The Best Laid Plans of Mice and Jen...

As Tuesday progressed, my will to be dragged around Porthkerry park with a list of things to be creative about (which I feel stifles my creativity anyway) wained, and as I'm working lates next week I won't be there to have my creativity critiscised, and after last weeks 'lesson' I was extremely unsure about the class anyway, so excuses made, we didn't go.
We did play around in the garden and take too many photographs of our Japanese Cherry Blossom, that is losing its blossoms thick and fast for this year.
One of my wishes for the garden, is that this tree blossoms throughout summer, its so beautiful for a few weeks in spring, then its gone for a year.
I feel a crafty project coming on here...

I'm really enjoying knit club on Wednesdays, and last night GypsyDancer was able to patiently tell me what I was doing with my crochet, and what I'd done wrong.  By the end of the week, I'll be able to join the freeform CAL on Rav with some confidence that I know what the instructions mean!

The Baby socks for my sisters baby (Due today) are almost done, the blanket, socks and hat will be posted Saturday. 
This project has felt a little odd, as I've never met this sister (loooong story for another time) and I don't know her tastes or anything about her yet.  Fingers crossed she'll like them though.

WonderWool Wales 2010

Meet Clop the Goat

I convinced hubby that this would be an invaluable opportunity to take lots of photographs so that he'd come with me to WonderWool, and although he barely got his camera out, he seemed to have a fantastic time, looking for a dark "boy" coloured yarn for me to knit up a phone cover with. 



He didn't find one he liked, but agreed that a trip to the haberdashery dept of John Lewis was in order.
I don't know if I conned him, or he came to that conclusion himself - but Result! :)

My purchases consisted of a lovely creation of GypsyDancer, (can't say too much about that yet as its a gift for someone who may read this) and 2 Spinning Batts.  Well thats what it says on the bag, I don't know what they are called really.  Hand died, merino, soft as heavens clouds in Lilac and Lime. 
Purchasing a spindle did not go so well.  I could only find three stalls selling them, one was selling pine, very basic models, another selling Turkish spindles which looked a little confusing, and a third guy putting on the hard sell, whose spindles were made of ebony.
I'm not an expert, but I know some types of ebony are endangered and I didn't feel comfortable to ask this guy about his sources.
Etsy it is for Spindles!

A lovely day out, I would recomend this to all, yarn-fondlers or not.  Next year I'll probably camp and go both days (after remortgaging the house and selling a leg to pay for yarn), lets make it a party?

On the way home, Erwood Craft Centre for a lovely brew and a nosey at the lovelyness there.  They now sell spinning yarn too, coloured by one of the WonderWool exhibitors who I was gutted not to be able to buy from (hence selling the leg next year), I'll be going back there when I have my spindle to purchase some Blue-Faced Leicester trimmings :)

Stitch

A couple of days ago, I had a message on Ravelry inviting me to a new Knitting Club in Pontypridd.

I've been to a couple before, but they're usually quite a trek and involve a long drive home, so even though I'm uber-busy at the moment I decided to check it out tonight.  I am SO glad I did.
I met a lot of lovely people, one of whom I've had as a friend on Ravelry for years but never met before.
It was a fantastic night, great club, cheap drinks, wonderful people. 
I even learned a bit of Crochet, although I think I need a LOT of practice before I do anything serious.
I will definitely be going back next week for more!