To cake or not to Cake?

Just a random thought for a Thursday in February.

When you buy a skein of yarn, do you take it away from the shop/festival as a skein, or do you ask for it to be wound?

Now there should really be a bit of back story to this random question. Gail of the IBKC was just on a weekend trip to Amsterdam, where she just so happened to stumble into Stephen and Penelope, yes that Stephen and Penelope! Being the little child that i am, Gail was asked politely to bring me back a skein of speckled hedgehog fibre yarn and to let her pal Stephen to choose the colour!
ANYWAY, Gail picked one up for me and Mr West even wound it which started a debate with Mr fluph.
        "Why do you keep all your yarn in skeins?"
After a brief think I came up with the fact that I love nothing better than starting a new project by winding my yarn into cakes; It is just part of the starting something new ritual, winding that skein and popping it into the project bag along with the newly printed pattern and needles ready to go.
When i look at the caked yarn in my stash it reminds me of projects that haven't worked out, or things i meant to start but haven't. It's such a subconscious thing. Also skeins stay nice even after a good squishing!

Its often a question i get asked in the shop, why hanks? or people exclaim
             "my granny use to make us wind these."
Basically it comes down to this, hanks are easier to stack than balls, trust me on this one. Or if the yarn comes from a small producer or an indie dyer, the yarn already comes pre skeined so turning it into balls just adds on more time (and therefore money).


So Mr fluph I am definitely a skein girl, Unless wound by Stephen West!



I also thought i would throw in the fact that I have the facilities in the shop to wind yarn. Any yarn bought in fluph i will wind for you if you so wish. just let me know when you are buying.
If you have anything from your stash that needs wound feel free to bring it in and ill wind it for you for a small fee of 50p per skein.


So what do you prefer? do you like the cake, or the skein?

Give away - Edinburgh Yarn Festival 2016

Would you like to win two free tickets for you and a friend to go to Edinburgh yarn festival?
No! WHAT IS WRONG WITH YOU.  of course you do.

All you need to do is finish this sentence in the comments below.

Arthur is totally gutted that dogs are not allowed to Edinburgh yarn festival, he was really looking forward to ... ???


Competition closes at 1PM (GMT) on Friday the 26th February.

GOOD LUCK!




small print :-Tickets have been kindly provided by the gals at http://www.edinyarnfest.com/ (thank you Jo and Mica) , T&C's for tickets can be found here http://www.edinyarnfest.com/ticket-terms-and-conditions and of course apply for these tickets. Tickets are for entrance on both days (huzah) and cannot be exchanged at fluph for anything else. Tickets will be posted recorded + signed for by Royal mail. These tickets are for entry to the event only, you must provide your own transport and accomodation. Please only enter if you are able to attend EYF 17 on the 18th and or 19th March 2016. there are two tickets up for grabs.

So how did she get on?

 

So its my last day in the shop, and im sitting here avoiding doing the things that i should actually be doing before i leave, instead im sitting clock watching. Productive! Its been a quiet day today, why was i expecting other half's in buying gift vouchers? i even took out a massive pile! Anyway, how did everyone get on with their Christmas knitting? From our knitty circle i know that everyone is done, well minus one blanket, but that was the recipients fault for redecorating. I am pleased to say a massive chunk of my list is done. My knitted gifts are all done, well two, the other ones were not working out as magical as my head had planned, so i bought something instead....but thats ok, i was getting to that super stressed out point where i was reverting back to being a stroppy teenager, it was mr fluph that said and i quote "stop stressing and go work on something you enjoy" aw isnt he a keeper. 

So the scollay ITS DONE! but, um, its giant, third cardigan i have knitted, and its huge, the same as the other two. I dont know what i did, Shinybees and Knitbritish measured me. I gauge swatched and it matched, i got several opinions on which size to knit AND ITs STILL TOO BIG! So in future im going to knit a medium and it should fit, right? maybe?
I think (apart from the mahoosive sleeves) it can be saved, Theresa from knit night ( she is the most amazing knitter) says if i sewing machine the sides in it should pull it all in and fit ok. So instead of pulling it out i shall do that. And then i think Karina will beat me the next time she sees me.


THE RAINBOW GLOVES OF HAPPINESS ARE FINISHED! and i love them so much! and thats all i need to say on the matter, the photo up top kind of says it all!

My Westy seashell shawl is going to be ripped out! I think to compensate for my loose knitting i have gone to too small a needle. so out it comes!

Christmas socks are packed ready for my car knitting this eve, the first one still needs a heel, but its cool, maybe after two hours in the car i will be down to the toe :D that would make me super happy. 
Lastly my doodler well, i dont want to talk about it! its slow.

Right im off, i have dishes and hoovering to do,  also some accounts stuff i want to organise.
stop putting it off LJ just get it done.....im ready to stomp off

My Shameful Secret

That made you all click over here, Sorry!
So my name is Leona, and i'm a start-aholic! I currently have ten projects on the go or that need to be done before Christmas (knitty peeps, yes i have added stuff as well Christmas presents! - yeah thats clever LJ just add projects on, give yourself more work) I was down to nine, eeps. Thats also not to mention the projects that are bagged up with a pattern and yarn, but havnt been started, but they dont count right, nope nope, they do not count!
So my plan at the start of December was to actually complete all the projects i have started before i go off for Christmas (23rd) so that i can cast on my Christmas project, which will be a Sceles by Anna Maltz, and yes she is kind of my hero at the moment (dont tell her i said that! there will be basement rumors!) I fell in love with Miss Ginger Twists one back at the IBYC this year and was like, WANT GRABBY HANDS!
Anyway back to the plan. I thought this goal was achievable, its really not! Oh man why! does anyone else have this problem? Has anyone else set any ridiculous crafting goals? does anyone else have a Christmas project that they work on over the holidays? Does anyone else just want to crawl into their stash and cast on four more things? DESIGNERS STOP RELEASING PATTERNS FOR A FEW WEEKS!
Right Shame myself time!

