Unravel and a learning to knit pattern idea

We went to Unravel this Sunday and had such a good time I thought I'd write about it this week.  I save all year for Unravel.  I put £1 in my money box every time I take over £100 in the shop.  That way I have stash growing funds without having to feel guilty.  I went with Kay and met up with Mum, Debbie, Mandy and her friend.  Kay and I spent the day together, meeting up with the others for lunch and a well earned hot chocolate in the afternoon.  Our first sweep revealed some gorgeous yarns, beautiful fibres and an intriguing rug hooking kit.  Both Kay and I decided not to spend on the first run round.

Sunday is a nice day to go as it's not so busy.  I had time to talk to the very nice people who supply Beaker Button with Soak (the perfect stuff for washing your hand knits, delicates, holiday clothes, Dorset button jewellery, blocking.... the list is endless), and I now have a bottle of Flatter to try. Flatter is for spray blocking (if you have something to delicate to wet block), or for use when ironing quilts and fabric. It was also nice to briefly catch up with the Little Grey Sheep Co.  I even found some Dorset buttons.  Well, Mum found one lot.

Kay and I contributed to the Blue Jumper, as did Mum and Debbie later. The Blue Jumper is  group knitting project that has been going for a number of years.  The link for more information about the Blue Jumper is here. I had great fun knitting a small leaf into my piece.

I could have spent an absolute fortune, surprisingly more on fibre than yarn.  I love looking at all the different yarns on offer but now that I'm dyeing my own I feel less of a compulsion to buy.  Fibre, however, still draws me in like crack cocaine!  I came away with one of the intriguing rug hooking kits from Hooked by Design, a pattern from Purl Alpaca, some beautiful merino fibre (can't remember where from) to spin and two skeins of Swedish wool from Ulcentrum, which I'm going to knit into a striped shawl.
Eye candy below.

Easy Peasy learning to knit mittens.
I haven't done a pattern for this week but I thought I'd share my simplest learning to knit mitten pattern idea.  This is great for teaching people to knit because it doesn't matter if thing go a little awry.

Cast on 30 sts or so.  If your using thicker yarn than DK you could use less, 4ply will need more.  I tend to cast on for the length from my knuckle to my wrist.  Knit every row until your work wraps round your hand with the rows vertical.  Cast off.  Sew cast off and cast on edge together for a third of the way in from each edge, leaving a gap in the centre for the thumb.  Easy Peasy.
What's nice about this pattern is if you get holes they just look like a lacy pattern.  They don't take long to make either so you won't get bored but you do get something useful.

The Blue Jumper

My leaf

Knitting socks at lunch

Debbie, Mum, kay and Sarah from the Blue Jumper

Real old Dorset buttons

My goodies

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