This post comes from the UK branch of the Richmond Knitters 😉

Yesterday, I met up with Jen (Binkaboo) in Harrogate before she heads back to Australia. We met in Harrogate because

a) I lived there for years before I moved to Melbourne and it’s purdy
b) Jen has never been to Yorkshire
c) Yorkshire is synonymous with the British wool industry
d) My Baaramewe gift vouchers were burning a hole in my pocket

So after meeting her at the train station I whisked her off to Betty’s Tea Rooms because you can’t go to Harrogate and not take afternoon tea at Betty’s.

So there we were all silver tea pots,  little sandwiches with the crusts cut off , scones with jam and clotted cream and miniture cakes. Mmmmm delish! After tea we went off in search of Baaramewe. I got a smidge lost because I knew the vague direction of Cold Bath road but couldn’t remember the exact directions. Fortunately, Harrogate is full of historical charm so it didn’t matter that we went “the scenic route”.

I took Jen to get her photograph taken outside the Old Swan Hotel which is particularly famous for Agatha Christie mysteriously being found there after being missing for eleven days. I stupidly didn’t take one on my phone so you will have to wait for Jen’s version of the day. Anyway, after walking past the Royal Pump House and up Cold Bath Road for a while I declared that “it couldn’t be too far away” turned to look across to the other side of the road and to our hysterical amusement, Baaramewe was just across from us.

The shop was wonderful, brimming with woolly goodness as you would expect and decorated with great taste.

In the first pic Jen hugs her purchase of Titus next to a very unique, antique lamp/table. In the second picture she plots how she will use said Titus on a lovely Scandanavian, 1950’s style sofa. The sofa is decorated with a shawl from Bespoke, a pattern collection celebrating the Tour de France starting from Yorkshire, indeed the first day ends in Harrogate.

My own haul (thanks Richmond knitters) consisted of seven skeins of West Yorkshire Spinners BFL DK in the light brown that will become a Blank Canvas by Ysolda. Two balls of crazy Zauberball in Flussbett which is a colourway I adore. 4 packets of Herdy stitchmarkers because one can never have enough stitchmarkers and some of my old ones are beginning to break, plus it’s Herdy and I love him and the charity he is mascot for. A gorgeous yellow button for the Turmeric by Veera that I’m planning. A friend for Schlutty (supposed to be a pin cushion but I can’t bear to stick pins in a sheep). Lastly, a selection of Titus miniskeins because I saw a sample of  the Daybreak shawl by Stephen west knit in Titus and fell in love. One skein of original colour and six miniskeins are all that’s needed and I have three skeins of original colour languishing in my stash.

I took some more photos of yarn that I will be returning to purchase once I am working. I predict some colourwork in my future knitting projects is all I’m going to say.

Following Baaramewe there was some tourist fun.

The angle of the picture is odd because the frame area is actually unfinished and there is ugly plastic barriers in the view.

The day concluded with a spot of window shopping including The Wool Room, a shop full of woolly stuff for the home including my future bed. Then it was beer and fish ‘n’ chips and a long train home for both of us.

I had an absolutely splendid day, it was so good to catch up and I wish Jen safe travels onwards. I hope she enjoyed seeing, but a tiny bit of a tiny bit of Yorkshire. Hopefully, this will entice more Richmond Knitters to visit us in the UK branch.