Another Sunday is upon us, and that means a fiber update from me.
First, let's get the basic housekeeping out of they way before I show you pictures of stuff I am really, really excited about. I am still working on that baby blanket for charity--I just don't have a lot of motivation to work on it for any length of time. I am thinking I have knitting ADHD. ;) I also spent some of yesterday, while on a ferry ride knitting a bit on a dishcloth, but after about 10 rows in, I decided I did not like the pattern and frogged it back to nothingness. So, this week's goals? Finish the %^#*@ blanket and at least get another dishcloth started!
Now here is the fun stuff--my show and tell!
Yesterday was our South Sound Yarn Crawl, and that meant a road trip with 2 of my yarn buddies, where we visited 9 yarn stores in 10.5 hours! Oh my!------ (continue reading to see each yarn close-up).....
Oh how I needed a day like that...and I must say I have never bought so much yarn in one day, ever!
Each store had drawings to enter, special stitch markers to purchase, and a free pattern. Of course, a couple of times I needed to purchase the yarns to go with the free pattern being offered--especially since they were usually on sale for the day.
Our first stop was Yellow House Yarns in Puyallup Washington. This is the store closest to my home, but even then, it is about 1/2 hour away, freeway driving. I wish it was closer as I love it and the ladies who run it! I have been wanting to make myself a big shawl, versus the little shawlettes I made last fall. I had picked out a milk run shawl but saw this beautiful Ashby Shawl hanging on their wall and promptly fell in love. So I purchased this gorgeous Shepherd's Wool. Imagine my horror when I got home to really look at the pattern to find out that the pretty part is charted only! I have never done chart knitting before and frankly it scares me a little. Okay. It scares me a lot!
Our Second stop was Fibers Ect. in Tacoma--(no website) We received a lovely little pattern for a simple little tapered scarf, (no photo), and of course I felt the need to purchase this yarn too! It is a lovely, 100% silk yarn, brand Shibui/Heichi . This store carries shelves and shelves of beautiful specialty, "artsy" yarns. I don't even know what I would knit with much of it, but it sure was fun oohing and ahhing over it.
Our third stop was Yorkshire Yarns in Lakewood. This store just moved and has a lovely new location with lots of space. The free pattern there was for a pare of magic loop socks, and if you know me at all, you know that I have yet to successfully knit a pair of socks. But you never know, year 2 of Year of Projects might actually witness that event. The yarn I bought here is this, a novelty yarn we have been hearing about but not actually seen for sale. Rozetti Marina Mult-- These pretty scarfs are becoming quite popular around my neck of the woods. I hope they aren't too complicated. :)
Our fourth stop was Fancy Image Yarn, owned by Myra. She is just delightful and most of the yarn in her store is hand dyed by her. Her dk merino is my go to yarn, especially when knitting for my Grandy's. The items I have knit them with her yarn have held up the best. And you can't beat $16.95 for 250 yards of high quality yarn. I am planning on knitting my girlies each a Jane sweater, designed by Georgie Hallam. She is my go to designer and I totally trust her patterns. These sweaters will be the first things I have knit with longish sleeves. The darker blue is for Adelaide and the lighter yarn is for Amelia.
I did not buy anything at our fifth, sixth, seventh or eighth stops. But that does not mean I wasn't sorely tempted! Our last stop was Churchmouse Yarns--an absolutely delightful yarn and tea shop. There is a shop pattern of their's on Ravelry, called Turkish Bed Slippers and I have always been enchanted by them--kind of a sock, kind of a slipper. I made my last purchase of the day--the pattern and the yarn for a pair. Just one little skein of this yarn makes a pair--it is a beautiful Koigu Fingering. Once again, got home, really looked at the pattern and promptly thought, what the heck was thinking??? Glad to see there is lots of help on Rav for this one.
It was such a wonderful day--hanging with my yarn buddies, shopping, driving and being silly, stopping for Starbucks, talking about knitting and ending the day with a fresh fish & chips dinner, on a heated outdoor patio, watching the boats sail past!
Until next time...
*smiles*
WOW...what a day and collection of yarn you got. I don't think we have anything like that around here, that many places to visit, and they've never coordinated anything like a yarn crawl, sounds like fun. I read up on how to do the line break stuff too, choice one template in fact for one of my blogs that did it automatically. Then decided against it, it always annoys me to not be able to see or read everything right there; so glad to see you didn't do it. Though, somewhere I read where it's suppose to be a good thing to do if you want people to spend longer on your blog which is suppose to help your blog placement in SEO's, so I might revisit the idea at some point.
ReplyDeleteSounds like a really fun yarn crawl, and what great yarn you got! Don't be too scared of charted knitting patterns, they aren't as scary as you think and you can always write them out in words if it is easier for you!
ReplyDeleteSounds like an awesome day, although too much fiber-y temptation for me and my yarn diet. Some lovely stuff you've got; I'm especially ogling that gorgeous cake of MadTosh!
ReplyDeleteGorgeous yarn, and it looks like an amazing shopping trip!
ReplyDeleteYarn crawl.....now that sounds a-maz-ing! 9 shops and so much lovely yarn to look at. I love those blues and the colours in that last one for the slippers....how very exciting! You finished off perfectly with fish and chips too...what could be better!
ReplyDeleteHave a lovely week!
That's the best day a knitter could have, yeah?! Yippee!
ReplyDeleteSuch awesome yarns/delicious buys.
You can do it for the lace chart. Bust out the long, Post-Its and print out a copy of the lace symbols if a key isn't included in the pattern. Row by row, slow and carefully.
On your next yarn crawl you should check out my favorite shop. Canvase Works in Olympia. I love going there but then I make a day of it. Lunch out coffee out and yarn.
ReplyDeleteSounds like you had a fantastic day! The yarn is gorgeous. I'm sure you'll have no problem with the lace chart. Just keep the key to the symbols handy and take it slow. I usually use markers to show each repeat in my knitting too, so it's easy to keep my place.
ReplyDeleteI need to do a yarn crawl ... soon! Thanks for sharing all your yummy goodness.
ReplyDeleteSo much yarn godness! LOve the last skein and I'm sure it will be a beautiful pair of Turkish Bed Slippers :)
ReplyDeleteHAve a great weekend!