The Remains of 13 Wonderwools

I'm not really about shame, but felt I should document what I have bought at Wonderwool in previous years and never used. Some years, I burn through the stash pretty quickly - this seems to be the years when I have very particular plans for the yarn and/or it's to knit things for other people. Other years, so little has been made that I start to edge towards that aforementioned shame. 

I've learned that I almost always knit up my fivemoons yarn but that I have never (that I can recall) knitted up anything I've bought from Knitwitches, which is a shame, because her yarn was always glorious. A quick riffle through my projects reveals I have knitted a cowl with some of her yarn, but it was purchased at Fibrefest so isn't in any of my stash lists for Wonderwool. 

Anyway, I must stop procrastinating my dissertation work. There are no pictures so this is going to be a bit dull for you, but if you click on the Wonderwool tag you can see all my posts with pictures, to show the offending items. 

2010: 

• 3 skeins of grey camel/silk blend from Knitwitches
• 1 skein of blue cashmere laceweight, also Knitwitches
• 1 skein of pink alpaca silk cashmete from Artyarns

2012: 

• Many buttons
• Some red Knitwitches merino-angora blend, probably DK
• 2 skeins Blue Heron sparkly yarn - I did wind this and start something but it never made it much past the cast on

2013:

• More buttons
• 1 skein of plain sock yarn and 1 skein of Jawoll rainbow for some colourwork socks I have never made
• 2 skeins of Artisan linen/silk laceweight - wound, cast on and sitting in a project bag for about a decade
• A couple of skeins of brown Laalbear worsted - I have knitted two project with this yarn, so sort of doesn't count, but some remains
• 2 balls of Bigwigs angora/merino blend

2014:

• Obviously more buttons
• Roving - 400g; for thrumming, not yet done 
• 1 skein fivemoons Nanna Not Sock 
• Artesano BFL DK, 11 skeins in navy 
• A couple of skeins of Laalbear Naturals in cream - same as above, I have knitted a project with some of this
• 4 skeins Knitwitches Seriously Gorgeous BFL/Silk/Cashmere
• 1 skein Knitwitches aran silk 

2015:

• I'm just going to stop saying buttons
• 500g aran cashmere from Knitwitches

....and that's all that's left from 2015! Proud. 

2016:

• Buttons
• 5 skeins of green Triskelion
• 4 skeins of a blue blend DK from Owl About Yarns - I wound this but I have been putting off using it because I'm afraid it might have been mothed. It's in a bag with some moth strips
• 1 Zauberball

2017:

• 1 ball of Pook in a long gradient

2018:

• A few buttons
• 2 skeins of Riverknits 4-ply in Starry Night
• 1 rainbow gradient set, also from Riverknits

2019:

• 1 more skein of that Riverknits Starry Night so I had enough for a jumper (plan well-conceived...)
• 1 Riverknits blue gradient set
• 1 skein of delicious beige Triskelion 4-ply. The plan was (is?) to use this to make a shawl, with the blue gradient

2022:

• 2 skeins of Woolly Wumpkin very saturated red 4-ply
• 20 50g skeins of fivemoons grey 4-ply

2023:

• A Latvian mitten kit - this is OTNs and is sort of my current project (along with the other current project)
• A skein of DK Merino from Penrhallt Alpacas
• A sale grab bag of 5 skeins from fivemoons.
• A skein of DK merino from Lay Family yarns and a matching pom pom, to make a hat for the SIL - I have decided that SIL is not knitworthy, so I need to find someone else to make this hat for 
• Some rainbow yarn - two teeny skeins for adding a single rainbow stripe to the cuffs of some socks or mittens, and a ball of DK for some mitts

2024: 

• The yarn for a 4-ply jumper for Mr Z
• The needle-felting kit

2025:

• Some neons with a UV nep from Sealy MacWheely
• A Starry Nights minis set from the Yarn Artist
• 2 skeins of bird yarn from Mothy and Squid in the robin colourway - wound, sitting in a bag somewhere
• A 45 colour cashmere kit (plus the undyed for swatching) that will knit into a three-dimensional shawl

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. 

