Yes, I am a proven mind reader.......and generally as helpful as I can be!

So, a lovely lady came into the shop and asked if she could have a look at the patterns....sure I said and off she went into the little room. 10 seconds later she came back and said...

'To save me looking through all the patterns, you might be able to help. I'm looking for a thickish sort of vest style cardigan or wrap, but it must have a pointy bit at the front. I also want it to be quite fitted but not too tight, with a fairly wide front and a tie not a button, although if it had a button I could adapt it. I dont want it to have a collar, and I dont want a round neck but I dont want it to be too slopey at the front...I dont want a pattern on it but I dont want it too plain, but I could always add my own pattern, Oh and I dont want sleeves but if it has sleeves I can take them off....can you help?'

I said 'Errrrrrrr, maybe......'!! We then had a quick discussion about designing her own garment, or Ravelry but she wanted something now, so thinking this was an impossible ask, and desperately trying to imagine what her ideal cardie looked like I went to the pattern folders. Pretending to know exactly what I was doing (!!) I started with the chunky ladies patterns. We looked at a lot of patterns which were  'too wide at the front', 'too narrow at the front', or 'no, not what I'm looking for'... and after a little while suddenly I thought of a Sirdar Pattern that I had - one that was a slouchy sleeveless shapeless wrap with a tie not a button. And my lovely customer simply (and to my relief and happiness) said..'that's nice, I'll have that one!!'

So, more by luck than anything else I had managed to help what I though was a customer with an impossible request. It turned out that she had some of her own handspun yarn that she wanted to use and would adapt the pattern to her specific requirements. I cant wait to see it.....

Recently I did a Facebook thingy - which Mr Men Character are you? - and it said I was Mr Bump which is just silly!! I rather think I am this one after today....

It always makes me happy when I can help. I hope my customer was happy too.

Have a lovely day
Tina xx

........enough to make you tense!

I have been a knitter for  more years than I care to admit to, and in all those years I have never ever had an issue with tension. If a pattern says use 4mm needles and DK yarn, my tension is spot on. If a pattern says use 6mm needles and a chunky yarn my tension is spot on. Cables, rib, bobbles...you guessed it, spot on. 

So last year I taught myself to crochet Granny Squares and never even thought to check tension as my knitting has never given me any issues - I have crocheted several lovely blankets and have been as pleased as punch with them. However, I have now hit a problem.....deciding I wanted to learn more crochet, I went to a Crochet a hat workshop where we were learning to crochet a beanie hat using chunky yarn and 7mm hooks. After a few rounds of crochet, my piece of work was literally half the size of everyone elses and to rectify this I had to change up to a 9mm hook as I realised I was a 'tight' crocheter....
 
Today, I decided to try to follow a pattern and crochet some baby booties. I stuck to the 4mm hook and DK yarn, and merrily followed the pattern, getting more and more pleased with myself that I could actually read and follow a crochet pattern......until I finished and realised that I had made a GIANT bootie .......

The pink bootie is crocheted in DK yarn with a 4mm hook. The green booties are knitted in DK yarn with 4mm needles. I am confused as to what the heck is going on with my tension?!?! With chunky I was crocheting sooo tight I had to go up 2 sizes, now with DK I am going to have to go down to a 3.5mm or even a 3mm hook to get it right! I DON'T UNDERSTAND!!

What I think I am most cheesed off about is that I have found that I LOVE crochet and want to do more, but that I will, after many years of never needing to do a tension check, I now am going to have to start checking it with every crochet project I do......or, just continue make randomly sized garments that is decided on on the day by my very loose or very tight crochet hands!!

Anyway, if anyone as a baby girl with a very large right foot there's just the bootie waiting here for her.....

Chat to you soon

Tina xx

All Change...


There's some big news from The Wool Stop...we are moving premises to a larger shop where we can run all our workshops on-site (yay). This means much less running up and down the High Street for me when one is taking place and much less time spent carting all the equipment around town. I shall have my own little workshop/craft room where I'm hoping people will want to come and spend some time..there will be tea and coffee available and a cosy place to sit and natter - not quite the Wool Shop/Cafe I always wanted but we could have cakes too if required..!!
 
So here's the new shop as it is now, I have 4 weeks to paint, decorate, change the plumbing and alter the kitchen area, move a zillion balls of wool from the old shop to the new, undo old shelving and remake it AND keep the old shop up and running at the same time....I'm a little bit daunted by all of this but also touched by all the offers of help - knitters are lovely people :-) I dont usually ask for or take offers of help as I cant pay in anything other than cups of tea and copious thank-yous, but this time I might just do so as I cant actually be in two places at once!

       


I will keep you posted with news of the new shop of course, and for those of you who are local the new Address will be: 15 The Plain, Thornbury, Bristol, BS35 2BD. We will be in and open by Easter (Fingers crossed!!) Feel free to pop your head round the door if you see me in there painting, hammering, building shelves or counting balls of wool.....I'd love to see you

Hope to see you there soon

Tina xx