Gosh I think someone has forgotten to tell the weather it is Spring! Here in Melbourne we’re expecting snow today on the nearby hills and it’s cold here. The winter woollies that I was washing and packing away have now been resurrected for a few more weeks. On that point do make sure you wash your knitted garments before putting them away as garments put away dirty attract moths and silverfish. If storing them on open shelves lightly rub cedar oil over the shelf to deter pests or place fresh lavender bags on the shelves or in drawers. Both cedar and lavender are the best natural deterrents that I know to keep nasty little insects at bay.

Thanks to the weather Woolybutt is still packed with summer yarns and a new, beautiful one arrived last week called Opium. Despite the name this is a lovely textured summer yarn which is very economical to knit and has a lovely soft feel. The colours are very pretty and it would make a great knit for layering with a t-shirt or singlet underneath. it is knitted on big needles so it would also knit up quickly as a gift for Christmas. While on the subject of Christmas don’t forget that Woolybutt has gift certificates for that “hard-to-buy” for person and if that person is a keen knitter or crocheter, it makes an ideal gift. A certificate can also be exchanged for knitting or crochet lessons. If you want to brush up your skills or learn a new one our classes go until the end of the year and are held 10.30am to 12.30pm every Saturday morning. Please contact the Shop (03 9458 3101) or email me (lorraine@woolybutt.com.au) for more information.

If you have the yen to knit Christmas-based decorations come into the Shop and check out our new Christmas themed books which have just arrived – “Twas the Knits before Christmas” and the “Twelve Knits of Christmas” plus some new “Twenty to Make” Christmas themed books – all lots of fun.

Current Projects: a jacket in Baby Crofter, two knitted Meerkats (for elderly aunts who have gone dotty about those silly ads on the TV), these will be Christmas gifts with some chocolates. A pretty top for me in Opium – last on the list so I will probably be knitting this in January!

Happy Knitting

Lorraine