The storks

Last weekend I went to Nieuwpoort, a small little town with a rampart build around it. In the year 1600 a huge battle was fought out here and it is known in the Dutch history as the Battle at Nieuwpoort. Quite a historic place to visit, but the main reason to visit was the yarnshop that is located here. Well OK, the town looks very nice with lovely old houses and very old trees but all I really wanted to see was the shop, it's called "de Schapekop" ( sheepshead). They mostly sell quilt fabrics and embroidery but a small part of the shop is reserved for yarns. Sorry, I forgot to bring my camera, I could have taken some lovely pictures for you.

The fun part begins when you have to take the ferry across the river, this is always something special for me. In this area there are lots of storks, they build their nests on wagonwheels high above the ground.

Over here they tell little children that a stork is delivering babies, and that if you see one circling above your head you might expect one to be delivered soon...
So I'd better watch out and hide !


The shop sells mostly Rowan and Colinette, but they also sell the yarns of a lady from Groningen who grows her own angora goats, shears them, and after the yarns are spun handdyes the skeins herself. She doesn't spin the yarns herself, she sends them to a mill in Denmark where they are spun together with a merino. So its a mix of angora goat/merino wool, a sport to DK weight I guess, with around 330 yards per skein. They don't have tags on them so I don't know who made these. The shop owner , who is very kind by the way, told me this, otherwise I wouldn't have had a clue. There were also some skeins in the natural colors and mixes of greys. I only wished I had taken some of the greys too. I can still go back there..

These are the laceweight yarns I bought at http://thewoolenrabbit.typepad.com/ merino/silk Zephyr yarns that are handdyed by her, on the right is Elderberry Gold and left is Cracklin'Rosie. Very soft muted colors, both with hints of gold in them.....

And this is what I started with the ArtYarns Cashmere, a multi-directional diagonal scarf.

You can find the pattern over here :
http://douma.net/Karen/knitting/Accessory-Scarves/Multidirectional_Diagonal_Scarf.htm

The Rock River Scarf is almost halfway done by now, I hope to have it finished by the end of the week but it is quite hectic over here. We are going to re-decorate the living room. This weekend we have start some major things. The whole fireplace has to come out, then build in a new one. After that is finished the wooden floor has to be sanded and painted again, so everything has to go OUT. Everything, including the things in my kitchen ( which I can't use for 3 days, not that bad ) After all that is done there is still the wallpapering ........

I'll be busy for the next couple of weeks I'm afraid, but not with knitting

I'll leave you with a picture of the ever so curious miss Lieffie, who doesn't want to pose for the camera but is always willing to help me out with "untangling" my yarn.