Tag: yarn

Flashing the Stash

My friend Knittymuggins and I are working on a trade.  We’re each clearing out a little of our stash and possibly trading with each other for some new yarn.  I took some pictures this morning of the skeins I am clearing out.  If Knittymuggins doesn’t want them, then this yarn is going to be quickly made into socks… or maybe used as prizes in our Finish-a-Long.  It’s all really good yarn, I just don’t love it as much as I used to. 

Speaking of the Finish-a-Long, we are just a week away from the finish date.  I know a lot of you are doing better than I am.  I’ve heard of people finishing projects that have been sitting since the 1980’s.  One person has finished 10 items so far!  That’s amazing!  I’m still working on my socks and mittens.  Although I don’t think I’ll have time to finish the wrap I started 3 years ago, I do want to still get it done before Stitches. 

Now, a little flash of my stash…

Hazel Knits, Artisan Sock in It’s a Wrap.  This is an exclusive sock club colorway. 

Lorna’s Laces Shepard Sock in Rainbow. I bought this forever ago, probably right after I knit my first pair of socks. I always thought this would make great socks for the kids.  Or fun legwarmers.

ON Line Supersocke 100.  I think this came from a swap package.  I’ve never really known what to do with it as I never really dug the colors all that much.  Which is a bit strange since I love pink and green together.  I think I just have trouble knitting with something that is multicolored.  I tend towards the tonal colorways. 

Hello Yarn sock yarn in Fruit Bowl.  I’ve always wanted some Hello Yarn sock yarn but never seem to be online when she has inventory available.  This was the only skein left in her inventory and although it’s not really my style, I snatched it up.  Now I don’t know what to do with it. 

Shhh… Don’t Tell Anyone

I have a secret….

Please make sure you are not sharing this with anyone else.

Really, it’s a yarn secret and you really do not want to read further. 

It has to do with a really good price on really good yarn. 

Lots of yarn. 

And I want to keep it all to myself. 

 

Fabric Works in Superior has 1500 yds of natural, undyed white, 100% merino Aran weight yarn for $55. 

 

I’ll let you think about that for a minute because I think it’s pretty darn unbelieveable.  If it were broken up into 200 yd hanks it would be $7.33 per hank.  That’s a sweater’s worth of yarn for $55. 

Have I mentioned I want it all for myself? 

I bet the owner would ship where ever you would need it shipped to.  (if you asked real nice and paid for shipping, she’s nice that way)

I really wish I hadn’t blown my yarn budget for the month.  I’d better call her right now and ask her to set aside some.  Hopefully I can make enough on my crazy garage sale this weekend to pay for it. 

A Yarn Bender

I went on a yarn bender.  I don’t really have a reason and I certainly don’t have a defense.  I did however, find a really neat little yarn store in Stillwater, MN.  It’s called

Darn.Knit {Anyway}

and it’s wonderful.  They have spinning fiber, crafty items being sold on consignment and lots of yarn.  Yarn that I’ve only ever coveted online.  I love being able to see the yarn and touch the yarn in person that I’ve heard other people raving about.  I’m not sure that I can describe the vibe that Darn. Knit. {Anyway} has.  It’s part funky cool big city yarn store and part something else.  There’s a large room off to one side with a long table and chairs, obviously the classroom portion of the store.  I’d say on first glance it’s not really one of those stores that I would go into just to hang out and knit, except there is a perfect little nook upstairs near the books and notions that has a couch and a couple of chairs.  A window overlooks the St. Croix River and the paddleboat docked nearby.  It’s pretty cool. 

Malabrigo Sock Yarn in Caribeno.  I heart all things Malabrigo and I’ve wanted their sock yarn for as long as it’s been out.  Which admittedly, is only about a year.  It’s 440 yds of lovely soft socky goodness. 

Madelinetosh Tosh Sock in Olivia.  This tonal green yarn is exactly my husband’s colors.  All 396 yds might just make him a fine pair of socks. 

