Saturday 10th December saw the first P/hop Yarn Swap take place at The Yarn Cake in Glasgow. This was organised in response to a highly successful visit by Clare and the P/hop stall to the Glasgow School of Yarn back in October.

Knitters were invited through Ravelry to find items from their stash that they would be willing to donate to the Yarn Swap and they certainly dug deep. Amongst the stuff up for grabs was some Madelinetosh, Fyberspates, Lorna’s Laces and some fabled Wollmeise.

There was much debate to be had on the Yarn Cake Raverly forum as to how this should be shared equitably. On the night itself the tables on the petite tables at The Yarn Cake were groaning with yarn, roving and some fantastic books. The crowd were largely well behaved though the odd fibre fight did break out. (see below)

The atmosphere in the shop on a frosty winter’s night was helped along by mulled wine and festive nibbles and the scores of punters who showed up gave very generously so that the total raised was an amazing £481.20.

Special mention should go to those who travelled some distance to be there from all over Scotland and to the lovely husband who came prepared with instructions from his sick wife to bag some undyed laceweight. Watch this space for next year.

Harry Potter and the Sleeping Commuter

P/hop swapping is frenzied in the p/hop world at the moment, turning the forum in ravelry into a veritable market place. Except with less tat. As I wander past the various stands and stalls, I see Thimblina p/hopping some cobweb yarn from the back of a white van.  Our very own Lou is browsing over at Yellowpurplezebra’s stall as they work out what size needles she might need for her first project. In another corner, Natalie is doing a line in antique patterns, announcing her wares through the brisk winter’s morning like Delboy himself.

Other swappers are busy all over the place and the atmosphere is great, the sun is shining.

But what’s this?? Hilltopkatie is offering a Harry Potter DVD?? Is this to do with knitting? Is it Harry Potter and the Needles of Newport? No, it is not. As news spreads through the market, a hush falls… “That’s nothing to do with knitting” is heard murmured from place to place……     A tumbleweed blows through the scene………

Then, and at the same time, the traders and customers come to a communal realisation. P/hop isn’t about knitting! It is because of, and thanks to knitters, but really it’s about compassion and sharing and recycling and supporting a great cause!

People turn again to Hilltopkatie with smiles in their eyes. Villain to visionary in 8.3 seconds… Not bad.

So, you can p/hop swap anything. And it will all benefit MSF. I wonder what time the market closes….

By msf-pete. Photo by gunnisal, courtesy of Flickr.