Wonderwool 2025

It was a very sunny Wonderwool this year. I was still full of overwhelm (the mood for 2025; I read something the other day about perimenopause causing anxiety and idly wondered if that might be why but no, undoubtedly it's the colossal workload I stupidly took on so I only have myself to blame) so I was largely in retreat for much of the weekend and left at lunchtime on Sunday, but I had a good time and it's always so nice to be in Brecon Forest, even if the dawn chorus/weird intrusive dreams/unease about deadlines woke me at 5 something on Saturday morning and 4 something on Sunday morning. I managed to finish knitting the peppermint mocha cardigan and get all the ends sewn in, it just needs a blocking and a zip now. 

Onto the goodies. I tried to be as thoughtful as possible about what I was buying, but may have come home with a bit more than last year. 

Taking it from the top -

• Some neons with a UV nep from Sealy MacWheely. I couldn't resist the brights. I loved her set from a few years ago and made a favourite jumper using it, so I am looking forward to seeing what this becomes. 
• Some grey with UV nep from Mothy and Squid, along with a gradient set from the Yarn Artist. This is to make the unicorn jumper for my niece, that I bought the pattern for last year. 
• A Starry Nights set from the Yarn Artist - this is just so very definitely me. It's the new watermelon. 
• Bird yarn from Mothy and Squid in the robin colourway. This was a last minute, on my way home purchase. I want to knit a vest top out of it, I have the pattern already in mind, and also convinced myself it would go well with my recently-finished cardigan. 
• The splurge - this is a kit of 45 colours (plus the undyed for swatching) that will knit into a three-dimensional shawl. It is absolutely gorgeous and also made of cashmere. I really dithered about this one because a kit this beautiful doesn't deserve to sit in stash for many years and I'm afraid it might. But in the end, I couldn't let it escape me. The colours are too pretty and the finished scarf is glorious. 

There was also a vintage jewellery booth this year, with any number of old-lady brooches which I could have sifted through for hours, were it not for a forthright woman coming along and moving me on as I was chatting to the owner. A good indication of my overwhelm, because on a normal day I would have stood my ground, but instead I fled. I went back later for this pin on the right, though, which is a cheapy little thing but holds a flower; and then spotted this string of real, hand knotted pearls. There were actually two and I'm a bit sorry I didn't get both, but they are very long so they loop up for layering. 

I'm off to Oxford today for the final fortnight of my course. The two mini assignments are done. I've given the conference presentation I also had to be working on and launched the new policy I needed to write for work. This feels very much as though there will be a lull in workload. I am looking forward to lots of sleep and nerdy reading and wholesome activities. Interestingly, the brain is just whirring from all the effort of the past couple of months, like it is revved up and ready to go  but without a clear direction. I want to knit all the things and I've got lofty plans for some work projects. Torn between wanting to capitalise on this and wanting to just let it spin down for a bit. 

Wonderwool 2024

So long ago now! But Wonderwool 2024 was a sunny affair, full of laughter and cake and yarn and sharing and general joy. And it seems that I didn't buy a huge amount of yarn - shockingly.

This is pretty much all of it, with the exception of a Joe's Toes set I bought and have made but not quite finished. For some reason I didn't take a picture of the kit, I suppose because it doesn't look like much in its gauze bag. 

Top - some linen from Namolio. I have already cast this on, it is going to be a stripey summer Tolsta tank top. In fact I should not forget about it, because I would like to wear it this summer. 

The rest is two jumpers' worth of black yarn with some accent pale green. This is for a zecret project. In true Wonderwool style, I trawled the whole show looking for the perfect yarn, then bought something from a sale bin that would do, then found the perfect yarn. Typical. Come to think of it, I think the middle is DK and the lower 4-ply - the DK is what I needed. It's not like I won't have a use for the 4-ply, though. 

Then, some non-knitting things -

A blocking board from Wombat's Woodshop, which I bought to block my hexagons. I have blocked precisely no hexagons so far. In fact, the hexagon I used to check the board was big enough is still pinned out as it is in the picture above. I'm glad I checked before I left the showground, because I bought a smaller one, so I was able to return it for a larger one before I left. The pins are old knitting needles, trimmed down. Very eco. 

A kit to make a felted robin wreath. I found this again on approximately December 23rd. Oh well. This year. 

Basically one of everything from the sinister cat stall. I bought the unicorn pattern to make a jumper for my niece but haven't found yarn I like yet, so perhaps this will be a Wonderwool mission for 2025. 

