Jun 4, 2012

Part III: Yarn

On this very rainy, gray day in NY, I thought I'd share some pretty photos of the gorgeous yarn I bought at the Massachusetts Sheep & Wool Fair over Memorial Day weekend.

Glissade

My stash does not need any enhancement and, in fact, it would probably take me years to completely knit down my stash but one can't go to a Sheep & Wool Fair and walk away without one or two (okay, three) skeins of yumminess, right?

Sophia

I purposely brought cash with me and vowed to only spend what was in my pocket.  I went through the three vendor barns three times each so to make sure I looked at every indie dyer/spinner carefully.  There were many, many temptations from lofty angora to springy merino and, at first, my plan was to spread my wealth around and buy from more than one vendor.  But in the end, I was most impressed by the yarns at Ball and Skein.

Glissade

Not only was the booth beautifully arranged by weight types and colors but Judith had several sample knits on display that really helped me see how her yarns look in shawls and cardigans. I toyed with the idea of buying enough to make the Ravi KAL I'll be casting on later this month, but my heart is already set on using the yarn suggested in the pattern. Instead, I chose two Glissade skeins (wool/silk blend) in blue and purple tones and one skein of Sophia which is a blend of merino, cashmere, and nylon. I can't seem to stop casting on shawls and each of these skeins will be perfect for some of the shawl patterns that I've been adding to my Ravelry library.  With all these shawls on my needles (and more to come), I joined the 12 Shawls in 2012 group on Ravelry to stay inspired and on track.  I welcome cheerleading!




15 comments:

  1. That was a very smart tactic to bring only cash! Your purchases look lovely - I wish there were "feel-o-vision!"

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  2. And the personal yarn store gets bigger. :) Lovely additions, btw.

    And shawl cheering freely given - you know, mod of group and all. :)

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  3. I don't blame you for walking away with such amazing yarns, in fact I'm completely impressed that you restrained yourself that much. I probably would have left with a huge bag full of goodies!

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  4. Oooh, I bet those yarns, especially the cashmere blend, feel like heaven! I recently attended the Maryland S&W fest and did the same thing-brought cash and spent only my cash... except for the last minute pair of alpaca socks that I purchased post spending of aforementioned budget. But those were a gift so they don't count. Right?

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  5. Very pretty yarn! I especially love the orange/rust-toned skein, but I can imagine they will all make beautiful shawls.

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  6. So, would you have found Ball and Skein, or were there some other booths that competed with their stock, display and samples? I was awestruck to the point of endning up making no decision to buy yarn. I am envious of what you show here and can't wait to see what it will become.

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  7. My daughters went there a couple of times when they lived in NYC. They loved it. :)

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  8. You can do it! Shawls are so fun as I am coming to find, and I blame you haha. Love the colors you picked. Nice and subtle, muted colors.

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  9. Gorgeous choices! and very restrained I am sure!!

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  10. Mmmm Evelyn, they all look amazing! Your plan of taking cash and sticking to a budget is exactly the sort of thing I do - very sensible while still treating yourself :-)

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  11. Oh how fun to buy new yarn from vendors you don't normally see in the LYS! Great choices as usual Evelyn.

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  12. Lovely choices! At your pace, you might even surpass 12 in 12 :).

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  13. Evelyn, I'm not certain you need any more inspiration for enjoying shawls.
    hugs

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  14. Nice choices! I love each one of the yarns you chose. Sounds like it was a successful trip! those shawls are going to look beautiful in that yarn!

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