The English Armchair Abroad

Residential Upholstery Courses at The English Armchair Abroad

Please click on the link to the left to be taken to my page on these courses.

More in the Shop

To my utter amazement I have made three sales from my shop in the past ten days.  It certainly cheered me up during the flu.  Anyway, as a result  I have once again been dyeing fibre and it is now in the shop.  Here's a taster of Raspberry Ripple:

It really is scrumptious and SOOOOO soft! 

I love dyeing wool - it never happens quite as I expect it but it always looks lovely in the end.

Swine flu knitting

A bout of flu is not much fun at the best of times.  This year's variety came with added features which, unfortunately, were everything they were cracked up to be.  Was it "Swine Flu"?  Yes, probably, but as I wasn't tested (250 Euros told me I didn't need the test) I can't guarantee it.  We are both vaccinated each year against the seasonal flu so the chances are it wasn't that.  Anyway, it's over now as far as I'm concerned and I just hope Max, who amazingly didn't catch it from me, doesn't now get it over Christmas - he's the only one who knows how to keep the house above freezing so illness just isn't an option!

One of the bizarre things about this flu, Swine or otherwise, was that you are not actually ill in the can't move, can't think sense;  more a feeling of being completely under the weather.  I was totally exhausted for a week but that was very likely the lack of sleep due to 24/7 coughing.  As a result I was ridiculously bored.  I re-read a dozen books and finished first one and then a second knitting project.  In the end I started Hartland using totally unsuitable doubled-up sock wool (it's written for cotton) which I hadn't yet dyed.  It's now finished and looks great but dull in cream;  it also needs buttons as I changed the pattern a little.  I'm trying to work out how to dye the finished garment without getting a splodgy result!  Even in wool it is more Spring than Winter so I have a little time.  Photos will come, give me time.

In the meantime the wool for this Fireside Sweater has just arrived.  For people searching for good quality wool within France I highly recommend Gwenola K at Laine et Tricot.  I only made the order on Thursday so delivery on Saturday is pretty good.  She has a wonderful range of wools not generally found in the yarn shops outside of Paris   Also needles and other accessories. 

And finally, my current work in process is this beret, Selbu Modern.  I spotted it on my friend Yvonne's Ravelry page and loved it.  I've never worked in Fair Isle (or Fair Isle style) before and thought this would be a good beginning.  So far so good.  Photos later when there's more to show!  But it's very intense as the pattern keeps changing - well, it would wouldn't it?  - so I only do a few rows at a time.  The Fireside will be a good second project and should keep me wonderfully warm during this cold winter.

Afghanistan

Whatever people think of the war in Afghanistan there is little doubt that they support the troops and their families.  A friend of ours is in the army and spent time in Afghanistan five years ago.  He is now based in England and sent this round robin with his family's Christmas card.  I reprint it word for word without permission and hope that he won't mind.

"Reflecting on the events of 2009 after a good day's shooting, it is easy to see the highs and to be self-indulgent and over-look the lows.  Genuinely, there is much to celebrate and to be thankful for and one cannot grumble about one's lot - especially as friends and colleagues continue to risk life and limb fighting the Queen's enemies in Afghanistan and Iraq.  The other day, I nipped out of the office in uniform to fill the car with fuel and, having paid, was returning to my car when I noticed a particularly unsavoury version of "white-van-man" in the queue waiting for me to vacate the pump.  As I was about to set off, he rapped loudly on the driver's window.  In trepidation, I wound it down and the man seemed to lunge at me, thrusting his hand into the car.  Initially alarmed, I then noticed that, rather than threatening me, he was in fact trying to hand me a five pound note.  I knew that it could not be mine and started to protest, but before I could go on, he explained that he was incredibly proud of "the job our Boys were doing out there", wished me to take his offering and to put it in a Forces' charity box.  Embarassed at my initial (incorrect) preconceptions about him and my initial reaction, I was incredibly touched by this spontaneous gesture of support and solidarity from an anonymous member of the public.  I have never before experienced such a thing, and it brought home the genuine, grass-roots support that we in the Army currently enjoy.  There is such high expectation out there of us, our people are doing such an extraordinary job, and I hope that we can continue to deliver. 

Incidentally,  in case you are wondering I have since topped up his gensture and have made my donation to BLESMA."

Swine flu is making me disGRUNTled

Assuming that's what it is and as they only test you if you go to hospital, hopefully I won't have to find out for sure.  Suffice to say I had a mild flu last week and since Sunday I've been coughing so hard I feel like my ribs are breaking.  Not to mention the bronchitis which won't shift despite antibiotics and accompanying pills that are making me rattle.  EIGHT DAYS.  YUP, I'm thoroughly fed up and miserable and the doctor just nods his head and mutters about "les complications".

However, last night some good news out of the blue of the internet came winging my way.   A lady in America has bought two of my dyed wool tops from my Etsy shop, which I only listed at the beginning of last week.  TWO!  Yippee.  As soon as I'm up to standing for more than three seconds at a time I'll have to dye some more and get them listed.

Back to the flu - it's not all bad news...I've lost two kilos - although I suspect that won't stay off for long!  Oh and Christmas shopping?  Well, the sales start in January and I SHOULD be better by then!

I've updated my shop

Here are some of the yummy things you'll find in L'Atelier du Grand Gennetay at the moment.

Merino dyed in delicious berry colours

Merino hand dyed in greens/blues (goes well with the silk below)

   

Fibre batts in wonderfully vibrant colours

Pink Sunset - Cashsilk - the most wonderful lace yarn available

Grade A Mulberry silk in greens/blues

There's more but you'll have to take a look for yourself - one of the few disadvantages of living miles from anywhere is the broadband connection isn't totally constant and for some reason it keeps crashing this afternoon!