RUDOLPH

For those of you who can't come in we thought you would like to see us sporting our trendy Christmas jumpers. for a christmas joke visit Marmalade Yarns Facebook.

Have a lovely Christmas and we will see you in the new year.

MERRY CHRISTMAS

I think you might have had a glimpse of our fantastic Dickensian Mice on the website. My camera is in the camera hospital and looking pretty terminal however my lovely friend Chris agreed to come and take some photos so you can see our award winning window.

No, I am not making it up, Maxine's vision of mice and christmas food hamper was another triumph and we scooped the Christmas window prize. The mice were knitted by a lady we know who has a wonderful talent and they look fantastic, every day we are asked if they are for sale.

However cute the mice are, my favourite is the turkey. To add to his Christmas worries, he seems to have been impaled by some artviva needles.

We would like to wish all our customers a Merry Christmas and hope you finish all your knits in time for wrapping.

HALLOWEEN ON THE HILL

I know Halloween is officially over and it is bonfire night but I wanted you to see some of the fun we had on the hill on Sunday night. My camera is a bit broken but the pictures on the St Catherines website are wonderful, so click on the title above to have a look.

And here's a big spider to scare you:

More knitting next time...

Last year we had to make do with 2nd but this year we managed to scoop the carnival window trophy, when I say we, Maxine arranged the window then I got my photo in the paper holding the trophy:


We think the clincher was our carnival queen with ladies in waiting, knitted by one of our talented customers. Behind her you can see some of the 7 dwarves knitted by another of our fabulous customers.

Here is a glimpse of the cupboard which used to house the sofa. We have gained numerous shelves but much to our surprise are still struggling to fit everything in, which of course is a sign of how many different, lovely wools we are trying to squeeze into our small shop.

The sofa is being well used now it is out in front of the window and it is lovely to sit there with the light behind you while you knit.
Another new display area is our 'Noro Shrine'

It is British wool week and one of my favourite knitting blogs has several related links

Glitty Knitty Kitty . So click on the link and have a browse, while there you can admire her talents.

Frome Show

Well, it is over a week since we packed up our Hummingbird and Mini mochi and took it for an outing to Frome Cheese Show.

We arrived (very) early and set up before the crowds. I had delivered the dresser the day before then had a flat tyre on the way home, but that is another story.
We tried to make our pitch look homely and lots of admiring customers, both new and well loved regulars came for a chat.


Our friend Eileen opened the shop which meant we could both be at the show all day. This gave us some opportunity to browse but instead of photos of the AMAZING knitted handicraft entries, I have a picture of veg, just as amazing and very colourful.
We had a lovely day and we learnt a lot, next year we will know what we are doing and I might remember to take some photos.
As if organising the Cheese Show wasn't enough, we have revamped the front of the shop. The couch has a new and we think, more useful position. Our customers now stagger in the door and flop gratefully straight onto it.

We had a trip to Ikea, Maxine has been painting and papering, I built furniture and we spent a day moving things. Now although slightly disorientated, we love the change. More photos soon...

NORO LACEWEIGHT

This week has seen the arrival of Noro Sekku, the new laceweight by the masters of colour.
We have 8 different colours begging to be knitted into their fabulous rainbows.

Durung the Frome festival we were one of the hosts for "Frome Writers in Residence". I was very excited to have an author in the shop using the surroundings to inspire a short story which had to contain the phrase " I wondered if the magic was still there"
We had a lovely lady called Jackie Eliot who worked very hard. She started in our window and decamped to the knitted and crocheted sofa. We hjad about 5 different photographers come and take pictures of her as she worked but I can't find any on line. However......
SHE WON FIRST PRIZE so instead of a link to a photo of her writing I can link you to a page where you can download the story and read for yourselves. WOOL GATHERING
We were honoured when she presented us with our own copy in a knitted cover which is now "Book in Residence" on our sofa.

I love the title and found the story very touching.

Maxine and I are both off next week but our friend Eileen will be there to welcome our customers.

Jack Sparrow?

Johnny Depp has come to Catherine Hill and is sitting in our window!

He has landed on the beach in a pile of knitted coral



and found some mermaids to play with.

More exciting than our summer window is the new yarn we now have in stock. Keeping the mermaid company is some fabulous 4ply superwash merino from Knitcave

Helen lives in Bath and produces some beautiful hand dyed yarns which we are priviliged to be able to stock. If you think the sock yarn looks good you should have seen the gorgeous laceweight which has sold already!

We hope to have some more soon, perfect for light summer knitting.....on the beach.

Summer Savings

SUMMER SALE NOW ON

We have several of our beautiful summe yarns on sale including the Louisa Hardings amazingly soft Aimee and delicate Willow Tweed.

The subtly shimmering Venezia from Adriafil has also been reduced along with several other yarns so come along for a browse and a bargain.

Then you can run home and start knitting in the dappled shade.

The mini mochi socks in progress are mine but the beautiful deck chair and garden belong to my friend!

Calling All Football Widows

We had a lovely day on Saturday with several friends turning up to knit in the street........and chat lots too

We met Zoe who came to join us, a new resident in Frome with a wonderful tatoo.

My Scottish friends should look away now.

