Ooh, I think Spring might almost be here! I don’t want to jinx it, but we have flowers in the garden! And not just crocuses or early Spring flowers, but other flowers (I don’t actually know what they are, but they’re not bulbs). And this is Seattle – not Florida or southern California, so that’s pretty wonderful. In sewing terms it quite excites me too. If I’m honest, I’m not sure Autumn/Winter is the best time to learnt to sew in terms of relevant clothing. Everyone is sewing amazing thick coats or luscious knits, most of which were way beyond my skill level, so I haven’t really been able to join in this year. I don’t mean to make it sound like a big deal – it’s really not, but at least with Spring and (presumably) Summer, I can indulge in my love of dresses and skirts and cotton. Then by next Winter I shall be READY. Do your worst then, COAT DEITY!

Well, totally off topic. Thanks for the great comments on my book post – it makes me happy to know there are plenty of other completely impractical book people out there. As a side note, I’m sure most book lovers have read Shadow of the Wind by Carlos Ruiz Zafón – it was a massive hit a few years ago. If not though, you definitely should. It’s a fantastic read and a bit of an ode to literature/books. Just popped into me head. Anyway, I digress again.

I finished up my crocheted kimono cardigan last week and am planning next to dive into a little knitting, on the subject of yarn crafts. I’m going to attempt to make the Miette cardigan by following some knitalongs and the instructions of course (perfect for spring, non?)! I’ve been looking for the right yarn to use and along the way have seen some absolutely gorgeous new colourways and blends on the market. Here are five a lot of my fave yarns:

Malabrigo : Love, love, love this colour combination of Amoroso in Chunky wool.

Also loving the purple/orange mixture in the Arroyo Archangel blend. It’s a better weight for my next projects, but is maybe a little autumnal for what I’m after.

Final one from Malabrigo, although truthfully I could just go to their warehouse blindfolded, run around grabbing yarn, and be delighted with what I ended up with. Hey, that’s a great idea for a promotion, isn’t it Malabrigo owners?? If you’re interested, you know where I am… ahem. This yarn is a solid Frank Ochre and is just the right mixture of mustard and yellow for my tastes. It’s the Rios worsted weight and is new for 2016 along with a LOT of grey blends. Is grey a 2016 colour? I should keep up.

Next, I’m moving onto Cascade Yarns and their SuperWash series. I’ve bought this colour above, Violet, with the intention of knitting/crocheting a garment, so it’s definitely a contender for the Miette cardigan.

This is a new colourway for Cascade Yarns and is the Aran merino wool version of the 220. This is the new Lilacs colour and I think it would knit up really nicely. A bit of fun!

Now for a yarn producer I haven’t used yet, but keep hearing about, which is Madelinetosh and, wow, there really are some to-dye-for yarns in their hoard! (Sorry.) This is new yarn Cactus Flower from their Merino Light collection and is fingering weight.

This one is called Cousteau. They really have great names and I’m the sort of person who will buy something based on its name alone. I know. I have also been known to buy more than a few books based on their cover and the briefest of jacket info scans. And you know what? It’s actually worked out most of the time. These are both washable yarns, which is really great for me with the baby.

Next, a worsted weight yarn called Blue Dusk by Fiddle Knits. It strikes that perfect tone between blue and grey and I love it. It’s not superwash sadly, but it is, nevertheless, lovely.

Finally, I’ll end with something more… affordable. Not that all these beautiful yarns aren’t worth every hand-dyed, artisan-spun penny – they are. But if I need 10 balls of something or other for a large piece, well, I just have to lower my gaze a little. That’s life, innit? This is Sirdar Snuggly DK in teal. Teal is one of those shades that’s been having a moment, but I really love it. It’s the perfect shade between green and blue for me (I sense a theme all of a sudden: I don’t want colours, I want in-between colours. Huh.)

Oh no wait! I just saw another gorgeous set of yarns on Etsy from Collier and Black. This could go on all night, so I’ll just post these here and call it a day I think. Amazing! They’re called Hyde Park and Vegas. Yep, good names.