I’m back from my week in South West France doing nothing but eating, yarn shopping, crochet and even a bit of knitting. I had the most amazing time at La Verderie with Sue, Brenda, Alison, Phina and The Hostess With The Mostess Sue Culligan.
My days were filled with joy. Nothing much else (that’s if you don’t count the great food, conversation, inspiration and all the crochet action). Sue blogged about our daily activities, the menu and excursions on her blog here. I’ll share some of my photos, but you can read all about my week on Sue’s blog.
(Click on any of the photos below to open up a slide show will full size photos.)
We visited yarn shops on three of the five days of our retreat. I bought yarn every time. In Cognac I bought Plassard Clown yarn which I knitted up as a snood between lunch and dinner. The yarn has eight pompoms already woven in! It was so much fun. You only need one skein of yarn, and the pattern is on the back of the band. It’s easy peasy. (I will do a separate blog post about my pompom snood a bit later.)
On Wednesday’s excursion to Saint-Juan-d’Angeley I bought Lanas Stop K2 to make into a hat before Winter sets in, but the biggest find was on Thursday when we went to Saintes to stop by at L’Oasis Laines et Tissus . They have a great selection of yarn in a huge warehouse-like space. Fantastic! I was adamant I wouldn’t buy any more yarn, but at €3.50 a ball I couldn’t resist the green Cheval Blanc Softine. I bought four balls to be made into a wrap / shawl / poncho type thing. Resistance really is futile when it comes to cheap yarn.
The balls of colourful yarn at L’Oasis Laines et Tissus were just waiting to be photographed. If I can’t take them all home with me, I can photograph them to share with you.
We all heard the calling of the yarn shops very loudly out there in France. I call this GIF “like a moth to a flame”.
I’ve been going on about the yarn, food and relaxed week I’ve had at La Verderie, but all of it would have been lost on me had I not spent my days with five fabulous ladies. Kindred spirits we were. We laughed and learned so much from each other. It really could all have gone horribly wrong had we not “clicked” the way we did. I’m so grateful to have met Sue, Sue, Alison, Brenda and Phina. You ladies rock!
I can highly, highly, recommend Sue’s Knitting and Crochet Holidays in France. There are spaces available for three retreats in 2015 (May, June and September) and one workshop with Carol Meldrum in October 2015. If at all possible, you really should go. You won’t be sorry.
(Just FYI, I’ve not been paid to go on the retreat, or write this blog post.)
