Remember how on Monday I said that it had been a good weekend? One of the things that happened was that we came into a small and unexpected - but very welcome windfall. So I indulged in something I’ve been putting off for months - I placed an order with KnitPicks. I know, I know, it really isn’t that big a deal but I’m so often scrounging in bargain bins that this feels like an incredible luxury :)
It was sent Monday (according to the e-mail I got from customer service) and it arrived yesterday! That’s pretty darn good :) Have a look:
Wool of the Andes, worsted weight in Cherry Blossom
I’ve been drooling over this color ever since I got the first catalogue that offered it. It’s a bright, cool, clear red = absolutely gorgeous and about the most cheerful color I can imagine. The wool itself feels nice and I don’t think it would be a problem next to the skin. And, for what it’s worth, the color in the catalogue is spot on. I’ve got 4 ball of this. I had no prior plans for it but I noticed last night that it should be enough to do Annie Modesitt’s “Backyard Leaves” scarf from Scarf Style (a very fun book). Of course in that color, they’d have to be autumn leaves :)
Then there was this:
Merino Style, DK weight in Fog, Cornflower and Iris
This came in two different style skeins - just a curiosity :) I’ve been thinking a lot about trying to expand my color range a bit. I don’t care for neutrals and my taste lies almost entirely in the “blue” range of the spectrum. That is, I like cool colors rather than warm ones with a serious preferences for purples, violets and lavenders. Lately I’ve begun to wonder if I shouldn’t at least try something different. Now, looking at the above pictures, I’m sure the astute among you are scratching your heads and saying to yourselves What is she talking about? Those colors are nothing if not cool and purplish! Well, that’s true - but see that gray? That neutral gray? I grant you it will probably be used in combination with the other two colors (heaven knows for what!) but it is gray. A baby step, to be sure, but a step none the less :)
And finally, the heart-stopping piece-de-resistance:
Left: Shadow, Merino lace weight in Campfire
Right: Alpaca Cloud, Baby alpaca lace weight in Sunlight
What - heart not stopped? Oh well, I guess that’s probably a good thing after all :)
This is kind of a double whammy. Please notice that these are warm colors? I picked them specifically to be so and I must say they are pretty nice :) The campfire has a nice glow to it and the yarn has a lovely feel. But the baby alpaca - my god! I’ve never felt anything like this in my life! People are paying god-knows-what for cashmere when they could get this for $3.99 a hank! This is the softest yarn I have ever touched.
Ever.
When I took it out of the bag, I was so astonished that all I could do for a minute was sit and make appreciative, inarticulate noises. I was so obviously overwhelmed that Myria offered to leave the room for a few minutes so the yarn and I could be alone:) Seriously, this stuff is incredible!
The other part of the double whammy? It’s not just that I picked these in warm colors, but they’re lace weight. What the hell am I going to do with lace weight? I’ve never, ever used yarn this fine before and while I have a growing interest in lace, I can’t imagine myself working with something the diameter of a gnat’s eyelash! Well, I can actually - just not quite yet. If any of you know of any good lace resources, I’d be grateful for a boot in the right direction :)
I have been a grown-up (sob!) and put it all away until I finish the projects I’m currently working on. Those projects do seem a bit dimmer and duller now, but that will pass and in the mean time when I’m not actually knitting (you don’t think I knit last night, do you? Nothing doing! I fondled my yarn and looked at patterns all evening) I’ll be thinking about what to do with my new treasure trove - beside roll in it, that is :)
Have a great weekend, everyone!
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I got a bit o’ this and a bit o’ that from KnitPicks awhile back. One of the bits was some laceweight….I love it. Haven’t done anything with it….but I love it. I also found the service to be very, very fast and overall I am extremely pleased with the yarn, especially when you look at the cost! Wow!
Good for you for branching out in your color spectrum…It’s not that easy sometimes.
