Yarn Along

Linking today with Small Things for this week's Yarn Along.

First up, I want to show you some gorgeous goodies that arrived in the mail this week. A while ago, I placed an order with Natalie at Remembrances. Her pottery is amazing - I'm sure lots of you have seen it before.

It took a long time to get here from Canada but due to Natalie's wonderful wrapping, all arrived safe and sound.

 Each item came in their own little fabric bags! And this is what they are:

A gorgeous yarn bowl. Well, that is what I am using it for. I think it is also a berry bowl.

 And the most divine cookie stamps!

 Look at those too cute designs!

And Natalie very kindly made a toadstool especially for me! I asked if it was possible, sent Natalie this image and voila! My own personalised cookie stamp!

And here are some cookies made with my lovely stamps.

 I love all my new goodies! Thanks so much, Natalie! Please head on over to Natalie's Etsy shop, At The Crossroads, for some lovely pottery, I especially like her new covers to change mason jars into vases. 

Now for Yarn Along. STILL working on the Shoulders jumper. Only a few more rows added as I have been working on my tea cosy for Woolly West Fest. Also my yarn arrived to knit parking meter cosies - look at the gorgeous colours! 

Now to plan how to use them! I am thinking an Aran type sampler with the cream and then a multicoloured one covered in flowers.

And here is the daffodil tea cosy so far. Just need to make more daffodils. The body is knitted in 2x2 rib with 2 strands of DK (8 ply), so is super thick and warm.  I want to make more tea cosies now!

I am reading a wonderful book called The Pink Suit. It is about the infamous pink suit worn by Jackie Kennedy on the day of JFK's assassination. I am about a third of the way through and so far Jackie has only featured a few times. It is about the dressmaker's called Chez Ninon, who made the pink suit and other outfits for Jackie. 

There had been some backlash about Jackie's extravagant French tastes so she used Chez Ninon in New York to make what were essentially cheaper knock-offs of French designers (they did get permission from Chanel for the pink suit - not sure if they did for all their creations). The pink suit would have cost $10,000 or so from Chanel and Chez Ninon made it for about $1,000. There are some other outfits mentioned as well, such as this navy-blue silk shantung suit that Jackie wore in Paris.

 So far the book is mainly about an Irish immigrant called Kate who is a dressmaker at Chez Ninon. Very interesting and so sad to read about the making of the suit when you know what happened. 

Look forward to seeing everyone else's knitting and reading!