Heads up: next week we're taking a little summer break in Cornwall. The shop will be open, but sadly the Needle Elf had a scheduling conflict; so orders placed after Monday afternoon will only be posted when we return, on Monday 15 June.
Sorry! Wish us luck on our sojourn - we have yet to discover how Claudia takes to travel.
Have you seen the website comparethemeerkat.com? It is of course a fun viral marketing thingy. But it took a clever (or bored?) Raveller to find the knitting meerkat. Both cosy and fine-looking!
Just a quick heads-up: Namaste are introducing some new products - the Hermosa bag and a smaller version of the Cali clutch. Of course we will be getting both, due to arrive in late June I should think. If you want to reserve one please email.
But to make room for the new stuff in their line-up, they are discontinuing a few old products. If you've been eyeing a Malibu, Cali clutch or a needle binder, better nab one quickly! Similarly, if you have a binder and are in danger of running out of space in your inserts, stock up now.
I knew I needn't have worried about my own failure to envelop Claudia in a mountain of woolly warmth from birth. (She's already almost outgrown the surprise jacket. I am working on a Tulip cardi, but who knows whether it'll be done before her 2nd birthday?) Knitters far and wide have leapt into action and sent much gorgeousness. Behold!
From Jo, aka Ravelry's firstfallen. Isn't it lovely! The little pearl buttons on the bootees... too sweet.
Another Raveller, Twoblackcats (Lisa), made this little delight. If memory serves me right, it was also Lisa who surprised and delighted me at Ally Pally by showing up in a version of my Twist & Shout. She likes a cabled jacket, does Lisa. Good girl.
Zina/Globaltraveller (yes, another Raveller; isn't everyone?) sent this brilliant set "to start Claudia's career as a glamourpuss"; it's in cashmere, darling! I think this will be the first one to get worn, as it's the smallest, and Claudia should fit it... right about now, really. I promise to seek out the first opportunity to dress her up and show her off.
Thank you all so much. These lovely gifts warm my heart, they really do. And so beautifully made. You are all very lovely.
In my previous fibre feature, I mentioned how for years, I turned to cotton as the main non-wool, non-acrylic yarn available to me. I also hinted at how this may not really have been the best strategy, since cotton and wool are... well... different. Both lovely, for sure, but really not good substitutes. Now, with spring in the air (at least, my trees are in bud, spring can't be far behind... right?), it seems like a good time to focus on cotton - and its fellow plant fibre, linen - both of which make wonderful warm-weather garments. Here's how you can make the most of what was for so long my very favourite yarn.
Continue reading "Year of natural fibres: Cotton and linen" »
As you may have noticed, the shop is now open for business once more. Wish me luck - I can see it's going to be quite a challenge running a baby and a shop at the same time! However I do have a Plan and a System (of sorts) and am hoping to keep things chugging along with no more of those annoying "so sorry we're running a bit slow" moments. At least not on the order delivery front. Few points of business:
We have bunches of fabulous new products that have just arrived or are about to; look out for them over the next couple of weeks, it will probably take a bit longer than usual to get them photographed and uploaded. But it's worth waiting for, I promise.
There's the new Year of Natural Fibres feature to deliver - should be up in just a day or so. Cotton and linen are the featured yarns.
Finally, Royal Mail prices are going up again tomorrow. But I've decided not to adjust our own P&P pricing. Bad enough that I've had to raise product prices all over the shop as the pound plunged - I think we can absorb a bit of a cost hike on the postage front.
Thanks for all your support and your lovely messages about the baby! Claudia is a gorgeous little thing. We are very much enjoying her. Maybe more when she's sleeping than when she's crying her little heart out... but then, luckily she does sleep a lot!
Born one week ago - Thursday 19 March 2009 - and weighing in at a healthy 4.27kg, meet Claudia Paige Thalia, my newest WIP:
(Armin might have had a hand in it too.)
You'll understand that this project is taking up all my attention right now. I'll be reopening Purlescence next Saturday (4 April). Meanwhile, instead of browsing gorgeous yarns, you can always look at gorgeousness of the baby kind over here... (more pics added periodically).