It's good looking back over this. If I can get the zecret project on the needles before April, I can rightfully claim to have knitted up everything from 2024 before 2025. Even if I haven't finished it. Compelling!

Wonderwool 2023

Predictably late again. Lots of things have been happening this year and I have had such high hopes for documenting my little trips away and other adventures but, here we are, almost halfway through the year and you know I'm about to enter my busy period, so I guess we will just move on. 

Wonderwool weekend was as lovely as ever. I was much in need of some respite and even considered having a day to myself in the bunkhouse on the Saturday, though in the end I got a very early night and felt recharged enough for a wander, albeit a short one: the Saturday felt even busier than ever before, thanks probably to the quieter crowd last year due to ongoing covid restrictions. 

I also had a slow start to the yarn-buying, spending much of Saturday shopping for purchases for Emma instead. I made up for that on Sunday, though managed to hold off on buying sweater quantities of anything, which was a definite win. 

Some lightly padded project bags from Soft Accents

A kit to make a child's cardigan - I got the robin kit, but it helpfully came with the pattern for the pudding jumper as well. I was going to make these for the mini Hands for the winter but it seems they will be in Peru so I might direct elsewhere. 

A Latvian mitten kit. I got chatting to the chap on the stall about the British Empire, a weird but predictable conversation in which he asked me if it was really all bad and I had to say we didn't really talk about it in terms of pros/cons when we are teaching it. Honestly, it gets everywhere. Everywhere. 

A skein of DK Merino from Penrhallt Alpacas: this colour winked at me as I walked into the hall on Saturday morning and it was the last thing I bought on my way out. It was just too nice to leave behind.

A sale grab bag of 5 skeins from fivemoons.

A skein of DK merino from Lay Family yarns and a matching pom pom, to make a hat for the SIL. 

Three complementary skeins to make some kind of shawl.

A skein from Mamie and Florrie, who do a wonderful line of sock yarn dyed according to What Three Words pictures - they take their colour inspiration from pictures of the location. This one, the darker green, is Buxton Woods.

Some rainbow yarn - two teeny skeins for adding a single rainbow stripe to the cuffs of some socks or mittens, and a ball of DK for some mitts. 

And a couple more pom poms. 

I had great fun picking out the three skeins of green brown, which I plan to use to make a shawl inspired by Brecon Forest, which is where we stay for the weekend. I made it out for a quick walk on Sunday morning, when the weather was gorgeous and there wasn't a frost. 

I haven't picked out a pattern yet but I am really determined to have it done to wear next year. 

Another wonderful weekend with wonderful people. 

Wonderwool 2022

Look, we had a good run of weekly posts, I lasted nearly 3 months, but it's just not me, is it? Who would I be if I kept you regularly updated, rather than disappearing for months at a time, leaving you wondering if the work pile finally fell on me and crushed me to death, or if I won the Euromillions jackpot and am off living a life of luxury?

So anyway, yes, lots of things have happened in the past two months, but I'm here to talk about Wonderwool. This was my 10th visit to Wonderwool and the 8th spending the whole weekend there. It was both epically exciting and very nerve-wracking to be back in those great halls with what felt like half of the nation's fibre enthusiasts. Old friends were seen and masks were worn. Favourite stalls were visited (fivemoons, Birdstreet, Brimstone buttons) and others much missed (especially Triskelion) - there were some significant holes in the programme this time and I fear they weren't all last-minute covid cancellations. There was no scotch egg man and the fancy pastry place AND the ice cream van both sold out of my favourites before I could get to them. 

But still, it happened. It finally happened. We stayed in the 2018 bunkhouse in Brecon Forest, a booking that we had made back in 2019 for the 2020 show that was cancelled. It was particularly lovely that the weekend fell at the end of the Easter break this year, so we managed to squeeze in a walk around the Four Waterfalls trail on the way there. Hilly but glorious. 

Now to the yarn. I tried very hard to be restrained, I really did. I just kept thinking about all the yarn I had at home and how I have now been knitting the same 4-ply jumper for 5 months and it's still not finished. But...pretty. So much pretty. 

