Home again

Just got back from a weekend in Cardiff for the EDF cup semi finals. Lovely time and the boys won so that's at least one trip to Twickenham this year (out of a possible three).

I would be happier about this if I didn't hate going to Twickenham so much, it's one of the most soulless stadia I've ever been to. Still if the boys go, then I have to go too! Ho hum.

Used the trip down to take advantage of a chance to visit Get Knitted in Bristol. Now I know that I'm in Bristol every single week, but I'm on a bit of a tight timescale when I'm doing deliveries and unfortunately Not one single one of my customers is anywhere near where Get Knitted live, so to date I've not had the chance to go there.

However with an afternoon to kill on Friday Ro and I made the most of our opportunity and went wild. This is a picture of what I bought.

Fibretrends patterns for felted ballerina slippers and for a felted hat. Twilleys Freedom Spirit in varigated blue to make said slippers, two skeins of Celestial Merino in Rose/Green/Yellow etc to make a Clapotis as a gift (I think) and a skein of Handmaiden Sea Silk at the front to make a scarf.

Ro bought a skein of the sea silk too along with a pattern for a scarf and we wound hers earlier today. Have to say that it's just a wee bit scrumptious.

Finally I've bin and gone and bought another spinning wheel off ebay. This one's a Haldane traveller (if there is such a thing, you get the idea). Anyone out there got one? Think it may require a tiny bit of TLC and I'd like to get some close up pictures of the business bits, just to make sure it's all there.

Tuesday update. I think the wheel is called the Haldane Orkney. It's a portable wheel; looks a bit similar to the Ashford Traveller but is a double band wheel. My Elizabeth can be used as double band or single band with scotch tension and I usually use it as the latter. No problems with the double band on the Haldane though and according to the Ashford Book of spinning this method requires less adjustment as the bobbin fills than the scotch tension. Because the wheel is smaller than the Elizabeth it spins a softer yarn with less twist in it. I quite like it. tends to sqeak a bit so I'll have to get the oil out to it. I would like some advice on how to fine tune it so if anyone out there has any experience of one of these I would be grateful.

And finally, yes we did stay at the Hilton in Cardiff and very nice it was too. I was however shattered to discover that even there they have INSTANT BLOODY COFFEE on the hospitality tray in the room. Pretty poor show I thought.