Back from London and a new design launch

I'm back from London, actually we came home late SAturday evening but I was too tired to do much yesterday. But before I talk about London I want to show you my new design - the Breast Cancer Awareness 'Ribbon' Scarf. The scarf will be sold with all the profits being donated to Breast Cancer charities in the UK. In real terms the pattern will be sold on Etsy for $6 and $5 will go to charities.

The inspiration for the scarf is the breast cancer ribbon which is sold as pins here in the UK, I made a lace pattern to look like the ribbon and used it for the main panel and used a fern lace pattern as the border. The result is an easy to knit lace pattern which experienced knitters can knit in a flash and and it's easy enough for beginners to give it a go. Why not knit it for someone in your family who's been affected by cancer or in memory of anyone affected by cancer or just as a cosy neck warmer for yourself or a friend? Or how about (dare I say it...) a Christmas present? Sorry to mention the C (that's Christmas) word in Octobe but Christmas is not that far away. Yes, it made me panic too when I realised it.

The pattern will be up on Etsy tomorrow and I will try to list it for sale on the blog too. Just got a bit of editing on the pattern to do and add pics. The scarf takes just one skein of sock yarn. I used my new Merino Tencel sock yarn which only has 333 m to 100gr. All my other sock yarns have 400m so if you choose one of those you'll get a longer scarf too. There are some fundraising yarns listed on Etsy too, including some pink ones and some non-pink ones.

Back to London, we had a great time. the main aim of the trip was for me to go to the Knitting Show at Alexandra Palace which I did on Thursday. I had a fab day. There were lots of yarn stalls and lots of gorgeous, tempting yarns. I did buy a little, tiny bit of yarn. Here's a peak:

More yarn pics later in the week. It's all contained in the lovley Socktopus bag I got with the skein of Handmaide I bought at the Socktopus stand. I got some gorgeous silk and bamboo yarns and a skein of BFL. But I'll show you pics of all the yarns I got tomorrow.I also got the new copy of Yarn Forward magazine at the show. And my Walking Cables socks were in there. Walking Cables is a family of aran cabled hiking socks for the whole families with patterns for Mum, Dad and the kids. I've also got a shawl in the next issue, take a look on the back page for a sneak preview. Kerrie and Lou also had another one of my shawls on the stand which will be in a later issue. It was lovely to meet Kerrie again and to meet Lou and Sarah for the first time. I think they've done a great job getting yarn Forward where it is today and it's now for sale in Tescos and regular newsagents. Well done ladies!