Clockwise from the top red:

• Two skeins of Woolly Wumpkins (new to me) merino 4-ply in Bouquet for Mummy. The colour has a bit more variegation in it than can be seen in the picture, it's a really banging red. 
• Ten skeins of fivemoons Luna 4-ply in Drizzle. This as in the sale bin, expertly pointed out to me by Jenny, and will do at least two jumpers. Maybe three, if I stripe it. It will go so well with that red. I'm thinking it will also work with the rainbow gradient I bought back in 2018. I sense a lot of stripes in my future. 
• Four skeins of fivemoons Chandra in Black Cat. To go with...
• Sealy McWheely (also new to me) Silver Linings minis. There are eight different colours blended with grey. The dyer explained that she had done it to represent coming out of covid - a bit of bright in the grey. I couldn't decide which colour I liked best, so I bought the minis. I have a pattern picked out already - Tiny Dancer. 
• Two skeins of yellowish, one from Urth Yarns and one from Riverknits. I have some dark red 4-ply from Bristol Wool Fair and I'd like to knit a Hinterland in it, with the colourwork in yellow. I bought the Urth first and then saw the Riverknits. Hopefully one will work. Maybe even both. 

It didn't seem too bad until I input it into Ravelry and realised it is 5,500m odd. Essentially four or five more sweaters. I really had better retire.

Of course there were a few buttons -

I'm obsessed with that MoP star, I need to find something really special to put that on. The ladybirds are for my niece, they will do a great cardigan for her. Yknow, in my copious free time. 

I'll leave you with the obligatory wool bunny picture. 

Wonderwool 2019

April has been a luscious month full of all sorts of treats. I started with a weekend of geeking out over history topics in London; then popped off to Alabama for a few days where I was thoroughly spoilt by the tourist board and their able helpers; and it's been rounded off with the annual visit to Wonderwool.

I've been looking back through previous years and realised I've been considerably less restrained than I have been for a while. I first thought I'd buy nothing. Then I aimed for some yellow to go with last year's blue, for a Volt jumper (a pattern I bought last year). Then I added something for a shawl for my friend Naomi to the list. Then the buttons for Mother Hand's cardigan. Then I burned the list and just went for it.

So..
Top row - two skeins of yellow from WYS, to go with the blue, for the Volt. The colours are spot on but the brighter yellow isn't quite the texture I wanted. Still, it was the best I could find.
Two projects bags from Siobhans Crafts. The woven one was made by Siobhan's friend using Siobhan-dyed yarn. It is the softest, squidgiest thing I found all day. I might have been tempted by a wrap if they're had one in these colours.
Three skeins of Coopknits DK and a pattern for some sekrit socks.
Second row - five mini skeins of Mr B's yarn from Birdstreet. They're local Bristol sellers. They had some lovely things. I'm going to match these with the red fivemoons, middle of the row, to make some kind of variegated shawl.
One the right, a skein of Triskelion Heulwen 4-ply from the sale bin. Just because. It's a nice neutral and so soft.
Third row - five skeins of Triskelion Hama Sport, also from the sale bin. I dithered for a long time over these, particularly because they had several colours and I couldn't choose. I found a pattern that will work, though, so it came home with me.
In the middle, another skein of Riverknits Starry Night BFL 4-ply - now I have three and can do a garment.
On the right, another wholly unnecessary purchase- 4 skeins of Giddy Aunt DK - but LOOK AT THAT BLUE. It almost glows.
Bottom row - Buttons for Mother Hand's cardigan. A gradient set from Riverknits - the display and the colours got me. And finally, a shawl kit for Naomi. She is a fan of the bees. They had a sample knitted up and it was the first thing I bought. The sample was sparkly but the kit wasn't she was very good and swapped it out for me when I asked. It was from Unbelieva-wool.

I'm closeish to finishing Mother Z's birthday shawl and then I'm a bit spoilt for choice. I think Volt first, then the sekrit socks (which should be quick) and then Naomi's shawl, though I really need to have cast that on before May half term, so perhaps I should begin with that.

We stayed in a new bunkhouse this year, near Tirabad, which had epic views.

There was a brutal storm on Friday night and it rained most of the day on Saturday. I was freezing. I really must remember to pack leggings next year.

Very enjoyable! Now, must knit more...

Wonderwool 2018

At the risk of sounding very old, this year is absolutely flying by. I shouldn't be surprised; I have been very busy, which is scientifically proven to make time pass more quickly, but....still! Wonderwool was already over a month ago! Phew.

