Wool Shop Question of the Week

Knitwits Yarns knitwitspenzance.co.uk

At some time or other my guess is that most of us have bought a pattern (or pattern book), gaily started knitting and then realised there's a mistake in the pattern. Do you:

1) curse a little, fiddle around and try and work out the pattern yourself;

2) curse rather a lot and come back to your LYS and try and work out the pattern with the shop staff;

3) curse rather a lot, attempt to fix with shop staff, all admit defeat and then refer to the pattern supplier;

or 4) phone your LYS (in this case Knit Wits) very angry, accuse the shop of selling "faulty goods" and demand compensation. Then come into the shop, work out the pattern, complete the garment but still demand compensation. LYS owner (in this case, me) phones the designer (who confirms correction to pattern). Designer then phones publisher of book which printed the pattern and publisher sends a different knitting book (worth £20) as compensation and promises free copy of second edition of original book (worth £13), due for re-printing soon. Then write to LYS accusing shop of selling "faulty goods" under various Consumer Acts and threaten Trading Standards.

Answers on a postcard please.

PS: Customer didn't even buy wool from LYS but from local "cheap" shop selling "cheap" wool.

Knitwits Yarns knitwitspenzance.co.uk

Dear Blog

It's been 18 days since my last confession - (sorry) - entry so where on earth have I been and what have I been up to? Lazing on a sunny beach? - ha! On my bed of pain? - fortunately, no.

Actually, I've been working on "something else" which cannot be discussed as yet but has been taking up hours and hours and days of my time - so, apologies one and all. It's to be hoped that normal service will now resume but I've discovered that I've lost the ability to type fast so some letter sar egettin gmudldled up. Which is irritating and is wasting my time - which is more irritating.

Marie and Tracey have been womanfully manning things and I think I've got the "heads up" on what's been coming and going.

I note that my last blog entry mentioned new colours in Marble Chunky and - hey - we had another delivery yesterday so I guess that just shows how quickly it shoots off our shelves. It's a really fantastic yarn and, maybe, who knows - one day I may find the time to knit something out of it for myself.

We had a new delivery in from Katia today - more Paillettes - which has been very popular for those pre-Christmas scarves and one more colour to add so watch this space.

I'm awaiting deliveries of Chakra and Sari Silk for thos essentila (see - my fingers are doing it again) - Christmas gifts or stocking fillers.

My shop front is nearly finisehd! (look - again - brain thinks, fingers don't compute and I used to be a champion speed typist I'll have you know) - We had a minor panic (possibly major for the builder) when the electricity mains had to be moved and he wasn't sure if the mains ran under the new shop front or the new door. Luckily for him, it ran right under our new door! The new Victorian-look tiles didn't "go off" when they should have done which caused a bit of a problem and the blind hasn't arrived, nor have the new window lights or the new door mat - but, you know, we're nearly there! And it's so much lighter and everyone says how smart it is so I'm really pleased - pics to follow soon.

I now have an hour to scan in a load of patterns while FB is helping to coach T's rugby team - they won on Sunday and he played fantastically - very proud Mum! G has GCSE mocks at the moment - grim.

I'll try and get new patterns on soon, pics of shop and I won't be so long between posts, honest. And I wasn't on a sunny beach - I really wasn't!

One Week After The Flu

Knitwits Yarns knitwitspenzance.co.uk

I have now almost entirely lost my voice. For some in our household (FB, G & T) this is a reason for much celebration. For me, who is known to chat a lot and whose job - to a certain degree - relies on talking to people on the telephone, it's a source of irritation but, sometimes, relief. I can't possibly talk to cold calling double glazing sales people and I certainly can't argue with FB or the children about where their rugby socks are (half an hour before kick off) or whose turn it is to clean out the cat litter tray (definitely not mine) and why they have to do GCSE revision (because that's the way life is).

Talking to customers is entertaining as I don't know what the tiny little bit of voice I have is going to sound like - if you phone up you may - if you're lucky - get Marie or Tracey - they're the ones who sound normal. If you get a deep, husky croak or - alternately - a high pitched squeak - that'll be me.

I have, therefore, spent most of the afternoon quietly inputting on the website various items for your delight and delectation:

new colours in both Life Aran and Chunky -


















Fuschia is proving to be particularly popular in DK, Aran and Chunky.

Also in are new colours in the ever-popular Marble Chunky from James Brett.














From Baby Pinks to













popular blues and














greens - Marble Chunky is one of our best sellers.

We also have 3 new colours in Debbie Bliss's Aran weight "Fez" - an incredibly soft mix of merino wool and camel (yes, you did read that right):













Once again, I suspect the bright pinks are going to be a big hit.

We also have a new colour in our cotton range from Katia - "Samba":













We sell a lot of this on-line so I guess you guys find it hard to find elsewhere - we love Katia yarns so they'll keep on coming. In fact, we also have a new colour in their "Surprise" as well:













This, of course, is the colour used in their fab jacket:

















Found - here.

Finally, we have a wonderful new yarn in from Tivoli. We haven't stocked this company before but I simply couldn't resist this new Aran weight 48% wool concoction "Blizzard"- the colours are simply gorgeous and the patterns are really cool - they should be on the site next week, flu etc allowing. How about this for gorgeousness:













or, indeed, this:














So, I hope this has given you inspiration for the weekend - I am desperate to knit something with Blizzard but am being very good and finishing the Beaded Gorgeousness first - nearly there, honest.

Home now to soluble asprin gargling (as recommended by a friend) - I'll let you know if it works.

Flu Update

Knitwits Yarns knitwitspenzance.co.uk

We had a quiet night in watching X Factor - truly naff, I know, but sometimes needs must.

2.30am - T in shower to ease breathing and try and reduce cough. Partial success - he fell asleep at about 3.00.

4.00am - G hunting linen cupboard for a new duvet cover as previous 2 drenched in sweat.

2.30 am - 5.00am - FB alternately coughing and snoring. At about 4.30am was tempted to turn light on and knit a few rows of Beaded Gorgeousness but couldn't quite summon the required energy.

Now 5pm - am about to start work. Washing machine on second load of the day.

Somehow don't think G or T going to school tomorrow.