From the day I joined Ravelry, I have been addicted to it. So much so that whenever I sit at the computer the kids ask me if l was checking out ravelry. Ravelry can also be blamed for my not updating my blogs as regularly as I used to. 
This post is long overdue and now that I have returned after our revelry in Bangalore, I thought I would share our shopping experience with fellow ravelers who didn’t join us when we went silk yarn shopping.
The day after I reached Bangalore I accompanied my sister-in-law to Raja Market where Sanhita had taken me earlier to shop. We found the shop quite easily and quickly filled bags with the “yummy” acrylic which was stacked in myriad colors.
Then since I wanted Laura cotton, I took directions from Sanhita for Bharat Fancy store and just when I was about to give up the search spotted it. So I got us some Laura cotton and was about to leave when we got caught in a torrential downpour. We were stranded for close to 45 minutes and we literally waded our way out from the market.
I got
Since this is going to be a picture heavy post, I am not posting rest of the bounty.
The day dawned bright and sunny on the day we ravelers met, but somehow the weatherman knew I was going to go yarn shopping again. After we got in the car and reached Silkindian a downpour began and we all rushed inside the shop just short of getting drenched.
We went berserk unable to choose from the lot and had fun discussing what to make with the different weights of yarn. Finally I picked up Leann’s yarn 
and Shilpa’s 15/3 spun silk
Last but not the least I picked up sari silk yarn to make a purse more out of curiosity. 
It has transformed into a purse and would be another blog post soon.
We left Silkindian with lighter purses and heavier bags. The rain let up just to let us have our show and tell at CCD, where we literally lost track of time chatting about everything under the sun. Suma and me got dropped off at a point and struggled to find an auto. Just as we found one and took off the rain took off too and we were stranded again for an hour in the downpour in heavy traffic (wonder which was heavier!)
However, it was so much fun meeting all like minded crafters and it sure was revelry all the way.:)
R(a)evelry
A bountiful month
Complaints aside about the Chennai summer, the month of May has been cool. Why wouldn’t it be? After a vacation to the hills when half the family fell sick and recovered, I returned to the oven called Chennai to find a package from Nupur, a fellow raveler who had sent some yummy Malabrigo (merino yarn) along with several skeins of cotton yarn.
Morning surf scarf
In a couple of days we drove to Bangalore which was literally cool in May after rains. I quickly knit up the Malabrigo into a scarf to show off to fellow ravelers in Bangalore. I could meet only one, who was actually behind me to knit that particular pattern. When we met, Sanhita showed me the yarn she had bought for me from Delhi which I had asked for earlier and we went shopping for more.
Though I have been in Bangalore for the past five years I have never ventured out to Raja Market. Most of my yarn hunting was confined to the side lanes of Commercial street. Raja Market is tucked away in the midst of a maze of interconnecting winding roads, in the heart of S.P.Road, which is actually an area where computer related stuff is sold. I don’t know if I can ever go to Raja Market all on my own, because I would definitely get lost.
We drooled over the acrylic fare and picked up a few skeins for ourselves and yarn crazy buddies who had given their preferences earlier. From Raja Market, we again weaved our way amidst the maze of winding roads to a godown (what all we do for a skein of yarn! in this case it was cotton yarn!) I just stared at the decrepit building in front of me where several packages and debris of packing material were strewn about. Sanhita coolly moved about like a pro asking me to follow her, which I did, though I have to admit I did look around wondering if some baddy like in the movies would spring up and show his ugly pearlies. Thankfully no one did. We walked to the end of the building where there was a dirty staircase on which Sanhita began to ascend.
“Are you sure this is the place I asked?”
“Come on up. It is the last shop in this floor,” she answered without batting an eyelid.
As the guy in the shop unpacked the cotton yarn which we ravelers recently came to know of, fears of baddies in the nooks and allies vanished and we dived into the boxes as if there was no tomorrow. As the garbage bags were full and our purses were nearly empty, the shop guy said “we have a godown next door, you can check that out.”
And check it out we did! The room was filled to the ceiling with several colors of thread and yarn and other knick knacks. We were literally behaving like kids in a candy store asking for this thread and that and the shop guy obliged. He wouldn’t have seen such avid shoppers for thread…that he even asked us “What will you do with this?” And we patiently explained.
He gave us a teeny discount. After promising to return for more, the yarn addicts left the scene. We had nice cold coffee with ice cream along with muffin and samosas and discussed yarn, ravelry, cabbages and kings. We could have been there all day but Sanhita had to report for work and we reluctantly bade goodbye.
The other projects which saw the light of day this month is the Woodland Shawl by Kathy Merrick. My willing models are out of town so I took their doll (Loku) as the model. Here is she is
Woodland Shawl
I made a top for Shivani.
Lucy Locket
I also made the Starburst hotpad which was in queue for a long time.
Startburst
