My beautiful new mannequin

A lovely friend gave me this gorgeous mannequin earlier this week.  I'm not sure when she was made but she looks fairly old, and the facial features look almost 1920's to me.

Anyone any ideas how to date her?

I must find out if she has a name, otherwise I will have to think of a suitably elegant one, Eleanor perhaps?

she will be perfect for displaying knitted items on, especially the Manos Wool Clasica cloche hat I am planning to knit soon ......

Debbie Bliss Magazine Autumn Winter 2010

If Issues 1, 2, 3 and 4 were anything to go by, issue 5 of the Debbie Bliss Magazine (Autumn/Winter 2010) will be a sell out within a matter of days.  Due in stock in September, we are taking pre-orders now, so order now to secure your copy.

Packed full of patterns & interesting articles, it is fantastic value at only £4.50. 

Debbie Bliss Andes, Glen, A Tweed Story, Folk Chic, Land Girl and Snow Queen. Phew!

Debbie Bliss has been prolific for Autumn Winter 2010, with 8 new pattern books and two new yarns, Andes and Glen. All new stock is due to arrive any day now, so we are very busy loading the stock at http://www.cafeknit.com/

The first of these books is Andes, a gorgeous collection of 12 patterns using her new yarn, Debbie Bliss Andes, a beautiful blend of Mulberry Silk and Alpaca.

Then we have Glen, a collection of 12 garments using her new yarn Debbie Bliss Glen, a beautiful alpaca/merino/acrylic chunky yarn with a colourful fleck.

Then we have A Tweed Story, a wonderful small collection of 6 patterns using Debbie Bliss Fez and Debbie Bliss Donegal Tweed yarn

Followed by Folk Chic; 6 wonderful patterns using Debbie Bliss Baby Cashmerino, Debbie Bliss Cashmerino DK and Debbie Bliss Cashmerino Aran yarns

Landgirl is a 1940's inspired collection using the Debbie Bliss Rialto range of yarns; Rialto 4ply, Rialto DK and Rialto Aran

My tank top is finished!

Hurrah! Finished 10 minutes ago - just need the weather to perk up again now!

The pattern is 'Honey' from the Mirasol Collection Book 5. Knitted using just 5 skeins of Mirasol Hap'i yarn, a lovely soft, slubby heavy cotton (on special offer at £4.50 per skein!), it has a simple lace pattern which I found easier to knit once I had switched to my new KnitPro Symfonie Wood Straight needles as they are nice and sharp.

I made the smallest size, which was good as it comes up large, and I omitted the buttons at the shoulder as I didn't think they were necessary. All in all I'm very pleased with the results - I will wear this a lot, Spring, Summer and Autumn.

Onwards and upwards, two baby blankets to knit now for the imminent arrival of twins (not mine I hasten to add!)

Manos Wool Clasica Spiral Tweed Cloche

I am in LOVE! With a hat! I treated myself to a book last week (I had a £5 Amazon voucher, so it only ended up costing me £3.09) and it was the best £3 I have spent this year. The book in question is Knitting 24/7 by Veronik Avery, and I cannot recommend it highly enough.

You know sometimes you buy knitting books and there is only one or two things you can imagine knitting? Well, this book is not one of those! I can imagine knitting all of them (and with the time I have spare for knitting these days, imagining is probably as far as I'll get!) Although Veronik gives some handy tips for squeezing in that extra odd row of knitting - so I'll definitely be giving those tips a try.

The book is jam packed with gloves, scarves, slippers, socks, a gorgeous skirt (that's on my knitting list too) and this beautiful cloche hat, knitted with just one skein of Manos Wool Clasica. I am dying to give it a try, but I have a few other projects I have to start and complete before then. It must be fate as www.cafeknit.com had just had a delivery of some Manos Wool Clasica, which I had opened and drooled over just minutes before flicking to this pattern. I am going to knit it in Bacchus, shade 6422, which is reduced at only £8.00 per skein.

'Hawthorn' Bag by Louisa Harding in Willow Tweed

I've already knitted a beautiful beret in Louisa Harding's Willow Tweed yarn, just before Christmas last year (from the Little Cake book), but as soon as I opened my copy of Knitting magazine August 2010 last night, and saw this bag I decided I just have to make it. I should make it as a Christmas gift, but I suspect I may keep it for myself.

Louisa Harding Willow Tweed yarn is in such subtle, beautiful colours that all work and blend really well together, but this colourway featured is absolutely beautiful. All the shades are currently in stock at http://www.cafeknit.com/ , I must put some by for myself!

Eucalan No Rinse Delicate Wash

Say goodbye to piles of handwashing lurking in the corner of your bathroom (if you are anything like me that is!) I used to hate handwashing woollen items and always used to put it off until the pile grew too big to ignore, but since I began stocking Eucalan at www.cafeknit.com , it really isn't such a chore anymore. Let me explain!



You simply put a capful of Eucalan in a bowl of warm water (temperature as per instructions on your garment) pop whatever it is you want to wash in the bowl, agitate it a bit and then leave for 15 minutes or more. Then pull it out, squeeze out excess water and dry as usual. It's that simple.

It comes in 4 lovely fragrances (Lavender, Eucalyptus, Grapefruit and Unscented) and two sizes, the smaller one costing only £3.75, so why not give it a go? The Lavender and Eucalyptus also have additional moth-deterring properties....Brilliant!