Right Project number one is my fingerless gloves knit in stunning White birch fibre arts (Louise Pants sent me it from America.) I started these dudes on the 15th of September when i popped through to Edinburgh for the Yarn Festival meet up, they literally need three fingers done! If these are not done by tomorrow, then SHAME! SHAME ON YOU LJ!

Next up is Itaca by Stephen West started on May the 2nd, I fell in love with this shawl after fondling it at Loop in London, i am however thinking about frogging this bad boy as like my Mahy i think i have knitted it on too small needles and it will be super small. Still not 100% sure if i will pull it out or not. but a shawl, with sea shells! WHAT

Christmas socks (Dave by Rachel Coopey) in the limited edition West Yorkshire Spinners holly berry. The deal was all of our knitty committee would knit a pair and all have matching socks....SUPER CUTE!  however Diane and I are totally slacking, since i took this photo however i just need to do the heel on sock one and actually do the second. Can i knit a sock in a week and a half? probably, am i going to, probably not. I should really try harder! 

My doodler (The Doodler: Westknits Mystery Shawl KAL 2015by Stephen West) , oh how this started off with good intentions. i was on track with the first clue....then i wasnt! When did the KAL start? October no it was novemeber, i have no idea how i dropped the ball on this one. I cant forsee this being done before the 23rd, maybe it should be the first one i work on after the new year?

The last photo of a project i can show you is my Scollay (Scollay by Karie Westermann) oh dear the most shameful, i started this on the 18th of July for the scollay along...yup...this was my main project i wanted finished, it languished about in a bag after i had cast on the ribbing, then about October i decided to pop it on my knitting machine. BOOM. that was stressful, knitting machines are really difficult bits of equipment. ANYWAY i just need to graft the last oxter (underarm) weave in ends, plop on some buttons and steam out the seams (the joys of knitting machines) and done. Again if this isnt done this evening i will be pretty miffed. 

Projects i cant really show you or tell you what they are due to them being Christmas Presents, but i can tell you i have three things to knit for presents, and a scarf that i promised a friend :/ i am an epic fail of a friend SORRY  STEPHEN!  Oh also a shawl for my mum from some Rusty ferret she bought. not so urgent to get done, but yeah.

I will check back in on the 23rd and update you with whats been done and what hasnt! Some one please beat me if i havnt done at least half of these! 

Why spend your money here?

As some of you may be aware this Saturday is small business Saturday. My head is in two places with this concept as yeah spend money locally, support us tiny businesses that work 24/7 on our little shops that are our life and love. help us stay open, help us grow and get better, help us get in stock that you want, help us still be here! We do what we do because we love it and we love you.
So yeah spend your money locally on Saturday, I urge it. You have no idea how much it means to us to have people in. but at the same time, the same as everything, we should really do it all year round, I have the same view on Valentines day. But I really need to stop being so cynical as if on that one day you pop into your local gift shop and buy your card there instead of Tesco, or come to me for those needles instead of hopping online, or even just supporting your local takeaway (Mr fluph take note) It makes a difference. You will probably read more posts like this over the upcoming days but I just wanted to say Thank you for sticking with me all year round! for leaving bum marks on my sofa, and cheering me up with your happy faces. I really appreciate it!

So for small business Saturday i am going to make up some goodie bags, filled with fun little bits (I haven't really got myself organised yet so I have no idea what will end up in them) but yeah for every person that comes in and spends £20 you can have a goodie bag on me to say thank you!

We also have our Saturday Knit group on that day which is our last of 2015, so feel free to come and remake your sofa bum mark, eat some cake and LOTS of tea!

Also check out what else is going on around the city. There are like a thousand craft markets going on, so you could do a bit of a crawl and then end with some tea and cake.

Creative Dundee have put together a post on what's happening this weekend and they say it better than i can!
http://creativedundee.com/2015/11/dundee-christmas-market-guide-2015/

J&S how we love you so!

I will state right now that I am not even sorry for this post!
I have no words for how awesome this yarn is, and I really don't have much words at the moment anyway (i'm elbow deep in felt balls and fairy liquid!) so i shall leave you these photos, and you will just have to pop in for a squeeze.

Deets,
Jamieson and Smith 2ply jumper weight
fingering/4ply
25g
approximate yardage of 125 yards / 115m
100% Shetland wool

A new direction

No not one direction, come on I'm a rocker at heart, although there was a patchy spot of Boyzone and Steps worshipping...something my other half will never let me forget.
This blog has become a bit stale, lets all admit it, I find it really difficult to blog as the business as i feel it should be about the hard sell, which if anyone knows me knows i hate that! I am also very sure that you guys hate it too!

So i pose the question, what would you like to read? do you have any questions for me, about me, the business, yarn questions, tutorials, tips? Tell me! Feed me your thoughts! I have a few ideas whizzing around in my smooshy brain.

• Why are circular needles some knitters nightmare, and how to slay these beasts?
• Ravelry, what is it and how to use it?
• What is the obsession with hand knitted socks?
• How to not come across as a creep when asking someone if they will live in your basement?
• How can I convince Mr fluph to buy me another dog?
• What is happening up on the Blackness Road?

So go for it, leave me a comment with your questions. facebook, twitter, instagram, email
DO EEET!