I had a surprise last weekend!

I was whisked away to Edinburgh for a romantic birthday weekend by the lovely Ben. (My birthday weekend was also known by some people as “Easter” this year!)

We had a lovely time and did all the tourist spots, and importantly for a knitting blog, visited a couple of yarn shops!

Ben has always been very stubborn that “he doesn’t feel the cold” and “I don’t need a pair of gloves or a hat” and “Scarves are for wimps”. We got 10 mins out of the hotel on our first night in Edinburgh when a huge icy blast of wind nearly froze the hatless, gloveless, scarfless Ben to the spot. 😯 I was dressed in 6 layers and and pretty much in an outfit fit for skiing at minus 25 degrees – I was warm and toasty (and bearing a marked resemblance to the Michelin Man!!)

My Snug Hat and Snuzzle Scarf were vital accessories when we braved the open top bus trip around the city! It was so bloody cold! And yes… I’m a big kid. I insisted on sitting at the front, on the top deck so I could “drive” 😉

Ben finally relented and agreed he needed a hat and gloves – can you imagine my frustration as a knitter – we had to go buy a hat and gloves! I wanted to knit them for him! 🙁

Here he is suitably kitted out in nasty shop bought, not hand knitted, items of warmification…

I could have knitted him something much better….

He’s still holding out on the scarf….it’ll take a trek to the Alps to shift him on that one.

Once suitably attired, Ben partially redeemed himself by indulging my need to visit MCA Direct‘s shop in Howe Street. If you’re looking for it it’s called “McAree Brothers”. It’s a wonderful shop, a huge range of the well known brands such as Rowan, Gedifra, Patons, Sirdar, Twilley’s – helpful staff and a big fire to sit by (and park boyfriends by) and warm up. I was very strong and managed to resist the urge to buy – I have a gazzilion project in waiting!

The next knit shop was K1 Yarns in West Bow. A small but beautifully formed shop. It was a treasure trove of unusual and exclusive yarns plus a few of the well known ones. Lots of yarn was displayed in little enamelled buckets – so cute!

I ended up hypnotised by a sample square of Habu A-60 Shosenshi yarn that had been knitted and washed. The yarn is facinating – 100% linen coated with Viscose for strength.

It looks like shredded paper packaging!!

I was seriously intrigued. The assistant in the shop did a fine selling job – telling me all about the yarn, how it was washable, pointing out the generous yardage (over 1000 meters!) and showing me a popular pattern by the shop’s owner, Katharine Walker, called Cricket. An interesting Tank top type thingy with an overlapping back and two “tails”.

I tried to be strong…

…£30 on a wierd, strange yarn I’ve not tried before was a lot…

…I really have too much yarn and waiting projects already…

…”I’ll treat you for your birthday if you like”, said the lovely Ben – Who was instantly forgiven for all hat and glove related crimes against knitting! 😀

Thanks for a fab weekend Ben!