Oh my hands - don't let me down!

What can I say about Yarndale?  Crowded oh so crowded and anyone that knows me, knows how much I hate crowds, (stomach churning, breath gasping, lean against the nearest wall, getting very shirty are all manifestations of this). However I managed to go round the stalls I knew I wanted to visit first before the crowds really took hold. And boy did they!

This was the only place I could stand back in the main bit - the Knit and Natter Lounge

 The mandalas from last year - I couldn't get near this year's flower display

I think this might be mine - the one with the green edges.  I'll have to check back though to be sure. The colours are the same as I had at that time but they are from the Stylecraft Cotton Collection which is very common.

Angora rabbits - you don't get the scale here but they looked huge!

Some endangered breed sheep which I forget to get the names of. Tiny little things they were - bigger than the rabbits though.

Now are these lamas, no I think they are alpacas and I'm embarrassed to say I don't know the difference.

The views over the hills were spectacular but it was so bright that I couldn't get good pics on my phone.

I bumped into my lovely friend Barbara from Ring-a-Rosie (the best wool shop in the country) and we both clung to the railings while we talked because she doesn't like crowds either. She was just off to the Lakes with her husband. And, yes, she did buy some wool!

The most moving moment was when I went to buy some yarn from Amanda Perkins. She closed her Natural Dye Studio last year to concentrate on her designing business. She had brought her last little bit of yarn with her because she said she couldn't justify keeping it.  I said I would give it a good loving home and she welled up - she said it was like watching her children leave. She made me promise to email her pictures of the things I've made.

The five skeins on the left are her babies. They have settled very well with my other yarns from the Natural Dye Studio. It is a crochet tragedy that she stopped dying her yarn - it is totally unique. The other skein is Manos del Uruguay Silk - at £6 an absolute snip.  I think this will become a couple of Neck Wraps in a Solomon's Knot. The yarn bowl has been on my wish list from the first Yarndale. The lady that makes them is also a knitter,  I got a pattern I don't need (as always) and two crochet hooks I didn't have.

You need so little to crochet - yarn, a hook, a pair of scissors and a needle. Like hand quilting you get totally lost in the stitches - better than meditation.

This morning Ben and I went shopping whilst his daddy and mammy went to see about getting a new car. (John's broke down again this week). It's a 12 year old Seat Arosa and has done a good job over the years,  but now he is the proud owner of a Guillieta.

Ben helped load the things on to the belt, then went for a drive in the little van next to the tills. He was sitting quite happily when he looked at me and said "oh no it's broken down".

He jumped out, pretended to lift the bonnet and then jumped back in again "it's ok" he said, "I've fixed it". Guess who's been watching his Daddy!

Then we went round to get him a Thomas the Tank Engine for his birthday on Thursday. He insisted on carrying it.

Oops I forgot - I got these little beauties (each 15grams) of linen.

I was up at the crack of dawn to watch the Grand Prix but the telly wouldn't play ball so I thought I would watch later at lunch time and then everyone landed and the recording I made was all crackly so I ended up watching the high-lights late this afternoon.

I haven't been able to quilt or crochet this weekend because I strained my hand and can't even grip the crochet hook.  So I've had to make do with squishing my precious purchases and my two little boys. Hopefully my hand will get better soon (an old injury). But the squishing was pretty enjoyable.
 
I'm just off now to gaze at the fantastic moon tonight - a partial eclipse and a full moon.

It's only the bright one now - the eclipse won't happen until about 3am. Sorry it's a bit shaky and blurred. The next one won't be until 2033 apparently.

Although if you believe some of the fringe religions we won't be here then. Hey ho.

Have a good week xxxxx