We stayed in a different place this time, since our usual bunkhouse had been snapped up. It was an outward bound centre aimed at schools so it was slightly less comfortable but in slightly more spectacular surroundings, being on the edge of Brecon forest, and with the added benefit of being on the Bristol side of Builth.

A picturesque nearby tree. It's the sort of place that would have been good for a walk is I was disposed to such things. There was a single track road in and out, populated by Houdini sheep and a small herd of goats fronted by an angry ram. There were many sofas and a good wood burner. I'm already looking forward to going back.

I was quite restrained on the yarn front. I was going to attempt to not buy anything, but only in a half-hearted way. Here are the goodies:

• Five skeins of Triskelion Hama DK, a BFL/silk/cashmere blend, in Navigator. It was on their sale rack. Sally saw me coming, as usual. 
• Two skeins of Riverknits BFL 4-ply in Starry Night. THE COLOUR! It looked so good knitted up in a little shawlette with twinkly beads. 
• More Riverknits - a last minute impulse buy of a rainbow gradient kit. I don't think I will ever find anything good enough to knit with it. There are 960m, though. It's basically a jumper. 
• Some buttons from Brimstone. Of course. 

I also bought a couple of patterns - a book of small bird patterns from Sue Strafford (still need to knit up the giant blue tit from the kit I bought x years ago) and the sweater pattern for this -

I was thinking the Hama would be a good base for this but heaven knows what I'd pair it with. 

There was also a needle felting workshop with Jenny Barnett again. April and I went to make woodland creature badges. I didn't stab myself, which I consider to be a win. 

And my Wonderwoman jumper garnered a few compliments, which are always nice to hear. And the weather was lovely!

Not so good for everybody in attendance, though....

'HELP ME! I AM SINKING!'

Wonderwool 2017

After spending a chunk of my Christmas holiday reorganising and properly recording my stash, I was not in the mood for buying enormous quantities of yarn at Wonderwool this year, especially since I had only knitted up three of the things I bought last year. I had a little list: some black or dark grey 4-ply for a stripey jumper; something for the v-neck I am test knitting; and something from Fivemoons, because I was currently knitting the last of my Fivemoons stash.

Pleasingly, I managed to stick to my little list and not a great deal more. Here's what I got:

Five skeins of Triskelion , which is a luscious blend of alpaca, silk and cashmere goat. It is nearly all used up already, because I bought it for the v-neck pattern (tick)

Fivemoons - three skeins of charcoal grey 4-ply (tick)...

...four skeins of variegated purple DK (tick). Both of these were in the sale bin, hurrah! Bargains galore.

There were a few other bits:

I mean, obviously. This is by Hand-dyed by Kate for Sally. I might have added that last bit on but, come on.

I got these mini skeins (top ones pinker than they look; bottom ones earmarked for Mother Hand) to make some shawls, alongside this:

More luscious Triskelion. I know the lady who works the stall quite well and I'm sure she must rub her hands together gleefully whenever she sees me coming.

This was entirely unnecessary but just too pretty to leave behind. It was by Pook, which I initially misheard as Puke - totally inappropriate for the colourways but it did stick. They very cleverly had lots of samples knitted up and this was gorgeous as a shawl.

I got this our of Jenny's destash. I have such plans for it! Great big bundle of summer top promise.

No buttons. None! And I came home with money in my little bag. Though, the list does seem long now I have written it all down....maybe it's because they're mostly minis, that it feels like less.

Wonderwool 2016

Our fourth year in the bunkhouse and my sixth visit to Wonderwool - I can't believe it has been that many. We had a delightful weekend as usual, although I did at times feel a bit overwhelmed by the noise and the people, especially on the Saturday. It felt really very busy this year.

Sunday was very nice though and afforded time and space for some wandering at will, so I got a good look round the stalls. Not much point though, because I had a mental list of what I wanted and I pretty much stuck to it. And here it is:

In the front row:

• Five skeins of a new Triskelion blend that doesn't yet have a name - it's a BFL DK in colour Nicor. I never buy green but Jenny pointed it out to me and then I had to have it. He doesn't sell the Idris I bought last year anymore and I wasn't convinced of the new DK base, so it was a treat to come across this new yarn on the table. 
• Four skeins of a delightful blue blend from Owl About Yarn. It's about 900m which I was worried would not be enough for a garment, but a quick scan of my projects revealed that this jumper used about that much and it is one of my favourites. 
• Five skeins of Midwinter linen, the same as last year, but in blues for a gradient summer top. I have got so much wear out of the sunrise top that this was a no-brainer. I went for an extra skein this time so that I can be a bit more generous with my sleeves.
• Five skeins of Diana Aran from Fivemoons. The lilac was marked down by a ridiculous degree and I bought the pink to match. Along with the two skeins I bought last September, that should be enough for an incredibly warm stripey jumper. 

