During my stay I spent a day on Skye, which is where I got my initial inspiration for Baljaffray Handknits just 3 years ago (see "About Me" section, above). During this week's day trip, I visited a wonderful shop which has the unusual name of "The Handspinner Having Fun", where I spent perhaps rather too much money on three lovely skeins of yarn.
The shop is well signposted from the main road in Broadford. Don't be put off by the unpromising looking road or the corrugated metal building they share with an amazing second-hand bookshop.
This picture (from their website) gives a hint of the Aladdin's Cave of yarn and finished garments on offer inside the shop.
They specialise in wool of every variety, but, because I have so much New Lanark wool in stock, I bought two skeins of shimmering polyester that they call "Fiesta", which I'm looking forward to turning into cosies of every variety. I also bought some lime green acrylic yarn that I'm not sure they produced themselves, but the colour was irrisistable.
Earlier in the week I visited the Tuesday Market in Poolewe. Visit their website here. I bought these beautiful hand made ceramic buttons (sorry the picture has come out blurred, despite several tries) made by Loch Broom Pottery there, but there's such a variety of goods on sale there that there is something to suit everyone.
I also visited The Market Street Collective In Ullapool, a gallery featuring local artists and crafters. You can visit their Facebook page here. I bought these hand crafted wooden buttons there.
The picture doesn't really do them justice as the contrasting colour and pattern of the bark on the edge is what really makes them special.
So watch this space and the Baljaffray Handknits Facebook page to see what I create with my holiday purchases.
