Sock Clubs launched and Wonderwool Wales

Firstly and most importantly, thank you to everyone for your kind words here, by email and in person, about my sister-in-law. She has the date for her operation in two weeks and a few more test results to get. I'm not very patient at the waiting game...

What it has brought home is to get on and do things - don't just think/talk about doing something - get on and do it! Life's too short to shilly shally. Hence, this week, after much persuasion, I launched two SQ Sock Clubs.


One is the Plushness club which offers one skein of Plushness lambswool/angora/cashmere, beautifully wrapped, to arrive by the last day of each month for three months plus extra goodies. The theme of this summer club is The British Season and colourways will be inspired by social and sporting events representing the quintessential British summer.

The other is the Endure club which offers one skein of Endure merino/nylon sock yarn, beautifully wrapped, to arrive by the last day of each month for three months. The theme of this summer club is the popular tv series, Pushing Daisies. I'm a huge fan of Emerson Cod, the Piemaker's sidekick who secretly loves to knit for relaxation. The colourways will be inspired by the colourful characters.

The closing date for these clubs was originally 7th May, but they proved more popular than I could ever have expected and sold out in around 24 hours. All being well, I'll do another autumn club starting in August.

Thank you to everyone who joined - I'll refrain from referring to you as Squeenies - and to the person whose idea is was (you know who you are) - and I plan to have a lot of fun with these clubs.

Now, should I start a Ravelry group? Yes, no? Will I be rattling around in there on my ownsome - Mrs Nigel No-mates?

Yesterday, me and the Skein Princess took ourselves off to mid-Wales for Wonderwool.

It was a veritable feast of yarn, roving, felting, weaving, spinning and everything else to do with wool. Like many, I made a beeline for Posh Yarn where I managed to acquire three skeins:

Posh Emily - lambswool, angora, cashmere

Posh Laura - merino/cashmere



And Posh Eva - silk/cashmere

I'd spoken to Dee on Ravelry before, and she was just as lovely in real life. She completely understood why I was purchasing from her and about the joy of yarn acquisition and husbands' reactions to stash enhancement, but I think Tony was a tad suspicious that we had the one supplier in common! Nothing to worry about, I would've thought! I'm just small fry and bow at the throne of Posh!

Then I discovered the joys of First4yarn and Skein Princess chose this Cascade yarn:

I'm trying to prise it off her by offering her swaps with some acrylic yarn she admired, but she's a clever one - she's having none of it!

After a purchase of a needle felting tool and some beads and chatting with several stall holders, including a lady from the Knitting guild who'd been at the same hyberbolic crochet reef workshop that I'd attended, I felt the need to return to First4yarn to buy some lovely Malabrigo in Lettuce colourway:


Got back completely shattered after a 6 and a half hour round trip.

So apart from Sock Clubs, Wonderwool, skating, swimming, cinema, Legoland, Paulton's Park, knit night and a Pampered Chef party, I've actually got a bit of knitting finished:

It is indeed the Love Me or Leaf Me Carpet Bag by The TygerLily of Etsy. This pattern is genius and I loved every minute of it and even though I wasn't sure I needed such an item in my life, I took it to knit night and to Wonderwool this week, and it was fantastic for carrying yarn and much admired.

And finally, the Skein Prince has been click clacking again. This time, in case you didn't recognise them, we have Richard Hammond and The Stig from popular tv programme, Top Gear!