What I got for Christmas and other knitty goodies......

Can't quite comprehend that christmas has already been and gone and I am only just a week away from my birthday already. So time for a little show and tell of what Santa brought me for being a good knitter this last year.



Yep my very own little Gem spinning wheel from New Zealand via P&M Woolcraft. It is fabulous and I have already spun a few skeins of yarn on it. Yes I know it has a little fibre already on it there when still wrapped but it had to be tested when it was put together so I could just spin away on Christmas day morning.

And out of the packaging.......



And also a few other little goodies.......



This from my sister in law bought at the Woolclip back in the summer.



This beautiful skein of sock yarn from Diane



Top down books from my mother in law



Oh and this one from Santa



And these gorgeous inedible stitch markers from Cameron that he bought at Socktopus shop. They are really beautiful.

The Wool Clip - Cumbrian adventures part two.......

Although I have already blogged about my trip to the Lakes I did want to do a special post all about my trip to the Wool Clip which is the most facinating little shop at Priests Mill, Caldbeck.





So a bit of background information about the Wool Clip.

The Wool Clip is a co-operative founded in 2001 and currently comprising 15 women.
We are an enterprising group of with a diverse range of skills. These include farmers producing wool and mohair, creative textile and fibre artists and spinners, weavers, knitters and dyers.
We have an emphasis on innovation, creativity and colour and operate through a successful retail outlet at Priest's Mill in Caldbeck, Cumbria
(Taken from their website)

They also run a whole host of workshops which are listed on their website. I wish I lived nearer as there are quite a few I would love to sign up for.

I visited on the Thursday as I knew that Cecilia, who I met up with on the Tuesday evening in Keswick would be working that day.

Here are a few pics of what it was like inside the wool clip. I think we spent at least an hour and a half just browsing and chatting. Oh and of course making a few (quite a few) purchases.









Notice the Woolfest bags and T-shirts, well that's because the ladies of the Wool Clip are also organisers of this fantastic fibre fest which takes place at the end of June each year. I am determined to try and get up there next year.

Oh and purchases........ I know some of these have appeared in the blog already but it wouldn't be right not to show you the treasure trove of goodies that can be bought here and some enabling I did for my sister-in-law.



This was the enabling that I did all for knitting scarves.



And for me it was fibre and a book on spinning.....
(Confession there was a little more fibre than this but I haven't owned up to it yet, some more of the mohair in green blue colours and another bag of Merino top in a similar colourway.)



.......oh and a little skein of yarn



......and this weaving kit for a little girls christmas present. She is going to love it.

I was also lucky enough to pick out a gorgeous skein of yarn that my sister-in-law has bought me for my birthday but I have to wait until January for that and unfortunately I don't have a picture to show but it is in My colours and absolutely gorgeous.

Unfortunately we spent so long in the shop the tearoom was closed by the time we had made all our purchases but that just means we will have to go and visit again. If

If you are up in the North Lakes definately put this on your list of places to visit it is a real aladins cave. Oh and don't expect to come out with your credit card in tact, you just can't help but buy!