mittens, Kochoran zipped hoodie and Kureyon hoodie are the first that spring to mind. Also a skein of Lorna's Laces sock yarn in Childsplay somehow managed to order itself with the pattern book. You know how these things happen :)

I am so glad I love the new Noro pattern book. Its made up for my disappointment with Rowan 40 and all of the new Rowan and RYC booklets. I didn't like any of them except for Rowan Felted Collection which was this seasons saving grace for me. And the only booklet with some funky trendy designs. Even Arabesque left me cold as it uses mostly Little Big Wool yarn which has been ruined by adding 33% nylon! Its just shocking I tell you. A third plastic and a whole lotta money. Not good. And Country Escape had nothing I liked either. Designs are too fussy for me I'm afraid, especially combined with multicoloured yarn, though the yarn itself is lovely.

From the Felted Collection though I'm desperate to have Big Wool felted slippers (not Little Big Wool you understand, the proper original 100% merino stuff)......though mine will end rather multicoloured I expect as I've enough oddments in my stash for them. As tempting as it is, I really can't justify buying 4 balls of Big Wool just to felt them, though those cream slippers are as cute as can be. But they wouldn't stay cream for long though would they? No, best make some coloured ones.

The rest of the week was fairly quiet. We managed to clip bunny's nails without any major dramas and under 5 minutes so were all rather pleased. Bunny didn't sulk and seemed ok to be wrapped in a towel. No doubt the more we do it the easier it will be and hopefully Thunder will get more used to it. I actually managed to trim 4 of them on my own whilst giving Thunder a cuddle. But he cottoned on that I was up to something so had to wait till DH came home to finish off.

We don't have any trouble with cute Custard the hamster. Mind you, he's so tiny he's easier to control. His claws are so small though that I have to use embroidery scissors.....I can't remember cutting hamsters claws before. But then again, none of them ever lived to be as old as Custard ;)



York has gone really well with the fronts, back and collar done. I managed to get the fronts to match up with a little trickery and realised it would be much easier if I had them both on the same needle whilst working on any 'knot and colour issues'. I think Noro do it on purpose. Kind of like a puzzle or something to keep you on your toes. Anyway it all worked out and I'm working on the sleeves now. I did the collar straight away so I could get a zip over the weekend so that will be all ready to go. Told you I was organised ;) It's really nice not having to press it either - the benefit of a totally ribbed design. Which I though which start to bore me but luckily, it hasn't in the slightest. This is a very good thing.

Finally more holiday pics for you. This time we have the monkeys that live in the forest where our resort was. I did mention the resort was in a forest didn't I? The cheeky devils use to love running across roofs frightening the lives out of any guests underneath :)