Teensy yarn spree

 I couldn't leave London on Friday without paying a teensy visit to a wonderful yarn shop in Islington called Loop. It's the kind of shop that is balm for a soul that is tired of winter grey and longing for some spring colour to make itself felt. Possibly it is just as well that this is not on my doorstep although they do have an online shop....!

It is smallish but on two floors and equipped with floor to ceiling shelves stacked with yarn in every weight and shade. There are lots of soft muted tones and a huge choice of jewel bright colours nesting like vivid birds of paradise in their white cubby holes; there are books and patterns for inspiration; there are exquisite hand-made buttons and accessories. And if you are purchasing yarn in those beautiful (but wickedly ensnaring for the unwary) skeins, you can get it wound into user-friendly balls before you leave the shop, on their winder and swift.

I didn't buy any books or accessories (restrained and frugal, well done, Mrs Tittlemouse!); I didn't buy any of the exquisite but very expensive buttons (still restrained and very frugal, well done again, Mrs T!) but I did buy some beautiful yarn, quite a lot of beautiful yarn actually; (not quite so restrained and not at all frugal, not quite so well done, Mrs T!) It was packed for me into two very full calico bags like this empty one. I am a sucker for shops that give away free calico bags. And I am afraid that despite the expense, I am not at all repentant, in fact I am just hoppity-skippity happy at my haul!

Here is a little peek of the new yarn basking in yesterday's afternoon sunshine. The brand is "Sublime" and it's a merino wool, silk and cashmere mix. It's exactly what it says on the label - sublime to the touch and sublime to the eye. I absolutely love these blossom colours and I already have a picture in my mind's eye of what they will become. A soft blossomy blanket full of spring and summer colour. 

From when I was four to seven years old, I went to a dear, old-fashioned school-in-a-house run by two elderly and slightly Victorian in outlook, sisters, known as Miss Bradley and Miss Sylvia who allowed us on our birthdays to choose the song to be sung in morning assembly. I always chose a song called "Summer has come from the sunny land." (My birthday is in June so this was not totally random!)  There was something about the words (which I now can't remember) and the melody (which I can) which made you think of deep-pink-and-rose and gold-and-cream scented wallflowers, breathing headily against a warm stone wall, of drowsy bees drunk on the flowery perfume, murmuring among the petals and of swallows dipping and calling against a blue summer sky.

This blanket will be my "Summer Has Come From The Sunny Land Blanket". I can't wait to start it although I haven't quite made up my mind whether to go for Granny Squares or another Ripple or even another Vintage Stripe. And there is just the little matter of finishing the Granny Stripe blanket still in progress...

I have been faithfully inching on with this although I got distracted with another sewing project, which I can't wait to show you but which is not quite ready to be unveiled. The Granny Stripe blanket is for H's room and matches the colours in his curtains. It would be nice to finish it in time for his birthday at the end of March. I have approximately another 24" to go, so if I keep focussed and don't hare off down other alleys it may be possible!

But the blossom colours have such siren voices...!