dye another day

I've been on a rollercoaster ride over the past few weeks - dyeing like a wild thing - the kits went even better than expected and now I have no yarn left! I have learnt SO much;

• dyeing to order is the best policy - but in rainy, humid weather you need a drying system


• dealing with questions about errors in the pattern when it is late at night and you are tired is not a good idea...because you go and correct errors that didn't exist in the first place!


• 60% of people will buy the pattern you advertise most in the colour you have advertised it in (great tip for future planning)


• always order too much yarn (then increase your order by 20%)


• you will enjoy the process and feedback more than you ever imagined.

I can't get any more yarn until February next year - so am hunkering down to design the next series of patterns - these will be slightly more complex than the last series.

I've made up 10 kits using the various one off shades and samples - these will be available from my ETSY store in a few days time.

As for our home life - we have a lot going on;

• planning Holly's wedding is still underway, 1 year and 1 week to go!


• I've finally got a medical diagnosis to explain my "year of blinking furiously" and will have an op in early january which will hopefully go a long way to sorting me out.


• My step-daughter Maria and her partner will be making us Grandparents in May next year - I've started with a baby blanket and plan to be knitting constantly for the next 6 months, all Superwash of course - I'm under no illusions! I can't wait to have my own wee model and inspiration.


• and of course - Christmas - we have already started with the round of social engagements, which will culminate in Christmas dinner at our house again instead of Mum's - it's becoming a regular thing and I don't mind at all!

Christmas baking has commenced - those are Christmas muffins - raisins and currants soaked in brandy, cointreau and spices mixed into muffin batter, filled with custard flavoured cream cheese and iced with water icing, we also have speculaas, stained glass cookies and mince pies...now to get my act together and dress Frasier up in an elf costume for the Christmas cards....