Cables and textured knitting workshop

We still have a few spaces available for this wonderful workshop. Anne Makepeace will take you through the mysteries of knitting cables. There are so many gorgeous knitting patterns in wool and cotton that many people avoid, with just a few hours of expert tuition you will find how easy cabling is! Anne will also teach you how to read a cable chart which many modern patterns now use and how to incorporate various other textured stitches.
If you live in the Sussex area come and join us on Wednesday 24th March, the price of the workshop includes materials, a tasty lunch and 10% discount on purchases made on the day.
Book here

Mini Mochi

We have a very exciting delivery arriving this week with more shades of this gorgeous sock yarn. There are four new rainbow shades, Beach Scene (see above), Blueberry Pancakes, Lake Trail and Fireworks, plus six solid shades for the more conservative choice. Don't forget the FREE patterns that are available to download for all the Crystal Palace yarns. Mini Mochi will also knit to most standard 4 ply patterns and is too lovely to just use for socks!

Rowan magazine 47 competition

The prize draw for this months competition has been won by Catherine Moores and a £50 voucher is on the way! Thank you so much to everyone for all your lovely emails. The two favourite designs from Rowan 47 (both receiving exactly the same amount of votes) were Blithe (knitted in Summer Tweed) and Serene (knitted in Milk Cotton DK), closely followed by Halcyon (knitted in Fine Milk Cotton) and then Margate (knitted in Handknit Cotton).

Knitting retreat in France

We are starting to take bookings for autumn 2010! The deadline for completing the renovations to the house is June so the booking forms for September onwards are now available.
We are offering accommodation for up to 4 guests at a time, the price includes full board and lodging and transfers from local airports. Spend a few days with like-minded knitters in comfortable surroundings, visit the local towns of Cognac, Saintes and St Jean d'Angely and go for gentle strolls in the local vineyards.
The house is situated in a small rural hamlet in the depths of the Charente-Maritime. The accommodation consists of two double bedrooms and one twin room, two shower rooms, a first floor snug, spacious sitting room with log fire and dining room. Outside there is a pretty enclosed courtyard with a shady seating area for alfresco dining and a just a few minutes walk takes you to open fields, vineyards and woods.
For further details see here.

Debbie Bliss magazine

Well done Amanda! she has managed to get out all the back orders for the new Debbie Bliss mag on her own today. We have also had a top up delivery of a few of the Amalfi and Ecobaby shades, but they are selling much faster than we can order them in......, plus a few more Mini Mochi shades.

Knitting in the mountains

Culli had to go down to do a site visit yesterday at a renovation project in the foothills of the Pyrenees. We have made these site visits about six times over the last 2 years and it is a long day out, I just go along to help out with the driving, 5 hours each way with a quick lunch in a little restaurant in Tournay and then an hour on site. The old house and outbuildings are a photographers paradise so I snap away happily, and it is always good to see the mountains and breathe the air. I also managed to knit the back of a little dress for Poppy's birthday next week in the 5 hours that I wasn't driving, so a good day all round! It is from a pattern in the Debbie Bliss Special Knits book and should be in Baby Cashmerino, but I didn't have enough yarn so have adapted it to cotton DK, I think it will be ok.

It's frosty!

I am trying to remember to take a photograph of the weather conditions on the last day of every month this year, just for the record. This photo of the vineyard around the corner was taken on the 31st January, it looks a bit like that again to day, which reminded me of it.

Renovations!

We are back onto finishing off the house with a vengeance. For many reasons this got put on the back burner, so we currently have a half finished kitchen, still the glorious pink bathroom and some very French plumbing and electrics. I keep on setting targets for starting the weekend knitting retreat here in France and failing miserably, but this year we will be open for business by the autumn. Watch this space for daily progress reports and before and after photos!!!
This weekend Culli is finishing off some cupboards and shelving for me on the big landing which will be a great workstation for the knitting and sewing machine and will make a lovely snug for guests to sit and knit. I will finally have my collection of knitting books, magazines and stash all in one place!!! (well maybe not all the stash, no room is big enough for that....)

Debbie Bliss Ecobaby organic cotton

Debbie Bliss has come up with another winner for baby knits. Ecobaby is a luxurious 100% organic cotton that knits to exactly the same tension as Baby Cashmerino (25 sts and 34 rows to 10 cm using 3.25mm needles) so can be used for all the Baby Cashmerino patterns. There is also a fabulous new pattern book called Ecobaby, with 12 designs for 0-3 year olds.

Debbie Bliss Amalfi

Amalfi is the latest yarn for spring 2010 from Debbie Bliss. It is a gorgeous blend of 70% cotton/15% viscose/10% silk and knits to a tension of 22 sts and 30 rows to 10cm using 4mm needles. Pattern support is available in the new book Amalfi. We sold out of our first batch of patterns and yarn in just a few days, more stock arriving now!

Debbie Bliss Knitting Magazine Issue 4

The latest bi-annual magazine from Debbie Bliss is due to be published on the 15th February. Packed with 35 gorgeous designs for all the family and some fabulous cushions and throws it is a bargain at just £4.50. Order your copy here!

Rowan Casual Classics

Rowan Casual Classics is a new book of knitting patterns for women with 12 classic designs by Martin Storey using Milk Cotton DK, Lenpur Linen, Pure Silk DK and Organic Cotton DK.

Rowan The Purelife Recycled Collection

The Purelife Recycled Collection has 15 lovely knitting patterns by Marie Wallin dedicated to the new yarn Rowan Revive (36% recycled silk/36% recycled cotton/28% recycled viscose).
Revive is made from used garments which have been selected for the silk, cotton and viscose content. These are then carded to make a regenerated fibre, which is then spun into this beautiful high quality yarn.

Rowan Summer Crochet

At last! a pattern book from Rowan dedicated to crochet. Rowan Summer Crochet has 12 gorgeous designs using Rowan Cotton Glace and Rowan Siena 4 ply cotton.

Rowan 47

Well so much for the New Year's resolution of keeping the blog updated........
My only excuse is that I am just recovering from the worst cold I have ever had and that my office is a bit chilly in this snowy weather (yes even in France at the moment), where is Spring?
However, we have lots of fabulous new designs to make you think of summer.
We have just finished a major stock check at Kangaroo and are now re-stocking with the new summer yarns.
Rowan 47 is selling fast, favourite designs to date are Blithe, Serene and Aldeburgh.