Thank you as well for being an excellent role model to middle-aged knitters who are trying to be more grown up. :)
ahh, knitpicks’ colors are just delightful aren’t they- *and* speaking as someone who has made ‘neutral’ (bland, maybe?) almost an obsession, they do wonderful neutrals too-
i do love that ‘campfire’ and ‘sunlight’ though-
take a look at
http://www.spindyeknit.com/
for a pretty shawl and a scarf the might give you ideas for your laceweight yarns-
stay happy-
Lisa - Yeah, I knew from the catalog that their prices were unbeatable and now I know their yarn is of good quality. I had ordered from them once in the “old days” when they carries everyone else’s yarn and it took a lot longer than 4 days to get here. I’m very happy :)
And (furiously blushing) thanks - I don’t see myself as a role model for anything. If I’ve helped, I’m very glad :)
Barb - You’re right. Alison is the one to go see about lace :) I’ll hop over there a bit later.
This experience has been so nice that I wrote KP customer service yesterday just to tell them how pleased I was. Not that it means anything, but when I’m unhappy I complain so when I’m <i>happy</i….
Starting to read your post I was going to suggest you try orange as a change from purple but you already have. Love Campfire! Check out Fiddlesticks.com or just look in a book of eyelet/lace patterns and make some swatches.
Toni - Well, it couldn’t be a halloween/pumpkin type orange, but the slightly burnt look of the campfire and its mellow heatheriness seemed really pretty.
I look at Fiddlesticks on a regular basis - just to drool :)
Eyelets - right! That’s what lace is, isn’t it? Eyelets - big ones, small ones, stacked or staggered or going around in circles. That helps put it in perspective :)
Gorgeous yarn, all of it! I love KnitPicks. Now to try that lovely alpaca….do I have to think of a project first, or should I just get some to cuddle?
Kathy - Definitely go for it - even if you can’t think of anything to do with it right this moment. After you’ve fondled it a while, you’ll be wanting to do a million things with it. Of course you could keep a hank in your work bag just to play with too. No one need know and I won’t tell :)
Why don’t you join us at summer of lace at yahoo groups? You’ll find lots of FO’s and lots of suggestions and help if you need it.
BJ
Thank you BJ, that may be just what I need. I’ll check that right out!
Gorgeous yarn! Good for you, branching out with your colors. I’m trying to do the same thing & it’s so darn hard! Who would’ve thought?
I want to order from KnitPicks but heck, you know the state of my stash. I need to knit it down a little before I justify another splurge. ::grin::
By the way - I’ve heard the Crochet Pattern a Day calendar is out. Gotta got search my B&N today. Heck, I just might know someone with a pattern in there! ;)
Bron - It’s really hard, trying to include colors you don’t ordinarily give house-room to. For some reason my brain equates this with trying to learn to write with your non-dominant hand. Still, I think there are advantages to doing so. And I did like these colors anyway :)
Well, when you get to where you’re ready for another spree, I really recommend KnitPicks. Their yarn is just lovely and their service rocks!
About the calendar - really? I didn’t think it was supposed to be out until October? Hmmmm… I’m supposed to get sent one - my “payment” Heheh…
That’s a WONDERFUL haul of yarn! I think the skinny skeins are from their earlier runs and the fatter ones are the most recent runs. I have some of both.
I’ve been trying to NOT just buy yarn “because”. Buying it with a purpose. But I have 3 skeins of Bearfoot that have no purpose, other than my being able to take it out, fondle it and then put it away.
One of the pleasures of life! LIVE ON!!!
Laurie - You’ve got that right - one of the major pleasures of life - just because!
I placed a KnitPicks order for the Alpaca laceweight (Iris), too - now you have me jumping up and down in anticipation!!! I’m going to make a giant and simple shawl from it, I think, after your description of it. Have a GOOD week! Congrats on the windfall - you deserve it. Enjoy your new yummies!
Stasia - You have a lot more experience with a lot nicer yarns than I do so I’ll be very interested in your take on the baby alpaca. To my hands, it’s just amazing. And, I brought it to my father - who was a textile designer until the mills all died - whose fingers are very talented when it comes to wool quality, etc. I wish you could have seen his face when he picked up that hank - he was very impressed. FWIW, he also thought the merino lace weight was nice quality wool as well :)
