Finally, I can get into my blog again after lots of hiccups!

Its been a busy week.

I decided to seize the the chance to go to Toronto for a week where my husband was attending a conference. It was the first time I had been away since I opened the shop, so it felt a bit like leaving my baby for the first time.

I was so lucky that my friend Ann has a friend in London who has always had the ambition to run a yarn shop. Between the 2 of them, they did a really good job.

Meanwhile I really enjoyed the break and enjoyed the hot sunshine after all the summer's rain.

Not that I could resist looking around yarn shops, especially when I discovered that Toronto was the home of the "yarn harlot".

I was delighted to get an email from Mary who I met in my shop way back at the end of May.

She was delighted to join me for a day looking around the local yarn shops. I also met up with Lindsay & Kerry from the Angel yarns forum.

Of course I wasn't going to buy any yarn, which I need like a hole in the head!

We met up in Romni Wools on Queen street. What an amazing place! It is absolutely huge and stuffed with every type of yarn you could think of. I was able to have a look at the Garn studio yarn which I am considering.

There was a huge basement with sale bargains, fleece and huge cones of yarn which you could buy by the meter.

The owner and assistants where very nice and seemed genuinely interested in hearing about Spin A Yarn. I was delighted to spot Claire Crompton's books and to be able to tell the assistants that Claire is a good friend and teaches lots of workshops for me.

There was a selection of wonderful Canadian yarn made in Nova Scotia with the brand names Handmaiden yarns & the Fleece Artist. Apparently, they are made by a talented mother and daughter. I had to buy a selection - purely for research you understand !

After a couple of hours in Romni Wools we mentioned to lose Kerry! Leaving lots of messages for her we went off to Lettuce Knits. This is a beautiful shop even smaller than mine. They stock only yarns from small businesses - such gorgeous yarns as Lorna's laces and lots of other beauties. I bought loads, I'm afraid.

I promise to take a photo of all my new acquisitions tomorrow. I can't stop stroking them all at the moment! 

We had a couple of relaxing days at Niagara Falls before returning to Exeter. Such an easy flight from Toronto now - only 6 hours.Already, I'm thinking that a trip to Nova Scotia would be fun - can't think why!

I arrived back on Wednesday afternoon to find Ann in complete control, as Joanna had had to return that morning.

The place was full of boxes of yarn however. 2 hugeboxes of yarn from Lang arrived the day I left and then of course all the wonderful new Rowan winter yarns are arriving in quick succession.

I have had to rethink my display again.