Since we (Wendy, Luann, and I) had filled the car on the way to the retreat with our contributions to the Stash Lounge, any non-knitter would assume that space would not be an issue on the way back. This assumption is unfortunately flawed: yarn, like gas, fills all the space available to it.
We visited the Stash Lounge and shopped at the marketplace. We brought back yarn and fiber donated by Martha to raise money for KR (little plug here: please go to the KR forums and see if anything strikes your fancy). As Luann said, I definitely tried to break several laws of physics to make my acquisitions fit in my luggage. Among them were:
- from the goodie bag: a skein of Sundara worsted merino in "crushed cherries" destined to become either a Koolhaas hat or Thanksgiving Day Mitts
- from the Stash Lounge: a trio of Shibui yarns in "wasabi" left by Clara that I hope to use in a textured shawl, as I did a couple of years ago with various Mountain Colors yarns
- from my Winter share and the marketplace: Foxfire Fiber cormo alpaca lace in two different colors for an Ishbel and a Swallowtail shawl
- enough String Theory caper sock in "viola" to make a sweater or a vest
- Spirit Trail's new yarn "Sunna" for a pair of socks and some "Frija" for a pair of Hedgerow mitts for myself
I set aside my new goodies as I am working on a Christmas present. When my in-laws were visiting us this fall, I lent my mother-in-law a pair of socks I had knitted out of STR lightweight. She liked them so much that I offered to knit her a pair of socks for Christmas. She wanted a soft variegated green so I found a skein of fingering weight yarn from Tanis Fiber Arts in "spearmint" in my stash.
The pattern is "Right Twist Cable Rib socks" by Ann Budd. When trying to lure non-knitters to the dark side of handknitted socks, I think it's better to start with a simple non-lacy pattern. This gets them hooked on the warmth and softness. After that, you can sell them on the color-coordinating possibilities and the coolness of the designs. If all fails, I can always buy the pin that Kathleen was wearing at the retreat "yes, I know that I can buy socks for $2 at Walmart".
Once I am done with these socks and the Fiddlehead mittens, I would like a matching Tanis kit for the Dipped Infinity Scarf by Laura Chau. I also want to tackle La Droguerie's latest hit, le Carre Magique Dentelle (in purple, of course!).
2 comments:
There was so much yarny goodness at the Retreat--I think you showed remarkable restraint!
Excellent write up Minh! I was too over-stimulated to write anything coherent. (I'm blaming the yarn fumes.)
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