Oh dear. Poor Monkey socks. I managed to turn the first heel, then had a panic that I had used too much of my wonderful wool. The fabric was coming out very close knitted, and I seemed to be eating the wool somewhere. So I weighed the remaining yarn and found I'd used getting on for half - I had a choice - either very short legwarmers, or back to the beginning, have a thunk and start again.
About half an hour later, with new needles (3mm), a slight alteration to the pattern (14 st per needle, instead of 16), I started again, and this time, it's working for me. I've got 2 pattern repeats to do on the foot of the second sock, then I can see the end, via the toe. They've knitted up so quickly, and I've enjoyed the pattern - it looks good, but it's quite easy for me to remember, which was good, as I had half an hour to spend in the dreaded Metro Centre tonight, before I had my hair cut, and the Monkey socks kept me company over a cup of tea.
My experience in the Metro Centre set me thinking - it's Europe's largest, yet there isn't a single yarn or needlecraft shop now that House of Fraser has dropped its Habadashery department, and The Wool Shop has closed (it's now a shop selling pink things). I find it quite sad, that in all this shopping extravaganza, that you can't even buy a knitting needle. Thinking about it, we seem to have a lack of real world yarn shops - or I am looking in the wrong places. Don't get me wrong - I'm well served by the wonderful world of the web, and there are many online stores I "visit" that would be well out of my reach armed with only my beloved old car and my trusty AA Roadmap of Britain (I fell out with multimap when it started telling me how far I had to drive up sliproads), however there are times when only a squidge will do.
I am quite lucky - we have two department stores (Fenwicks and John Lewis) in Newcastle itself that have decent ranges, but when hankering for something special, only Ring a Rosie in Whitley Bay will do - it's an Aladdin's cave, stocked with a rainbow of yarns, and offers such wonderful customer service as they call it these days - in other words, you can drop in for a natter and a bit of advice. I wish there were more shops like this - niche and friendly, and stocking some different bits and bobs. My poor father was despatched there for my Christmas present this year, and was soothed through his purchase with ease. I suppose I can't have the best of all worlds, but when I see the same identikit shops in shopping centres that sell the same old stuff, I do wonder why we can't have more interesting shops. But then I guess I wouldn't be able to shop on tinternet. I don't know what the solution is, but I'm so lucky to have Ring a Rosie, as well as the Internet for knitting support and essential supplies.
So it's on with the Monkey socks, and if anyone knows of a good yarn shop near to Newcastle, be sure and let me know.
Love
Claire x
PS - Yes - the bag on the to do list is the bag Carrie Anne just knitted - I can't resist!
1 comment:
What a shame about the Monkey socks - I remember I didn't have two much left from my yarn when making mine too.
You're so right about decent yarn shops in the Newcastle area, I was up there yesterday and didn't find anything that took my fancy, even in Fenwicks and John Lewis. I shall have to make a trip up to Ring a Rosie one day though, sounds excellent.
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