You can probably tell from this website what my favourite colours are!  In case you can’t – green and pink!  I also love grey with pink, but it probably wouldn’t have looked so good on this site.

Imagine then, if you will, how thrilled I have been every time I have seen this yarn?  It’s Zauberball Starke 6 which is the heavier of the Zauberballs, but still not quite dk.

I have resisted buying it until now, somehow.  Possibly because I have have no idea what I am going to use it for!  But what sort of excuse is that for not buying yarn!!

I feel very naughty to be posting this so late after I actually finished the project, but I guess that’s no reason not to!

Over the summer I started using the Rowan Amy Butler yarn I bought with my Hobbycraft winnings.  Just before I received the vouchers I’d bought just a couple of balls, as it’s not cheap, but I went back for more and had plenty to make this one cushion and I plan to make its twin soon.

The yarn is Rowan Belle Organic DK, 50% Organic wool and 50% Organic Cotton.  The shades I used are:

• 005 Basil
• 012 Tomato
• 013 Moonflower
• 015 Slate (the name and shade on Rowan website indicate this is a grey, but the yarn I used is more purple – so maybe some sort of mix up on labels!)
• 017 Zinc

I used a standard granny square pattern for the body of the cushion and both sides are the same.  I wanted the cover to be removable so on one side I made two rows of double crochet (UK) and on the second of those rows made evenly spaced chain loops as button holes:

On the other side I then made two rows of double crochet along one edge (which the buttons would be sewn onto):

I then put the two sides together and made two double crochet around the remaining 3 edges:

Then I changed colour and completed another double crochet row around the remaining 3 sides and across the plain edge (without the buttonhole loops) and :

I did attempt a picot edge, of sorts, but it added too much of a frill to the edge so i took it off again.  I liked the pink trim but not the effect this additional trim created:

Then it was on with the buttons:

Et voila!  A granny cushion:

The current issue of Inside Crochet magazine has a scarf pattern that I really like the look of.  They call it the ‘Circles Scarf’ and it looks like its made up of lots and lots of individual circles joined together.  In fact its made in strips along the length that are joined in whole rows as you go along, not one by one, thankfully!

The recommended yarn is Noro Silk Garden sock yarn but I think it’s not ideal as it’s not cheap (unless making a really luxury gift or treat) and its also quite scratchy, as the pattern acknowledges.

On my first visit to Purl City Yarns this week I saw King Cole Riot for the first time which I really liked the look of.  It’s great value (at £3.95 a ball) compared to the Noro  and has a similar look but much softer.  It wasn’t available in quite the same shades, but the one I chose will suit this project quite well as it has many shades throughout it, dusky versions of primary colours.

The Riot is a double knit yarn, so I am using a 3.5mm crochet hook, just to make it a little more delicate than the 4.00mm would.

I am very naughty and never make tension squares!  I know many of you will be rolling your eyes now!  I have a very even and standard tension and rarely have a problem with tension.  Also I don’t always make things where the tension is critical.  I can normally read pattern and get an idea of what is involved and how to approach it in my head.  However, the start of this pattern just did not register with me – I could not make any sense of it so all I could do was start the tension square instructions and follow each step quite literally to see it it became clearer!  Thankfully it did!!

It was actually really straightforward, once I got going.  I did mess up the middle of one of the circles (look at center of one closest to hook in first picture above) but it will be fine when I do it for real.

I think this will be an easy pattern to follow now and I’m looking forward to churning out rows and rows of those circles in the days ahead!

It only opened on Tuesday this week, but my friend and I have been to Purl City Yarnsalready!  Ok I’ll be honest – we went the day it opened!  We just happened to be free after work that day, I’m sure you understand!!

I didn’t go TOO mad with my purchases and I do have plans for all of them:

Austermann Step (bottom left): fingerless gloves for presents – this yarn contains aloe vera and jojoba – yum!

King Cole Riot (the two balls with yellow in them) – more presents – the Circles scarf from current Inside Crochet magazine.

Austermann Grande (the 3 balls in pinks / purples) – I love smooth glossy yarn like this for bracelets and necklaces and these are popular at craft fairs.

Araucania (pink / grey) – this is to make a cosy hat just for me!

I can’t wait to get cracking on new projects but my list of ‘to do’s’ is growing and unfortunately hours in the day do not increase!  Ah well!

Source: YouTube

OK, so its a TV advert for cat food, but its just so cute.  Knowing how many yarnie bloggers have and / or love cats it seems very fitting to share it here!

I first saw this on Craftzine, and the cat food is PurinaOne.  (It looks like this may not be shown in the UK as its not on Purina UK website)

I first heard of Purl City Yarns a few months ago when its creator, Charlie, had a request on Ravelry for yarnie folks in Manchester to answer her questionnaire to help her get funding and develop plans to open a yarn store in the city.  Believe it or not Manchester does not already have a yarn store that stocks artisan and less ‘mass-market’ (for want of a better word!) brands and it has been very much needed.  I, like many others, buy yarn online or when out and about elsewhere when I see lovely things.  Online is great, but I do like to touch, see and smell the yarns (OK you may think smelling them is a bit weird, but don’t judge me on that!)

Now don’t get me wrong, I’m not a yarn snob and firmly believe there’s room in the market for all sorts and us yarnies love nothing more than a practical bargain yarn.  I personally use a lot of them for projects that need to be easily washed and used and washed and used over and over again.  Especially good for kids things – baby milk and hand wash alpaca are never a good mix!!! 

So back to Purl City Yarns!  The shop is in the Northern Quarter in Manchester and is opening very soon.  I’m quite sure I’m not alone sitting on my hands to stop myself buying yarn elsewhere until its open.

They will be stocking some lovely brands and accessories – here’s a list from their website:

• Manos del Uruguay
• Artesano
• Brittany
• King Cole
• Mirasol
• Araucania
• Noro
• Malabrigo
• Natural Dye Studio
• Austermann
• Fyberspates
• Lorna Lace’s
• Addi
• Lang
• Schoppel Wolle
• Knit Pro
• Kraemer
• Kauni
• Misti
• Debbie Bliss
• Louisa Harding

Stock is growing and the shelves are filling up:

I am really looking forward to having a yarn ‘community’ locally with the associated groups, courses and events.  I have a growing number of friends who share my passion for making and doing and I am sure we shall enjoy spending some time browsing the shelves of Purl City Yarns and no doubt spending some £££ too!!

I love the look of all the yarns that are coming but my favourite has to be these Natural Dye Studio yarns – these are all the colours that float my boat!

However, after my recent experience of getting Caveman to hold a skein for me while I wound it into ball I may have to rope in some other help for that task!!!

Fancy checking out Purl City Yarns yourself – opening day is 12th October and here’s all the info you need to find or contact them:

62 Port Street, Manchester M1 2EQ

0161 425 3864

http://purlcityyarns.blogspot.com/

www.purlcityyarns.com

info@purlcityyarns.com

Maybe see you there!!!

I’ll leave you with some more of PCY’s own pics of their yarn (all pics in this post are theirs).  I LUUUUUURVE this first one – pink and green is my fave colour combination, hence the colours of this site: