Bonanza

I don't want to bore you with details of the mad week of school appeal hearings, hospital appointments and dragging Ingrid the Volvo to the garage; instead let me tell you of the postal bonanza that arrived this week.

In this photo you can just make out the pails of base oils for making soap, delivered by courier. In front of them are two knitting books, Knitted Lace of Estonia and Victorian Lace Today, paid for with Amazon vouchers from doing online surveys about energy drinks, facial moisturizers and other necessities of modern life. Both books are full of the most delicious lace knitting patterns; the Estonian lace looks quite advanced, but I feel I might be able to manage the simpler patterns in the Victorian Lace book without having to expand my already extensive range of swear words.






This means that my next yarn purchase will be some form of laceweight yarn - quite likely from the efficient and friendly Laura at Abstract Cat (leapylees on Ravelry). Her yarns come in some fabulous colors, weights and fibres; the ball you can see in the photo is 100% merino superwash in the colorway 'Red Wine and Chocolate'; it is very, very soft and non-scritchy. How could you resist a yarn with that name ? And her customer service is fast and friendly.


By Fedex, their Belo had sent the WorldCupMad children some things to make them scream, holler, leap and jump with surprise and happiness:



They are now the proud owners of Honduras shirts, hats, scarves and bags. Now all they think they need is a vuvuzela. And no, that is in NO WAY a request ! As the noise is the most irritating I've heard in years.

I also managed to complete the Hammer Hoodie: a fast, easy knit from Bernat, and therefore a pattern I'll use again, once I've worked out how to make the garter stitch border not flip over the stockinette body ...