London Yarn Craze Part 1

So, I just went crazy, and said - what is more important than friends? One of my faithful commenter on this blog is HPNYKnits, (second picture)she said - lets go to London! And If someone can fly from New York to go to the Knitting and Stitching show at Alexandra Palace, I can. I just felt my SAS flying bonus had built up enough to give me two days. Anyhow, It took me a long time to decide to go even if London, even if it is not THAT far away. The reason was that Sticklingarna - my very close knitting-group, had a meet (today), and I already said yes - I will go. Great work situation to sneak of thursday friday! There I was, finally to met her in person, so I met my dear friend - a smiling, kind and very generous and caring person. We grabbed a Java and went to the show, where this crazy Ferrari - Yes - it is knitted! met us at the entrance. I quickly realized that I had not checked up on the Ally Pally enough, and that my dear friend was updated of what to buy and not. She was after yarn that does not exists in US, and I definitely looked twice to yarn from US (I have not seen before!) But, we went quickly to meet this wonderful Ingrid, in her booth, who is a master hand-dyer.
Her yarn (She blogs under Silkwood), and after OOhs and Ahhs, I grabbed sockyarn Nickerjac of her special colouring, and also Exclusive Silkwood hand dyed on Wensleydale yarn - supersoft. I think the Nicerjag sockyarn is avalable from Wollywools. What I really apprechiated was that she had reeled the yarn from two ways, so you could see the different colours working together. (Yes, I will show you later). ANother great thing was that she had prepared a ball of yarn with different kind of yarns. You just knit on to make a scarf, and all colours are matched and the yarn is different. Great for begineers and people lacking creativity. Personally, I just think - Great Idea to mix different yarns in same shade. Excellent for left overs! But look at it?! (Last picture?)
I just snapped so many photos of Ingrid's/Nickerjac's great colourmixes. Do you not agree? And yes, she sells and ships. I heard that she also did great special colours on cashmere. Anyhow, she was great - And that just started two days of crazy bliss. There is just so much to tell. BTW. Not cheap. Sheep ;-) Oh boy, what a place. I was stunned. Can you imagine me speechless? I just soaked it in. Like a cow let out on a field of green grass. My hands were walking, playing, touching and all was soft.
Just look at this party of colours. I went crazy. My synapses overworked, the amount of shops, all hand-dyed wonderful things. AHHH I went to UK Alpacka (and bought fleece) then we run past Sea-silk - really a novelity yarn. And I got to put my eyes on Kogiou yarn for real. Well. the exiting story continues. Now I must run to the kitchen and kiss on my lovely - while he is preparing Taco's for us. I will tell you more about London the next few days....(and the rest you can probalby read at my friend's blog!) Comments (thank you!) are always apprechiated!

Apples, yarnstores, Julia and other progress info

The Garden requires full attention. But this weekend has been all about a friend P-G's 50th birthday, and staying with my cousing Sebbe in Uppsala. I of course got 15 minutes on Saturday at YlloTyll, but again (!) I was successful entering a yarnstore without buying something. Maybe stress and hunger had something do do about it. But - I tell you, the store was packed with goodiees. Amazing. I could spend a DAY there.
Also, a lot of displays of knitted garments, many of their own patterns, very smart. But, this week, started slow, but a Machineknitting meeting at Stickbutiken (where we all caressed the new Garnstudio Silke-Alpacka yarn). Great meeting, which will be a story in STICKA's magazine. But Friday I was in Lund - and I also had 20 minutes in a packed yarnstore (Sländan) who had a lot of interesting yarn. Among some, Twinni, and I stocked up on complementing colours for my Speede (100 g of colours 10S and 11). But I sure hope It was not 11S that I had. Anyhow a great and very busy week. On the long trainride home from Lund, I worked on Julia sleeves. So here is progress on both sleeves knitted at the same time. So, it is slow, and still half a sleeve x 2 left. But, I'm getting there. Finally, I have also been good with my circular sweater. "The otherone" is done, but I frogged the first one, so that needs to be reknitted. Finally, what do you say about my handspun sock? I definitely need more fleece to knit the otherone. Since this will not do! But ít will be so warm and soft. I really like it, and I also think it is a great feeling both spinning and knitting the fleece. OK, now it is apple-pie time (Gravensteiner), and I sure hope SAS will not strike, because I'm planning to go to London to the knitting show (just to meet my NY-friend "When the going gets tough, the tough gets going!!")