We have bowed to the masses and have a football section in the window, but have a message for any one who doesn't want to spend the following weeks watching the telly:

WWKIP

This Saturday, 12th June, is World Wide Knit in Public Day.

If you would like to bring your needles or hooks and latest project along to Catherine Hill we will have chairs outside the shop with tea and cake available.

There is also another event in Bath at Green Park Station from 2 - 4 pm just turn up, ready to knit.
Information about your local events can be found at the WWKIP website.

Looking forward to seeing the streets filled with happy knitters.

FOXY!

I know this has nothing to do with knitting or the shop but thought you would like to see our temporary visitor.
He was smaller than our cat and lost. He has been rehomed to a wildlife sanctuary where he can't kill any chickens.
Next time something more woolly...

CELEBRATION

This week we are a year old!

We can hardly believe it. It has been a busy year with steep learning curves and a lot of hard work but we have thoroughly enjoyed ourselves.
Thank you to all our loyal customers who have supported us through this year and we hope you will stay with us as we continue to learn and grow with the shop.
What better than a knitted birthday cake? No calories and no fire hazard.
Well that's enough health and safety, I'm off to make a real cake!

HAPPY EASTER

At last, the Easter holidays!

Despite the wintry weather we have a very spring like and Eastery window, our friend Hilary has done a lot of knitting for us and we are very happy with the primula and chicks.

The spring green tea cosy has been sold and shipped to a new owner!

The blackbirds and chickens are waving at passers by from their precarious plank, the pink rabbit is a bit out of his comfort zone and holding on tight.

But best of all is the fabulous spring wreath, please could we have the weather to match.

HAPPY EASTER.

Take A Peep

At the risk of looking more like an animal lovers blog than a knitting one, I thought you would like to see Scarlett, one of Maxine's trio of chickens, Nancy and Heidi are equally handsome, they have all settled in well and are laying eggs already.




William wasn't going to be left out and started posing for a photo, just loke the marmalade cat in our shop.

Maxine's Mum kindly knitted her this beautiful yellow Kid Silk Haze tank top. Luckily it is still too cold to wear it so it is in the window teamed up with the beautiful Opal wrap from Winter Blooms by Kim Hargreaves. This one is knitted in Noro Silk Garden Sock,


but, prolific as ever, Maxine has also made one in Kidsilk Aura which the pattern was designed in.

We have recently started to stock Crystal Palace yarns and now have the divine Panda Silk which is a summer weight sock yarn with bamboo, merino and silk. One of our talented customers, Sue Harrington , has made these beautiful striped socks for her lucky son.


Check out Posh Ted, he is now proudly wearing a Knitcol jumper, although I get the feeling he thinks he should be sporting a monocle and cravat.
I thought I had better redress the balance and put in some knitted chickens. We have gathered a small army of these chocolate egg chickens.




Now, I am sure 'army ' has never been used to describe a collection of chickens before: a flock, a brood or a clutch would be better but my favourite : a peep of chickens.

New Spring Stock!

Our deliveries normally arrive in a cardboard box, today was different.
I promise you, I am not as confused as I look.
The first lamb was breach but no2 arrived as he should.

Just what we had feared, 3! They were a bit reluctant to get going. 'Look, some future Debbie Bliss' said Duncan, he thinks he knows a bit about wool now but then spoilt it by saying... 'or silk kid super hair'

At last, they all had their heads up but Mum was bleating, 'I only have 2 teats you know'

'Oh no, I'm next' Our only pure breed is a Wiltshire Horn called Chloe. She didn't look too amused.

Just a footnote to say all the photos are courtesy of my 6 year old. Thanks.

Spring Stock

I thought the winter stock arriving would be the highlight of the year but surprisingly, I have been very excited by our recent new stock:
Crystal Palace Mini Mochi, a basket to rival Kidsilk Haze........


Crystal Palace Taos which is a soft aran wool:



We also have Panda silk, a bamboo based sock wool and this fantastic beaded 'Chakra' by Mango Moon. It is multi coloured with beautiful beads and sea glass, really special.



We are loving the Rowan Revive, not only is it made from recylcled clothes,the patterns are fantastic and it can be combined with regular double knit.


Last time I promised something for the crochet fans, we now have proper crochet cotton and

some amazing crochet patterns from Leisure Arts..................

A lot of new colours in cotton have been arriving. The weather is not very spring like so
to cheer myself up I have been looking at the cottons and dreaming of sunshine while hugging the radiator. Perhaps I should knit myself a warm jumper.

My Heart's In The Highlands

Well, did you guess? Action Man does not look too pleased with his kilt, I think it is the oversized ruffles and tammy that really upset him, that sporran looks a bit dodgy too


We just managed to get him in place on Monday in time for Burns Night.


As it is nearly February we teamed him up with hearts on tartan ribbon and we both heaved a sigh of relief to get the messy boxes out the window and a new display which makes the passers by stop and smile.

The sale is still on and I haven't taken a picture of our poor couch which is groaning under the boxes of bargains. We have a beautiful new crocheted blanket to put on the couch when that corner of the shop returns to normality.

Meanwhile Maxine tidied up the stock room and I was in raptures over the organisation (sad but true) :

The tidying was necessary as we have done a stock take and are eagerly waiting some exciting new stock. Crochet fans watch this space...but don't worry we have a few things coming for you knitters too.