Out and about

Partner and I have been hanging out in Islington because we do not think we are sufficiently parodies of ourselves already.

Give me some coffee and I'm happy

We went to Ray Stitch on Essex Road, and I thought it was lovely. They do buns and coffees and all sorts of fabric (mostly of the quilting cotton kind but other sorts as well), also patterns and embroidery bits and the odd ball of wool. I am happy anywhere that sells me coffee and sublime stitching embroidery transfers simultaneously (I got the ones with the skulls on).

Lots of patterns. You'll never get it back in the sleeve once you've unfolded it, you know

Ribbon and fat quarters

Partner's verdict was that he liked Ray Stitch, but was not sure about the area.

This can't be a taxidermy shop, we thought. Wait...

I think it was the taxidermy shop that threw him a bit because I thought the area was great (Loop is just around the corner, so it's worth a visit. All the Wollmeise you can afford). There was a big notice in the taxidermy shop telling you that all the animals had died of natural causes and had been supplied by animal rescue organisations. I confess to finding the whole thing a bit bizarre. There was a stuffed swan. I mean, what kind of market is there for a stuffed swan? Where would I put it? In the hallway? Mind you, the taxidermy shop people might walk past Loop on their lunch break and go, God, look at all that wool. What kind of a market is there for that?

Don't go taking pictures of me. Throw my ball

This poodle was very, very bored. I thought, look, my woolly brown friend, you might be bored, but at least you're not stuffed. It could be worse.