Toasties can we go on chatting forever? Looks like it!

[Countmeout]

New thread. Woke (blooming cat) to find it’s nearly full.

I should certainly give it a go @AubrieDog - tension is a weakness of mine, certainly!

Thank you @TheDeepLemonHelper I'll do that after checking out the colours on the Rennie site. I'm eyeing up pecan and asparagus in the Shetland 4 ply at the moment. I fancy knitting some fingerless mitts for dog walking so Shetland would be good.

I have a feeling I've ordered from Wee County Yarns at some point in the past, it seems to ring a bell.

@IlovePond When I don't knit for a while my tension gets horribly tight, but it usually improves once I get going.

Mine’s the opposite @AubrieDog - horribly loose 🙀

On the subject of wool coats. I actually bought this mustard wool coat in January 2023 as it was in the sale and I couldn't resist it, even though I didn't need it.

It's nicely folded under my bed in a really useful box until I decide I need a new wool coat.

This winter I'm wearing a green 80% wool 20% polyester unlined coat I got in their sale a couple of years ago and will carry on with that for now as I prefer to get one wool coat and one more practical padded jacket out each winter, even though I have more stored away.

But I decided to get it out and try it on.
It's 100% organic wool, made by Disana and is also washable and has no horrible polyester lining.

When my DS (now 17 and 20) were toddlers they had similar Disana wool coats and I always wished they'd make an adult version and then suddenly they did. I used to sometimes put those through the wool hand wash cycle on the washing machine and they lasted well.

Just thought I'd share if anyone is interested. And actually I'm really looking forward to the time I'll actually get to wear it at some point in the future.

Just wear it now @Netcam life is to short!

That’s a beautiful looking coat @Netcam, love the colour. I’d never heard of that company so thanks for sharing.

I was contemplating it. The thing is, I only really have space in the hall for 2 and I like one padded type jacket too.

If I do I need to put the Jigsaw one away to store, which means cleaning it somehow as I've been wearing it for almost 2 years.

We had moths once, which were a total nightmare but we eventually got rid of so I absolutely do not store unwashed wool. I also don't like leaving too much wool hanging up anywhere occasionally worn.

I don't really want to dry clean it, I hate the chemicals, but it's dry clean only. I broke my rule of never buying dry ckean only clothes as it only cost £70 and I quite like the style/colour and the fact that it's unlined.

It's also really good to wear in the car when driving to work/meeting friends for coffee etc. So I was considering giving it a hand wash and seeing what happens. My other option was to wear it to it's end and then get out the mustard one.

Or maybe I'll go with the Jigsaw one for one more winter and look forward to the Disana one this time next year.

What I really want is my own coat cupboard downstairs somewhere! I have some vague ideas for this when we redo the kitchen sometime.

Apparently a 20% off code has been sent to a few people (not me!) so worth checking your email!!

I randomly got a 20% off code last year. Watch the dates, mine was only valid for 10 days I think. With that kind of time pressure, it would have to be 80% off for me to have had a chance of using it. I still have the winter scarf on my wishlist ('sorry, page no longer exists') which I looked at longingly for those days!

Of interest though - a sale started immediately after the code expiry date.

Enjoying all the knitting chat 🧶!

Re 20% off code, I received one last year too, no idea why, it seems rather random.
I'm a steady buyer, usually 2 or 3 items a month ranging from socks to a dress.
Sometimes an extra purchase like bedding.

I spent my code on one of the lovely wool/cashmere wraps in olive as it was on my list.

Slow to the conversation but I like Bath and Oxford branches, never had any snooty staff, Marlow is tiny but helpful, not much room for stock though.

My method is that I'm dressed in Toast when I go, which I think helps, especially if I'm extending my layering or looking to add to my colour palette.
My hair is white blonde, and I have a Scandinavian accent, I probably intimidate them with my Viking like, forthright presence ( I was much shyer when I was younger in shops) but possibly because I'm just asking lots of questions and trying tons on, getting them to find other sizes for me 😆

I'm hours away from a shop and simply don't have time for any silliness.

It's a huge investment of my time.
I'm there to spend money and whilst I'm there they work for me 😅

I still think very fondly of various times, but really memorably
Winchester jigsaw 2002
Droopy & Brown 1999
Liberty' 2018
That the stars have aligned
I have had money to spend
A wardrobe required
Shop assistants proactively working for me!
Nothing better than walking out with big bags with string handles.

Thinking back to the triumphant occasions, obviously my life has evolved but I wonder whether the internet has made that kind of shop just more unusual. Have we moved from shop once a season/biannual to I'll pick up a jumper but If I need a dress I can always internet order and endlessly return nearer the date.

That Jigsaw wardrobe was particularly memorable, the colours and materials were perfect at that particular moment in time, the assistant amazing at pulling stuff out. I never go in there now.

I used to love Jigsaw @TosstTastic - sadly most of my clothes from there no longer fit😿

Could I join ?
I'm a recent convert to Toast bought a Selma dress in the January sale and it's the best thing I own .

Following a trip to the York shop where the staff were lovely I've ordered a couple of dresses -Freya the brick red one and a really expensive graphic one cashmere mix which I had tried on and kept thinking about . I should probably have waited for the sale but I'm too impatient .
I was also wondering does anyone have this olive wool mix dress I bought it off Vinted and it's awful and massive but I wonder if it's been mistreated in the wash it's a cotton wool mix and the skirt part is seer suckery , I let the hem down and the bit that had been turned up is much nicer .
Will add a picture .

Hi @triggers34 - I love the Selma and the Freya - Freya’s on my wish list, and I would have bought the Selma but it was too tight across the chest, (and next size up too big everywhere else!)

That dress doesn’t look at its best. Can you return it to the seller?

@IlovePond
Thanks for replying , I had to get an 18 in the Selma !
I cant return , it was ages ago and I thought it was meant to be like that. On closer inspection the white criss cross bits are strands of wool so I think they've shrunk giving it a seer sucker look - oh well it didn't cost too much , I'm going to try and un shrink with conditioner so I can sell otherwise sell with a full explanation really cheap.

Good luck with the de shrinking @triggers34 !

@triggers34 I have that dress, I think. It is a bit hard to tell because the skirt of your looks like something terrible has happened to it. It has shrunk and become very misshapen. It is very big, yes. I sized down a lot for it. I'll add a photo for it as it should be.

Dress photos

@sonjadog thank-you yours looks lovely.
Now I've realised what it's supposed to be like I've removed it from ebay .

Looks like there is yet more new stuff today. Christmassy looking silks and fluffy knits by the looks of it. None of that grabs me, but I do like the look of the herringbone cotton/linen shirt, looks an interesting shape.

I want a fluffy knit for my harlequin slip sale dress. It's giving me farmhouse dinner party energy. I'm hoping for an invite from Lee Miller

Farmhouse dinner party- I love it! I’ve got my eye on the cosmic dot column dress, but it’s hard to imagine what it would like on me..

I really like that dress @OrangeyLemon , but I am all the wrong shape for it.