In the Pink

This weekend saw the Avoca yarn sale, held annual in February at the Avoca shop in the village of Avoca, where the company sell off their unused fabric and yarn from last years collections. The sale can be very hit and miss, as additional stock is brought out over the week and finding something you like is very dependant on luck. This year the sale was rather chenille heavy, which I'm not so keen on, but I did find some beautiful pink yarn, which I am thinking of making a little short sleaved cardi from. I did much better with the fabric getting a couple of meters of two stretch jersey fabric, with contrasting elasticated lace. And I felt positivly restrained compaired to the purchases made by my companions ;0)


After a short stroll down into Avoca village we went over to the weaver sheds where some of Avoca's scarfs and blankets are made. After a tour of the looms the very nice tour guide said that I could help myself to the ends of yarn which the weavers throw into cardboard boxes when they are of no more use. This was an offer I couldn't refuse, and I loaded myself up with lots of ends of beautifully coloured wool, which would be ideal for my blanket!

Most of the ends came in tangled bundles like so;


But a little patience, and lots of work later, I have started producing neat little balls. The long thin rolls are, I think, the ends of bobbins from the handloom shuttles;