I’m more pre-occupied with what knitting to take on this trip than I am with what clothes to pack. And I came to the realization yesterday that for the first time in my life, something has become as significant as books to me - yarn :) I know some of you out there are nodding and smiling to yourselves but I swear it’s true and I never even saw it coming! I mean, books have furnished my life - you can follow me through the years on the trail of library cards. When I was young and poor, I never felt hard put by the lack of a couch (or even a bed) so long as I had books.
I was in Borders book store the other day, equipped with a $50 gift certificate that had been given to my father as payment for filling the 1st clarinet seat in a mini-orchestra for a series of performances when their usual player couldn’t make it. Since dad doesn’t read fiction ("It’s all just made up stuff") or buy books ("Why would you buy a book when there’s a perfectly good library you can borrow it from!") he gave the certificate to me. And I gleefully went out to do a bit of literary acquisition. Only as I wandered through the aisles I kept thinking how nice it would be if I could put this certificate (or some of it anyway) towards yarn. It took another day or so for the implications of that to sink in.
Basically, what it means is that if you put me between a book store and a yarn shop and told me I could have any amount of money to spend in one place or the other -but not both - I would never be able to move off the mark and would eventually starve :)
We are fond of Basmati rice; it’s about all we ever use any more. Often it comes in these neat little, zippered, burlap bags and we finished a bag a few nights ago. Myria asked if I could use the bag and it hit me - it would be perfect to put the sock yarn in and, later, to contain the project (I had already wound the hank, with the help of my trusty kitchen scale, into two balls of lovely, soft blueness). So I grabbed it and made sure all the rice was out of it and voila!
Sock yarn
I have also acquired some Caron Simply Soft in an...erm...extremely vibrant color (the company calls it “Rubine Red") and a bit of a co-ordinating variegate.
Pile of color
Landscape Shawl, redux
I suppose I should bring a few random skeins and balls in case inspiration strikes in the middle of the Atlantic :)
The demons
The spawns of Satan and I wish you all a wonderful weekend :)
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the bookstore/lys dilemma would really be like ‘being caught between a rock and a hard place’ wouldn’t it- and i too would just stand in the middle twirling madly around and around- ah, but what a delightful decision to contemplate-
yes, for the red ‘landscape’ shawl!!! if my monitor is even halfway accurate, that is a fun, fun color- well, if colors can be fun, that is- how about i’ll call it a happy color and feel better about my word choice-
my demon spawn cats wave at yours and urge them onward and upward-
stay happy-
Barb - Yes, “fun”, “happy”, “cheerful” - all those terms apply (and I’m trying to shut down the mutters of “loud”, “garish” and “trashy"). Clearly I’m a bit ambivalent - though not so much that I couldn’t buy the yarn or work with it :) And I definitely lean towards the “fun” side.
When Lionbrand was still making their Imagine mohair blend, they offered it in a color caller “Cerise” which was a rich, gloriously saturated red/pink - and this is as close to that color as I have seen since.
As an avid reader, I’m curious what you chose at Borders. I’m also wondering how the variegated yarn will be used in the Landscape shawl.
Charlotte - The reading list consists of R is for Ricochet by Sue Grafton, Miracle by Connie Willis, Sprit in the Wires by Charles de Lint, High Country by Nevada Barr and At Knit’s End by Stephanie Pearl-McPhee.
The vareigate may get threaded (as a braid or a twisted cord?) through the edge eyelets of the shawl. I haven’t decided yet how (or even whether) I’m going to use it :)
I’ve read the Grafton book. It’s good. Borders was having a special promotion this weekend for educators with a 25% off discount. As a reading tutor, I qualify for the discount. I went tonight and was disappointed that they didn’t have a “goodie” bag for like they have had in other years. Then I looked for the At Knit’s End book which I had seen there earlier this week but evidently it’s sold out. Couldn’t find the Knit ‘N Style magazine which was there earlier this week either. I had dinner in their cafe and bought an Atkins diet plan book which was on a clearance table. Might try another Borders tomorrow to see if I can be more successful.
Charlotte - I usually enjoy Grafton - but I didn’t see Knit ‘n Style either.
Thank you so much for using Caron Simply Soft to make shawls. I cannot tell you the sheer number of “How dare you use an ACKrylic to make a project as lovely as a shawl.” comments I get on my blog when I even think of mentioning it. I currently have two shawls using CSS, I love it!
The hardest time for me comes when I have a new book AND a new project - both waiting, both tempting. I can’t tell you how long I spend dithering about which to start first!
And yes...my eyeballs are finally back in my head after viewing Rubine Red!
If you line that bag with a sturdier fabric, say chambray or toile, it will last longer and be really cool! I think I’ll save MY rice bag for just such a thing.
Oh the horror of being in the middle of the ocean and run out of yarn! I’m going to have nightmares about that tonight, I swear. I love that pink color, I just bought an angora sweater (from goodwill of course) today in that color! I haven’t met a color that was too bright for me. :) Good luck deciding what projects to take!
Dj - I’ve been using Simply Soft for years and can’t see any reason not to continue to do so. It’s lovely stuff, nice to work with and feels divine :) And I’m really liking the expanded range of colors!
Bron - Heheh - Bright, isn’t it? :) I know what you mean but I seriously doubt I’m going to get to any of the books (except At Knit’s End, which I’ve already finished) before I return from my trip. Just too much else to get done!
Terri - that’s a good idea! I’ll have to scout around and see what I can find that would be suitable lining material :) Thanks for the suggestion!
Laura - I recognize that - that’s sarcasm, right? LOL! I have to admit, despite its...er...intensity, I do love the shade. Good deal on the sweater - angora, no less! Bet that makes you feel all...um...warm and fuzzy :)
Robbyn, running out of reading material and yarn in the middle of the ocean is a terrifying thought! As for the choice between books and yarn, get this—I work in a library (where I am not supposed to be spending my time actually reading the books and think about yarn while I’m there. Friday I came home with the rayon yarn to find new books had arrived in the mail. I am amazed and envious when people claim they can read and knit at the same time. If I could do that, and had a third arm that would put coffee and chocolate in my mouth while I read and knit....
Rob - ROFL! Oh baby, you are so right on the money there.
The ship has a decent (if small) library, so reading material isn’t an issue - I never bring books with me; they weigh too much. I will, however, limit the wardrobe so I can stuff as much yarn as possible into my bag :)
