Yarn Porn

Sorry about the title but -- um, well, I wanted to warn those of you only interested in quilting content what you were going to get here. This post is all about another form of insanity I indulged in over the holidays, yarn. Or, more specifically, a really great yarn sale.


In my post-Christmas relaxation mode I haven't been doing much sewing. I did get my mil's apron done for her Christmas present (and silly me, didn't get a photo of it. Drat! It turned out well too -- I used some of the Moda Roman Holiday fabrics for it and used prairie points instead of ric rac for trim. I'll see if I can get my mil to take a photo for me) but that's about it. Otherwise it's been all knitting, all the time. I'm just about done with my chevron scarf and just need to decide if I want to buy two more skeins of the yarn to make it longer or if I'd rather just make another one :0). I'm leaning towards making a second one in an even wilder color combination.


With all the time spent with a pair of knitting needles in my hands, when I got the email from my favorite yarn shop that they were having their annual sale I jumped all over it. I mean, 40% of most yarns in the store? And 20% off of almost everything else? Wooo Hooo. The catch? (oh, come on -- there is always a catch!) It was a limited time sale. One day only and the largest discounts only for those who were at the store between 7 and 9 am. For each two hour period afterwards the discounts were lower.


Ok, I can do this right? Only -- um, the shop is at least 45 minutes, if not an hour, away from my home. For those of you who are doing the math -- that means being up, and out of the house by 6 am. Earlier really since there were disturbing mentions in the email about only allowing enough people who could safely fit in the store in at one time and lines. (silly me wondering how many other folks would be up at that hour for a great yarn sale -- come on. Dedicated knitters are at least as passionate about yarn as dedicated quilters. When I finally got out of my car and stood in line the line was all the way down the block and beginning to wrap around the building). Um, did I mention the projected snow storm for that day as well? Yeah.


Well -- yep, I decided to jump in to the insanity and just do it. Why not right? And I will even say that at those prices, I could indulge in a bit of yarn love that otherwise I wouldn't be able to. So, thinking that it might (given the email warnings) be a bit busy I did make a list of things to look for and projects I wanted to do this year. This was a good thing -- because there were some dedicated knitters there who were walking out with bags full of beautiful yarns that made my own little pile look pitiful (knitters and quilters have a lot in common when it comes to the raw materials of the trade).


My first score was this yummy yarn. I found a pattern for a lovely little wrap sweater for Miss Tinkerbell in the holiday 2007 issue of Interweave Knits (the pattern is called Dragon Skin Wrap). It's Jaeger Baby Merino and the colors are just so soft. It will be perfect with the scallop/shell pattern in the sweater. This one I really can't wait to get to -- though, I should probably finish a few other things first (I'm just so bad at delayed gratification though).



That was really all I went into the store for. The yarn for one little sweater -- but, well, come on. You've read what happens when I go into a fabric store right? Unhun. Soooo...I may have come home with a skein of this just for fun.


And -- because what do you do while waiting in the car (and delaying going to stand in line 'cause it's COLD outside baby) at 6 something in the morning but call your early bird fellow knitter mother (who also happens to be in a time zone an hour ahead of you) who is visiting her sister who also knits to tell them about the sale? (ok, so maybe this is just me) And when they find out about it -- um, they may ask you to pick up some things for them.

For my aunt, a lovely skein of the cashmere and silk blend Noro I got from Mom as a Christmas present. Only, hers is in a lovely turquoise color. I'm supposed to just send this to her along with the pattern information for a pair of wrist warmers/mitts. I think I may surprise her though and just make up the mitts and send them to her. (what? I'm being nice, really. I'm not depriving her of the chance to work with this yummy yarn -- I'm being a thoughtful niece who appreciates all the things her aunt does for her. Really.)


For my Mom -- a fun and funky skein of Lorna's Laces sock yarn for a scarf she is making. I have no idea of the pattern that is going to be used for this one, but she said it was for a scarf for me. Cool -- I get to pick my own colors. Hehehehe.


Oh, and I may have picked up another pair of addi turbos for myself. I'm realizing as I get back into knitting that all of my needles moved close to 1500 miles away from me several years ago. (hi Mom!)


Fun stuff and I'm looking forward to playing with it! I do need to get back to my sewing machine though. I have a mini/doll quilt swap I need to finish and another swap quilt I need to get cooking on. And another one waiting in the wings (but I do need to order something for it). Oh well, there will be time for both passions!