Proper Woolly

There is so much to write about this week that I am not sure where to start!
Last week was half term so the children and I took the train up to see Granny and Grandad. I love the train journey from Cornwall to London as for a short part of the journey the track runs alongside the sea. This link should take you to YouTube for the train driver's view. It is beautiful though I have been in the train with the spray from stormy waves splashing up onto the windows before. I have to admit that was a little nerve wracking!

Whilst visiting my parents we took the children to the Warner Brothers' Harry Potter studios for a special day out. Oh my goodness, there are some serious Harry Potter fans out there! It was a really good day and the children enjoyed seeing all the sets and finding out about how the films were made. There was a fantastic model of Hogwarts there which is what they used for filming all the outside and distance shots. I came away thinking that I would really like to have an office like Dumbledore's which is in three interlocking turrets - very cool!

I took some knitting with me to my parents' house of course. The pesky hat (I have lost count of the number of times I had to restart it) with the double spiral, is finally finished just in time for summer - typical! It looks enormous but as I have lots of long hair to tuck into it, it works well as a slouchy and I am looking forward to being able to wear it later in the year.

I also finished a sock which has been on the needles for a very long time so I guess I should cast on its partner now.

I have to admit to hesitating a bit as I am in the process of spinning some merino in teals and turquoise that I am going to ply with some black alpaca that I have already spun.

I am dying to get it finished so that I can knit something with it. I had planned to try this pattern which is a cardigan with leaf pattern panels but I think I have changed my mind in favour of a very simple sleeveless open cardigan (I'm sure there is a technical name for the garment I have in mind but it escapes me at the moment.

In the picture with the sock you can also see what I am currently reading. I have two books on the go at the moment, the first being Rudolf Steiner's Philosophy of Freedom and the other being The Inner Work Path a Foundation for Meditative Practice in the Light of Anthroposophy by Lisa Romero. Tonight is the first study group meeting here at Misty Cottage where a small group of us will be studying the Philosophy of Freedom together. I think it is likely to be pretty challenging but that's a good thing - isn't it? The other book was a birthday present from a lovely friend. I have only just started reading it but I think there will be plenty of food for thought within. On a lighter and altogether more trivial note I am listening (avidly) to Charlaine Harris's Sookie Stackhouse mysteries. They are maybe not for the fainthearted but are pacey and engaging and beautifully narrated by Johanna Parker who has the most lovely southern states accent which I could (and sometimes do) listen to all day!

Last weekend was very exciting for South West England as there was a big fibre arts show, Proper Woolly. It was very exciting for me as it was my first experience of an event of this kind. There were lots of stalls with some amazing things for sale - so much hand dyed fibre and some really beautiful nuno felted garments. I collected loads of business cards and information leaflets and got some incredible inspiration. I came home with some wonderful materials to work with and a head full of ideas. My major purchase was this swift, truly a thing of beauty, from The Threshing Barn.

Here are the other things I bought (can you tell that I have recently had a birthday and therefore had a bit of cash in my pocket?!)

Lots of ribbons for weaving through my knitting.

Sock yarn from Rosie's Moments with a lovely lavender sachet attached.

Hand dyed silk brick from Mandacrafts.

Dyed locks from Sara's Texture Crafts.

So no more buying for me for a while. Perhaps I'll try my hand at selling something instead. Hmmm, guess I might need a shop ...

Joining in with Ginny at the Yarn Along and with Frontier Dreams.