Big rant

I'm really really annoyed with a local LYS. Two weeks ago one of the other Knit Lincs ladies came in to report that she'd been there to get sock yarn - but they don't have any sock patterns or needles in a suitable size for sock knitting. They also weren't particularly helpful. To me this seems illogical - what is the point of stocking sock yarn without patterns or needles?!?!?! Does this seem barmy to anyone else? So I emailed the owner with some suggested sock knitting books (with plenty of patterns and instructions inside) and sent her some links to sock knitting kits, like the ones on Angel Yarns. Loads of the group at Knit Lincs want to knit socks so I'm sure they'd be popular.
But. No reply to my email. Then at today's meeting several of the others said they'd been in in search of sock knitting stuff and other things. And hadn't found them very helpful either.
So what to do? This is SO frustrating as I would love to support a local shop, but they don't seem to respond to customer suggestions (the LYS in Sleaford was much more helpful, explaining that they didn't have room to stock sock yarn but could order some Sirdar T & C specially for me, although I'd have to buy the whole pack!). The Lincoln shop is stuffed full of novelty yarn, and is also a Rowan stockist. The last time I was in the owner said she no longer stocked Patons Diploma Gold as it was too expensive (which I thought was weird as Patons is one of the cheaper brands, and if that's too expensive how on earth does she sell any Rowan?!?!)


Just to prove that I don't have anything against novelty yarns:

This is Mum modelling one of the first scarves I made last year. It used two balls of Patons Whisper and one ball of DK cotton (all, incidentally, from that same LYS!) and was based on the Coney Island Fireworks Scarf in Stitch n' Bitch.

This week I'd been aiming to get to the Lent meditation on Thursday lunchtime at St Mary-le-Bow. But I missed that due to my ****** train being late. However, I did get to see their Stations of the Cross, fifteen paintings by Jim Latter. This one was my favourite, it's "Mary":

Also this week my new desklamp arrived. From the sale at Natural Collection. It clips onto the bookshelf on my desk, but then it occurred to me that I could also clip it onto something above my knitting, making knitting in dark colours and sewing up much easier in the evenings as it is "natural daylight".

Also this week I set up my ironing board to iron the fabric I bought last week at the Cloth House. The fabric then spent the rest of the week sitting on the ironing board in the middle of the living room before I did any ironing.

And I have done some knitting. This is the beginning of a washcloth for my Mum for Mother's day, using Anchor Magicline cotton. This has been discontinued so I've ordered some more at reduced price from here!

Also, a copy of Debbie Bliss' Home book came in at the library. I've been admiring the jelly bean cushions based on a pattern in this book on Yarnstorm's blog. I'm thinking something like this, but using the gorgeous soft cuddly alpaca yarn from my SP. I also liked the Cable & Moss stitch bag and have two skeins of Maya in colourway 15 from the Getknitted sale to make it as a present for my SIL!

Finally, another yarn review website. With a bit of a heavy US bias at the moment, but I'm sure we can soon rectify that! ;-)
http://www.dailyknitter.com/readerreviews.php