Wonderwool 2026

A rough count seems to indicate this was the 12th weekend away at Wonderwool, 14th visit in total. As this was their 20th anniversary show, I feel fairly accomplished - because of the missing in-person ones for covid, I calculate that as 19 shows since 2006, so I've only missed five. And I have the stash to prove it. 

As noted previously, I sacked it off on Saturday morning for a slightly disappointing visit to Powis Castle (may have to be repeated next year if the Clive museum has reopened by then), so I didn't get to the show until after 2pm on the Saturday, had a bit of a walk round, ate an ice cream and then left. It was positively hot inside the halls, which was a change for most other years. I had nothing for show and tell in the evening and wondered, might this be the year when I actually don't buy anything? 

But no. The ghosts of Wonderwool past haunted me: the rare occasions when I hadn't bought something and then regretted it, because I never saw it again. So I made some informed choices for Sunday and came home with this little haul. 

From the left:

• A kit to knit two otters and a pattern book from Sincerely Louise. What a delightful stall. I had a good chat with the artist and her partner on both days, all about Game of Wool and her famous octopus, featured on Tom Daly's shoulder. There were too many kits I wanted but the otters won. The word on the street is that she might have pigeons next year. 
• Top middle - a block printed silk scarf from a clothing stand called Running Stitches. They did well out of us as April bought a jacket from there on the Saturday that sent most of us running to the stall to see what she had the next day. 
• Middle middle - 18 mini skeins from Wee Yarns. They had 150 colours laid out in baskets, it was just divine. The package on the right is a pre-organised fade that I bought to knit a scarf for our Brazilian cleaner at work; the one of the left is an orange fade I put together myself, plus a couple of greens. The greens are part of my seemingly unending quest to find the right green yarn to go with some brown sportweight I took out of Kat's stash last year. 
• Bottom middle - three skeins from Sealy McWheely. The middle one is navy with a copper glimmer: very unusual, and the thing I decided on Saturday night that I would be most sad not to get hold of. I went straight back on Sunday morning and she only had one skein left! Four in the DK, so I did dither for a while, but then decided I probably don't want a whole jumper of sparkle, so I bought some plain navy for striping. 
• If you look closely at the top skein of the navy, you'll see a little vintage pearl-handled pin sticking out. 
• Top right - project bag from An Caitin Beag. It has a contrast cat lining. In the middle there is also a pin from her stand that says 'Deeds not purrs'. 
• Middle right - a needle felting kit to make three robins. I had decided against this, as I still have the needle felting kit for the door wreath from 2024, but then someone pointed out I could add robins to the wreath and I also remembered that, this October half term, I WON'T be working on a Masters, so I bought it. There's also a teeny notion purse and a crab brooch. 
• Bottom right - a kit from An Caitin Beag to make a cowl. It's the softest thing. This was originally meant for the cleaner but I like to have options. 

Given that I donated three bags of yarn to the Air Ambulance stall, I think this probably represents a net loss from my stash. Proud. 

Close up of the glimmer yarn, because so pretty. 

2026 Week 18

There isn't a great deal to say about this past week. It's bank holiday weekend and I'm trying to work on my dissertation but not being very focused. I have, at least, managed to set up a few more interviews so that is one less thing to do - by next Sunday I should have 9 in the bag, of a target of 10-15, so I am close to completing that part of the research. You know, the actual research part of it. 

We finished watching season 1 of The Pitt but don't really want to start season 2 until more episodes are released. I liked it but I felt there were some quite big holes in the plot, or rather, circles that were never completed. I also finished reading The Last Song of Penelope which was very satisfying, I loved the trilogy. I didn't touch my knitting all week but went to group yesterday and cast on for an Isabell Kramer pattern in some 2019 Wonderwool DK; I started something in it last weekend but decided the neckline was going to be way too wide so I went through the Kramer archive because her necklines are always so cleverly constructed. 

I am feeling like this might be my actual favourite time of year. I find it impossible to choose, but this very narrow window of May, when the blossom is ending but everything green is just like HELLOOOOOO and all plant life just seems swollen with brand new freshness, it's so lovely. Both our peony plants look like they're going to flower the year, for the first time ever - I think I planted them in 2021 so it has been a minute. The healthier of the two shot up to fence height in a matter of days; the other one, which began life in a pot and was then planted in the most barren bit of ground in the garden, has been pretty quick too. 

Just to add to my middle-aged stereotype, I've also been having a clear out. I decided to put 'donate 100 items' on my termly to-do list so that involves going through things like my underwear drawer, where there are rich pickings shoved to the back. Socks count as two if they're a pair (my game, my rules) and I also found nine odd socks that are never going to be reunited with their sole mates. I'm going to cut some of them up to be board rubbers. 

I did say that there wasn't much to say about this week.