More Madelinetosh.  This time it’s Tosh Worsted in Citrus and Fjord.  I bought these with the intention of making little sleeveless tops for my daughters.   I happen to know a certain 4 year old who loves orange.  Now that I’ve seen Madelinetosh in person, I understand why people like it so much.  It’s a superwash merino in gorgeous vibrant colors.  It strikes me as a workhorse yarn that’s lovely to work with.  I’ll let you know for sure what I think when I’m ready to work with it.  Right now I’m still debating patterns. 

Hold Onto Your Handknit Socks!

Malabrigo Lace that has absolutely nothing to do with this post.  It’s pretty though. 

Hold on a second because I am going to get all fangirl and start screaming…. THREE IRISH GIRLS IS MOVING TO DULUTH!  That’s right, the amazing dyer is moving back to Duluth.  Not only is she moving to Duluth, but she’s opening a Dye Studio in Downtown.  I am so excited I can barely stop myself from jumping up and down and yelling hooray! 

Why should I be so excited?  Well, she has amazing color combinations.  Just follow the link above and see Cranberry Cocktail or Crazy Quilt.  It’s puuurty.  I stopped at her booth at Sock Summit and was completely overwhelmed by the sheer amount of beautiful yarns she had brought.  The wool fumes overtook me at that point and I knew I had to get out of the booth or explain to my husband why I spent our mortgage for the month on yarn.  I don’t think I was even able to put a coherent sentance together in the booth!  She’s got a ton of really nice bases and will even dye your yarn with her colorways.  Which I’m going to give some serious thought to.  I’ve got some Misti Alpaca that I’m just not digging the colorway for an adult sweater. 

The other reason I’m so excited is that I love that new business (especially a fiber business) is moving to Duluth.  I think it speaks very highly of our community that we can support 4 yarn stores within a 25 minute drive of the Duluth-Superior area.  We may be mostly highly sensible Scandinavians, but we’ve also got an artistic streak in us.  (Although I maintain that knitting with wool in Northern Minnesota IS highly sensible). 

So here’s what I’m thinking… I’m going to stand outside her studio with a sign that says,

"Will work for yarn."  (nights and weekends are all yours)
or

"Please, Can I Be Your Sample Knitter?"  (I can’t help it, I’m a polite person at heart). 

or

"My young children want to be friends with your young children." 

As my friend Michelle would say, "this woman doesn’t know it yet, but she’s my new best friend."  And I mean that in the nicest, least creepy stalker type of way possible.  Especially since her Mom has been known to read my blog.  🙂 

Ohhh Shiny!

Hello Shiny Red Yarn!  I’m a bit of a sucker for anything pretty and shiny, so when I walked into a dimly lit yarn shop (normally the kiss of death for a yarn shop, but when you wander into a store in the middle of nowhere that used to be someone’s garage, beggars can’t be choosers) I saw this yarn right away.  This yarn shop/craft store/framing gallery happens to be located in Ridgeland, WI, directly in the middle of nowhere.  As I was driving home from my parents house this weekend, one child asleep in the backseat, I saw an Open sign along with a YARN sign.  Yep, they can stop a sucker shopper in her tracks.  The yarn is Berroco Lustra and is a blend of merino (super soft wool) and tencel (makes it shiny).  It’s soft, shiny and the perfect worsted weight yarn for my February Lady Sweater.  The price was absolutely right – for $36 I got enough yarn for the size small sweater. 

Because I just couldn’t resist the shine and the eyepopping blue, I got this colorway as well.  The owner only had 2 skeins, not enough for a sweater, but enough for a nice hat and scarf – or mittens and hat. 

-Update on the Flower Girl Shrugs-

I’m still plugging away on the Flower Girl Shrugs.  I am halfway down the second arm of the second sweater.  I talked it out with some girlfriends last night (non-knitters) and I think I can get them both done.  If I finish the arm today, and finish the ribbing around the body by the end of the week, then I can have 2 weeks to rip out and re-knit the first sweater.  I’ll have 8 hours in the car on the way to Chicago if I’m really desperate.  If time gets that tight, I may have to spray block the sweaters… We’ll have to see I guess.  If it looks like I can’t make the deadline, I may just rip out the sleeves of the first sweater and re-knit them from the top down so they fit better.  But that’s worst case senario.