In the back row:

• Either side, gradient sets from Moonlight. On the left is the one I bought and knitted last year. I have some left over from that and want to make a striped jumper, but I was concerned the leftovers wouldn't be enough for a reasonable stripe so I bought this, her last kit, at the end of Sunday. I regret nothing. On the right is a gradient set with a grey skein for another scarf. This was my first purchase. 
• In the middle, a kit to knit a large blue tit (so cute) and a Zauerball on top because I saw a shawl knitted in it and wanted it. Not until later did I realise this is roughly the same colours as that right-hand gradient kit. Oh well. 

There were buttons, too - some that make me think of Starry Night, some that are turquoise chips set in pitch, and some that are the palest purple dichroic glass. There are also two dyed mother-of-pearl buttons, not pictures, which will shortly be gracing my new jumper that is nearing completion.

I'm very pleased with my purchases and currently casting around for a suitable top-down raglan pattern for the linen. I might give in and knit the same one as before; it is a great shape and was just about interesting enough to keep me plugging away at it. 

Wonderwool 2015

Shocked to discover I haven't yet written about Wonderwool! A massive oversight on my part. We went back to the same bunkhouse (of course) and I slept in the same bed (third year running) and we took pictures of everybody's stash at the end of Saturday (standard)...

This year we also visited the farmer's lambs and helped with feeding. Well, April helped with feeding. I watched and took pictures, because I was wearing a handknit jumper and I didn't want to get milk and/or lamb on it. You can take the girl out of the city, etc.

Of course, there was yarn. I was a bit more restrained this year and actually came home with money in my little bag of £2 coins that I had been collecting all year. I think this was partly to do with my dismay at tipping out last year's yarn from the Wonderwool bag to take to this year's Wonderwool and realising how much of it there was left, and partly to do with my carefully-planned holiday enabling a trip to Jimmy Beans roughly on my birthday this summer. As you may have picked up on, I don't have two minutes to rub together very often these days so heaven knows when it's all going to get knitted up.

Buying less meant a focus on quality over quantity though, so I got some truly luscious stuff.

• Top row - all buttons from Brimstone. I'm not sure about the little round turquoise ones: they are mounted in little metal crowns that just scream, "I'm going to snag your knitting something chronic." But, I really liked them a lot. 
• Second row - some light silk and 500g aran cashmere, both from the Knitwitches sales bin. What will I do next year when she is not there? I have no idea why I bought the silk but it's so lustrous and appealing in the flesh. I am hoping the Cashmere will become that Telluride pullover I've been lusting after for months. Then, 600g Idris DK and a skein of softest, cloudiest alpaca, both from Triskelion. I got to this stall and found an old friend working on it, who was easily able to talk me into the single skein. It is so soft I just want to use it for a pillow.
• Bottom row - Wingspan Kit from Moonlight yarns (local company woohoo!), 500g five moons Diana DK, 4 skeins of heavy laceweight linen from Midwinter yarns (as mentioned in this week's WIP post) and some dichroic glass buttons from Crafts From The Dungeon. I bought some toggles from the same company at Fibrefest years ago and was overjoyed to find these. I tried to chat to the seller about it but she continued her conversation with another customer throughout the entire process of serving me, which I thought was really rude. 

There was also this buckle from Brimstone, which I'm going to put on a hat, Wonderwoman style -

Difficult to pick a favourite, but that five moons was something I forced myself to leave behind on Saturday and then panicked about being sold before I got back on Sunday, so it is probably that. Bit of a departure in terms of my usual colourway but I probably have enough blue in my stash (whisper it quietly). 

It was another joyful and restful weekend away, although I did sit up suddenly in the middle of the night on Saturday and thump my head on the upper bunk. Not ideal. 

We're already planning next year. Better get off the internet and back to the knitting or next year's haul will be even smaller.