I acknowledge the Traditional Custodians of the ACT, the Ngunnawal people. I acknowledge and respect their continuing culture and the contribution they make to the life of this city and this region.

Sunday, May 13, 2007

S.E.X. on the Road II

We made good time to Wagga and found a motel within budget fairly quickly. We were both tired and emotionally drained. Mum was certainly not up to going out for dinner. As a bonus, the motel had pay tv movie channels available, so we rested, knitted, ate takeaway with wine bought in Leeton and watched movies. Luxury!

I admit to not being faithful to the travelling sock this first night in Wagga. Maybe it was the motel vibes, but I cheated by finishing the foot and toe of Mum's birthday sock before returning sated and just a little sweaty, to the travelling sock's gusset. The travelling sock pouted and refused to be photographed that evening.

The next day dawned overcast and rain threatened. It was Mum's 65th birthday. We celebrated by a trip to a very good Salvos shop where Mum scored a printed linen fancy work table cloth complete with colour chart which she will embroider on our next holiday together in July/August. She also sorted out a big bundle of short metal dpns for me. I found a heap of vintage Patons patterns which were not already in the collection. We spent so much time there that we couldn't make it to Tarcutta that morning as hoped as we were due to meet Kate for lunch. This meant we missed Miss Ginger and Pierre at Tarcutta, which was a shame.

I've forgotten the name of the cafe we lunched at but it was good. It was even better to catch up with Kate, though.




The sock consented to have it's photo taken with the birthday girl. I forgot to photograph it with Kate - oops.


While we were lunching we met a member of the Wagga SnB. Melva told us Vinnies had just put out a heap of knitting wool and she'd managed to snaffle a big bag of Cleckheaton Tapestry for a song. In what I hope was not indecent haste, we finished lunch and I dragged Mum over to Vinnies. Here we hit pay-dirt and got two big bags of mohair and another large bag of odds and ends of 8ply for Mum and big bunch of needles for the swaps basket. Other women were carrying off bags of novelty yarn.


We met Melva again not long after, when Kate took us to her local wool shop. It's in the garage of Melva and her daughter Faye's house. Faye Verrall is the business owner. The shop sells quilting fabrics and notions and has a room for workshops. It also has a very creditable range of knitting patterns and yarns.
This is part of one wall of the wool room. It's a small room and packed floor to ceiling with good yarns. Faye doesn't compete with the local Scablight and only gets quality merchandise.

Another wall.

She also knits up samples and knows her stuff. If you are anywhere in the region - go to Simply Stitches. It's open Fri-Tues 10-5, other times by appointment. Much to my delight, Simply Stitches has two resident dogs. After three days on the road, I was missing Peggy mightily. Faye's dogs gave me some much needed puppy love.

Influenced by the quality yarn fumes and the personability of Faye, there was an accident involving sock yarn.

Tofutsies in the Footsteps colourway.

We saw Kate home, and Mum chose to spend the rest of her birthday watching movies and knitting wristwarmers. Some of Mum's work to this point.

The sock forgave me enough to allow me to finish its toe. Here it is all ready for the graft. (It's still in that condition, btw, and so is the second sock).

Mum enjoyed her birthday and we were extremely pleased that it rained that afternoon and much of the night. The rain stayed with us the next day, too.

3 comments:

amanda j said...

I look forward to seeing what you think of the Tofutsies, I have heard very good things.

You must have been exhausted - you girls packed in a lot of activity.

I wish my garage was full of yarn instead of junk!!

Bells said...

fab travelogue Taph. Great socks, great walls of yarn, great time had by all it sounds. So glad you got to have the time out with your mum and grandmother.

Margie said...

What a great trip. Happy birthday mum!
Ya know I hate to knit socks but those are some nice looking ones you're working on now.