Today we had planned on cleaning out our storage unit, but I ended up getting to do something more fun! :o) My hubby was sick and so he stayed home with the kids and I went out in the rain to Rumpelstiltskin, one of the lys.
I don't think I have been on a nice leisurely trip to a yarn store since I was pregnant with my 3.5 year old son! Since the clerk was busy I was just enjoying browsing without any interruptions and even sat myself down on the floor to look through magazines. I purchased two magazines which are new since I was knitting all the time. One was InKnits. I dont' think I would subscribe to it, but I bought it because of its many unique features. It seemed to be geared for creative and imaginative knitters. I liked the article in it about the "origami" sweater. It is knit in pieces and goes together in a way I am not totally understanding yet. It is knit in different yarns, so would be a good "stash buster"! The second magazine was Creative Knitting. After bringing it home I didn't get as much out of that one, but still some fun ideas. I also purchased a book by Cat Bordhi on knitting socks on two circular needles...something I have been really interested in. But I was a little disappointed because I thought it would tell me how to knit two socks at one time and from thumbing through it I don't see that in there. I'll have to read more and maybe find out more on the Internet. I bought a dog sweater pattern from Fiber Trends for Kala, my best friend Shelley's Chinese pug. Fiber Trends started out in the town I lived in for ten years so I like to support them...plus they have wonderful patterns. And lastly in the book/magazine department, I purchased two Leisure Arts booklets on knitted dishclothes. I have a lot of cotton in my stash and I was looking for some new ideas. My favorite of the two books was one that included some patterns for heart dishclothes...heart shaped, hearts in lace, hearts in texture...lots of hearts!
Then what I went into the store for in the first place was to find some wool to knit hooded Aran cardigans for my daughters. They were very low on basic wools and especially in the DK weight. I ended up getting some Nature Spun which is listed as a worsted weight but it is really pretty thin compared to other worsted weight yarns and I think when I use a smaller needle it will gauge out just fine. I toyed with some of the bright pinks and purples but ended up with getting the color "Winter Blue". That might seem an odd choice for little girls' sweaters, but I am making this to be their coat for next winter and I wanted something that would be neutral. It's almost a light denim color and it "reads" as a neutral. When I do swatching I will have to post a photo. I am using a Sirdar pattern that I purchased when I was pg with my son! I never got a chance to knit it for him. I think the medium blue will show the Aran cables nicely.
When I got home I informed hubby that he now did not need to get me a Mother's Day present since I had purchased the above mentioned books, patterns and magazines. He was excited about that...he said he had been racking his brain trying to think of something and couldn't. Boy! I made it easy on him this year! The day before my birthday in June I will be taking a machine quilting class...that's my BD present! LOL He didn't have to come up with anything!
Anyway, two weeks ago we had done some major shuffling of storage inside the house and I was able to go through my extensive stash and organize it. It was good to see what I had. I had forgotten some of it! I even found a vest that I have all finished except blocking, weaving ends and putting the buttons on...I can't even clearly remember knitting it! That's pretty bad! I did get excited about some of my projects...like my Circumnavigate Cardigan from Medrith Glover which is about 2/3 done and a Fair Isle vest that is about 3/4 done and a grey/teal Norwegian about 1/3 done and a Dale black and white with jewel tone accents Norwegian sweater, all done except the sleeves. I will finish that one for hubby. I've grown since then! LOL So I have decided to work on these projects as I can, but I have also been knitting simpler projects that I can pick up and lay down easily while watching the kids. So since then I have knit about 5 dishcloths, an earwarmer/headband for my Mom and and the back of a gansey for ds. The only reason why I got new yarn instead of stash is that I didn't have anything truly little girl appropriate in my stash and we have budgeted for them to buy coats, so that is what paid for them.
Anyway, that is the adventure I had today. It's fun to get back to knitting. But I do feel torn between knitting, quilting, scrapbooking, genealogy and my family!!
