I love yarn shops – there’s nothing like squishing the yarn and talking to someone who knows all about the  yarn and what to make with it – you can’t get that experience from an online shop!   Sadly, I no longer have a yarn shop that I can say is truly ‘local’ to me but there is one a mere half an hour’s drive away which is my favourite ‘almost-local’ yarn shop – Magnolia Tree Crafts.   The shop is very much like a studio – bright and light and spacious; and the Lucy, the owner, is very helpful and knowledgeable.  It is in Poynton, Cheshire which has a lovely array of local shops and good free parking (I tend to park behind Waitrose, an added bonus 😉 ).

So it is fantastic that my first yarn shop book signing for Cowling Around will be held at Magnolia Tree Crafts.  I’ll be there on Saturday 28th October, signing copies of the book from 10am til 11am. I’m bringing the samples for the book with me so you can see them and try them on, always helpful when deciding which one to make.  And watch this space – there’ll be special discounts on the day on yarn for making any of the cowls!

To celebrate the occasion, I have designed a special cowl based on Chameleon from the book – I’m calling it the Magnolia Tree Cowl.  It uses one skein of West Yorkshire Spinners’ The Croft Shetland Aran.  The yarn makes a beautifully cosy cowl which is perfect for autumn and the design is fairly straightforward to make, except you may need a bit of help with the border.  If you want to try this design, then why not join a short workshop at 11am – I will show you how to make a mini version of the cowl (which you can put to good use as a jar cosy!) including that not so simple but very pretty border.  The workshop includes the pattern, tuition and yarn for the mini cowl, it also entitles you to a 25% discount from a skein of The Croft.    Interested? – then book here.

Later that day I am tutoring another workshop at Magnolia Tree Crafts – the popular and colourful Crocheted Mandalas workshop.

At this workshop you’ll learn the history of crocheted mandalas, hints and tips on how to make them plus 2 patterns you can work through.  All yarn is supplied.  More information and booking here – but be quick, there aren’t many places left!

I’m looking forward to spending a lovely day at Magnolia Tree Crafts – I hope to see you there.

Happy crocheting xxx

 

I love buttons!   I have a huge collection of all sorts of colours and shapes and sizes, yet I don’t use them often.  I think buttons look lovely in jars – like sweets!   And that’s how I store them, colour coded and looking (to my eyes) gorgeous!

But, as I said, I don’t use them often and sometimes I feel guilty that I haven’t got  a use for them all.

Last weekend I heard about an amazing initiative by a school in the lake district – their aim is to collect 6m buttons to represent the holocaust victims. (edited to add a new link  to their facebook page, as the original article has vanished, also it appears their target has now reduced to 1.5 million – following the facebook page will update you)

So tonight I have been rummaging in my button collection and put together this:

2 jars of buttons. I don’t know how many there are in each but tomorrow I will find out because I plan to count them before I parcel them up and send them to the school.  Hopefully my buttons will add to their collection and help them raise the 6m they want.

Can you help?  Please send any buttons to:

Laura
The Lakes School
Windermere
Cumbria
LA23 1HW
UK

Together we can make a difference and a memorial.
xxxxx

A great day was had yesterday – some lovely productive workshops and all sorts of goodies to buy.  Here’s a summary in pictures:

Happy knitting, crocheting, spinning, weaving and needle-felting! xxx