What have you been knitting?

Wendy 5672

Autumn/Winter in the shop tends to mean we’re much busier, which is great, and after all sales are what we need and I’m grateful for every time the till drawer closes, especially with the amount of stock we carry.  I just have one tiny, ickle grumble, it’s not a big one but ……..

I HAVE NO TIME TO KNIT!!!!!!!!!!

It’s really rather tragic, projects that would take me no time seem to be taking forever, and to add insult to injury, my list of unfinished items is ever increasing, as is my ‘to-do list’.

At present I’m over halfway through making a lightweight poncho/top; I have a Christmas elf body and hat completed but features, etc. still to complete.  There’s at least one all-but-finished scarf for the shop but I made it in a discontinued shade, so I need to knit it again in a current shade before displaying it (it will also help as a test knit before writing up the pattern).  Then there’s the list of knitting I’m supposed to have started – yes I did say started, for Christmas presents.  I do have two scarfs underway, both of which are quite a long way off being finished.

On the plus side I did take back the neck on the poncho I’d been making in Celtic Chunky from Wendy after having made it as per the pattern instructions.  I picked up 20 less stitches than suggested and used a 6.5mm needle instead of the 7mm.

Dina looks beautiful in it and says it’s so warm it’s like wearing a blanket, and she’s always cold.  It has dropped a little around the neck despite my alterations, so was I to make it again I’d actually cast off less stitches at the neck too, which would hopefully rectify this.

The modified version

Bergere De France

Bergere De France Duvetine

It seems we’re getting orders in all the time at the moment and I’m struggling slightly to keep up.  It’s like Christmas every day though opening sack after sack of gorgeous yarn and patterns.
One of the companies I’ve been looking at stocking for some time now is Bergere De France and this week I took delivery of our first order from them which included the lovely, squidgy yarn Duvetine.  Duvetine is  chunky yarn with a recommended tension of 12sts to 17 rows when knitted on 6.5mm needles.

Of the 8 shades available I ordered 6 with my particular favourite being the blue/turquoise.

I think I could possibly have fallen in love with the blue because I love this.

Duvetine Poncho

In addition to the Duvetine I also ordered a few individual packs of yarns to ‘try out’ before I decide whether to begin stocking them as with many European yarn companies Bergere De France’s yarns are not all standard, which means they will only really work with certain patterns.  Talking of patterns I did get a little carried away with ordering patterns, books and magazines from Bergere – purely in the name of research.  As many of you may have already seen on the Facebook page I indulged in a few knitting bags and notions purses.  I also ordered some of their quirky little buttons but it would seem there’s been a little mix-up with those so they’ll be a little bit delayed.

In addition to the new bits from Bergere there have also been new goodies from Knitpro, Clover and Rico and if that wasn’t enough 19 shades of Cushendale Lace yarn arrived in too.  The 1 ball 1 scarf yarn makes an ideal gift to give at Christmas and it’s homegrown too.

Cushendale Mohair

I’ve knitted a sample up in ‘Storm’ and it’s on display in the shop, I think the scarves/wrap would look great doubled up in 2 different shades, pop in and have a look if you have the time I guarantee you’ll love it too.

Happy Knitting!