Wednesday, May 22, 2019


The Wool Adventure…

It was a well-structured blend of road trips and lectures and workshops. The first day, we headed into the countryside to meet some sheep



and then on to Jamieson’s spinning mill in the middle of nowhere. We had a most interesting tour, starting with the industrial revolution and ending here in the third millennium with Japanese (?) knitting machines – all hard at work. I was interested to note that the one thing a machine can’t do, apparently, is put the ball band on a ball of wool. 

I bought two balls of yarn – one of the magazines had an end-of-issue article recently about the Souvenir Skein. And the latest issue of Fruity Knitting started off with a most ingenious Woolly Wormhead hat – they are all that – which I thought I could knit with the yarn. I can see only one of them in the picture above, the grey-looking ball amongst the cobweb-weight on the right.

Then on to Uradale Farm for a delicious lunch of soup and bannocks, and more yarn. The farm is organic – not an easy status to achieve. Does that have anything to do with why the colours of the yarns are so wonderful? Perhaps not, but I bought a few because of the wonderfulness. They are the ones wound as wheels in the picture.      

Then back to Lerwick to Jamieson and Smith and a talk by Oliver Henry. I was tired, I had been to Jamieson and Smith already, I knew that Oliver was old. His talk, however, was electrifying – effectively, the history of Jamieson and Smith. I’m glad to be able to report that I didn’t buy any more yarn, although I did pick up some needles which I had begun to realise I would need later on.       

Cats 

They have clearly had a stressful time. I have never heard Paradox growl or hiss until today, but she now growls and hisses at her sister. With me, she has become overly affectionate, sitting on my lap purring and bestowing whiskery kisses, weaving dangerously around my feet when I totter about. Perdita, on the other hand, is having a nervous breakdown, cowering in corners, growling and hissing and even SHOUTING at her detested sister. Neither is eating.

We’ll see how soon things settle down. I can’t stay away from Joe and Becca’s wedding because it would upset the cats, but I am worried. This time, they had Archie, who is fond of them. In July, by definition, no family will be available.


4 comments:

  1. I do hope P&P settle down soon. Did Archie have anything alarming, catwise, to report? I always love photos of cats or dogs (or cats and dogs) snuggling together, but the reality is often more complicated. You must tell them they mustn't begrudge you your trips (as if that would do any good).

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  2. Anonymous8:08 AM

    Jean, try Googling Feliway Friends Diffuser Pack. I have used the regular Feliway when a new dog came into the house and the cat was hostile and unsettled.

    Your week sounds wonderful. so glad dyou went.
    JennyS

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  3. The Uradale Yarn looks lovely. I'm always tempted to click buy - the souvenir skein is fun, but it is so often a challenge to find a use for one skein. Better buy two!

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  4. Anonymous1:28 PM

    Couldn't get through on Google yesterday. Hopefully today. Just to say how thrilled to see the picture and hear about your idyllic trip. The group picture on their website shows you looking very sturdy despite feeling very otherwise and your fellow tour mates appear very protective. So sorry about the cats, I'd stay with them if I didn't live across the pond! Any willing neighbors about? Friends of Archie? Willing university student (female preferred unless friend of Archie)? Could you ask at Kathy's Knits? Just some thoughts. In the meantime, wonderful memories to glow in for awhile. Chloe

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