Found

You recall I started this aran patchwork cardigan some time back but discovered as it progressed that I wouldn't have enough yarn to finish (I know you've seen it before but I'm so pleased with it, its worth a second look). 

I contacted the wool manufacturers, who do sell direct, by email I think 4 times and by phone twice, though was only ever able to leave a message. The only response I got was that they didn't have the batch I used, 504, and that their current stock was batch 71111 or something like that, which told me absolutely nothing.  Anyway the yarn was out of stock and though I kept checking the website it never came back in stock and eventually the website closed for reconstruction, this will be the third week it has been down.  
So frustrating.  However, I tried ebay and lo and behold someone was selling 4 balls, not of my batch number but better than nothing.  I was prepared to buy 4 balls but once the price went beyond the retail price I ducked out.  I was then tempted to sell the balls I hadn't used and forget the whole thing.  Every time I saw the finished back and one sleeve of the cardigan I wondered if I should start pulling it out, order some nice soft cotton and start again.
I did a check on Ravelry and a few people had one ball in their stash but no one was selling.  I was tempted to contact them and beg but fortunately I couple of people had posted where they bought their yarn.  One was a National Trust gift shop in the Lakes, I emailed them over a week ago and am still waiting for a reply.  Confirms my opinion of the National Trust, I cancelled my membership when they started closing the little houses and building vast new visitor centres to sell tat and mass produced food.  
I also saw someone had bought their yarn at Iriss in Penzance, I sent off an email and next morning there was a reply saying yes they had two balls of 504 and if I emailed my phone number they would contact me for my details.  I was on the phone straightaway though I was impressed that they actually offered to call me.  Mr FF was already asking if we should set off to drive the length of the country to collect the yarn, 550 miles each way now that's devotion especially as I hadn't at that stage cleared the drive of several inches of snow

David at Iriss took my details, explaining how he had found just the two balls of 504 in a box but had plenty of more recent batches.   When he told me the price I said I'd pay anything and he laughingly suggested £25 per ball.  I paid £14.23 including delivery for 200 g of pure Yorkshire yarn or realistically a finished cardigan.  Amazing service, restores some of my continually diminishing faith in business, lets face it two out of the three companies I've been in contact with didn't bother to reply.

So I'd better stop knitting the little socks that I've been making with spare yarn and I must finish Amelia's ballet wrap.  Then I shall put my concentrating head on so that I can complete the cardigan because the yarn arrived within two days, apart from a different label, the shops own, it's identical, its just what I wanted.

Happy days thank you Iriss.