Autumn Luxury yarn and other delights.

If you are looking for an autumn luxury yarn then have a look at Purely Gorgeous, our very own luxury yarn in 100% organic Merino, at a very affordable price. I am busy making the sample of the pattern I have designed for this exclusive yarn, here’s a sneak preview…

I’ve also been busy working on a crochet blanket I started in the spring from an Inside Crochet pattern which I’m making with Pirkka Lanka yarn, cosy and warm, beautiful colours. You may remember I am a fan of Lyn Roberts Design silver crochet hooks, and I’ve really been enjoying using my hook on the Walter blanket, the stitches seem to fly! I have recently treated myself to 2 “cwtches”, (a welsh word for hug), leather cases for my hooks, to hug them safe. Here is a picture….

I have also been busy outside, pottering in the garden. We have picked bucketfuls of apples, (its a good year for apples apparently) and I have made Blackcurrant and Apple Jam, with Normandy Apple Conserve on my list for later this week. The rest will go in the freezer and will be much enjoyed as pies and crumble during the winter. There is a debate in our home about what it the “right” thing to have with crumble, my husband and son say Cornish clotted cream, but being a Devon girl, I say custard! Yum! Its all homely comfort food; tasty, delicious and warming. Which do you have on your pies and crumbles?

I have planted some bulbs today. There’s something hopeful about the small bulbs, knowing that with luck, water and TLC they will bloom in the dull days of winter and bring beauty indoors. I like hyacinths for their fragrance, and I have planted up a blue and white bowl with  blue ones, with paperwhite narcissus as a gift for a relative who lives alone and doesn’t get out very much in winter. I’ve also found the glass bulb jars, hidden in the depths of the spidery shed, washed them and they are now in service to grow white hyacinths for me. I have also planted up my hanging baskets, and put a felted jumper to new use as a lining for the basket, nifty heh? I cut it roughly to size, then sewed it to the top of the basket using twine and planted it up from there. I previously did it with a herb planter and the wool kept the herbs well watered all summer thanks to its absorbency.

Being out in the garden in my wellies reminded me to get out my winter woolly socks, made in previous years. Do you make socks? Gorgeous Yarns has a range of lovely sock yarns from John Arbon,  they make a perfect gift for special friends and loved ones at Christmas. I like to use my tried and tested plain sock pattern, but I did recently try a crochet sock pattern, for the fun of it. Lets just say, I don’t think I followed the pattern correctly, and I wont be wearing or giving a pair of crochet socks anytime soon! The yarn has been frogged and is now making a Purl Solo pattern garter stitch waistcoat. I do love hand knitted socks though, so I’ll be casting on some very soon, I love the rich sapphire blue of the alpaca sock yarn, and 1 skein is enough to make a pair of socks. I use 4 needles to make socks, but I noticed a lady at the Knitters and Crocheters guild meeting yesterday using “Judy’s magic loop method” which was fascinating. (There are lots of You tube clips and video tutorials if you want to know more.) She was making socks toe-up which is a whole blog subject by itself!

Bye for now,

Caroline