Oops

I made a totally unscheduled impulse yarn purchase today! It was completely by accident!

Of course, it was not without rationale. I've been meaning to return my remaining two skeins of Noro Aurora for a while, so, while I was still well within the 6 month exchange period, I decided to exchange them for some US #1 and #2 size needles in preparation for my Koigu fingerless garter mitts.

So far so good.

While there, I noticed some ruffle scarves in various yarns, including a ribbon yarn, and I thought, ooh, maybe they have a pattern I can use with my Noro Gisha. Sure enough they did, and it was free if I bought the yarn.

And if I didn't buy yarn? $5.

Now, I was pretty sure I knew roughly what the pattern was (either you decrease or increase on every stitch), or that I could probably figure something out from free online patterns (starting here for example) but any which way, I really wasn't into the idea of paying $5 for a scarf pattern.

So what choice did I have? I had to buy some yarn! And given that the store was already closed by this point, I had to choose quick.

I did stick with my fast forming new rule though - only buy yarn that I love. I bought two skeins of Virtue by Artful Yarns - color 5 (fortitude) and color 6 (temperance). It was 100% cashmere - thus the price. It's expensive! It's also gorgeous. Online store purchases don't do it justice.

Part of what sold me on this yarn though was the coordinating Sublime Kid Mohair in colors pistachio 22 and venetian green 27 (which is really more blue than green). I probably should have waited to get Rowan Kidsilk Haze that everyone raves about, but then, it wouldn't have been a total impulse buy and what fun would that have been?!

Anyway, I'm thinking baby hat (cashmere) and booties (mohair) or I could knit the cashmere with a strand of mohair. Or, well, how about a cute little "Elefante"? (Pdf version (here).)

I also bought some US #13 circular needles for the Gisha. I'm still not sure if I'm going to knit a ruffle scarf or not. I may have to play around with a swatch of a ruffle section to see how it works with this yarn or decide to do something more like this.

With this growing collection of absolutely gorgeous yarn that I am in love with, I think I am going to have to invest in some glass jars so the yarn can be on display before it is knit. It's hard to find jars I consider big enough though. I'm thinking candy-at-Dean-and-Deluca big but I may just be imagining things in my memory. The best I can find so far are from Bodum.

There are tons of other patterns I've been eyeing, with a bit more of a view to spring and summer knitting than I was looking at previously. Here are some of the online ones:

Apricot Jacket from Rebecca 27. Actually, I just looked at Rebecca for the first time today in the store (the latest issue) and I am sure this is a magazine I will buying some day.

Oh yeah, I fell totally in love with this hat - with such an adorable little kid wearing it, who wouldn't? It's also shown in progress here. I love this yarn. It's by Rainbow Wools. Raindrops is the lighter weight, and Popcorn is a little heavier. I mean, isn't that to die for? I have already e-mailed Marianne and she is going to order some more in for me. That was actually when I first got the idea of a ruffle scarf in this wool for my teenage niece.

What else? Oh yes, look at this skirt. I want one. Imagine when I found out it was from Interweave Knits Spring 07 because I looked through that magazine and thought I didn't see anything I liked. Sure enough, the version in the magazine doesn't look nearly as good! I think lengthening the stockinette portion was a good move. I want to knit a skirt! (Yes, I ended up buying the magazine after that. I also like the Clementine Shawlette a lot, and want to try the entrelac tuturial as well.)

Speaking of shawls, Cozy over at Knitty looks lovely. Also, at Knitty, Trellis (a baby cardigan).

There's a Moebius scarf pattern, some cute mittens (I know, not very spring like).

Finally, with my recent Blue Sky Alpacas love, there are tons of great patterns there, particularly the Felted Clutch, Crochet Scarf (not that I crochet... yet), Pleated Skirt (oooh, cute!) and Rectangle Shawl (I guess I really want to knit a shawl!) and, as recently mentioned (and knit) on Stash & Burn, the Cropped Cardigan. I think I'll be knitting a cardigan for myself soon, ready for summer air conditioning at the office.

Comments

[Deb]

I'll be watching closely to see what you do with the Gisha!!!!!-Your KTE pal