Ironic musings

I had wanted to learn to knit a long time before I actually sat down and learned.  I loved the way knitted stitches looked, I liked the way the patterns formed, the versatility, the fabric created.  But there was one item I saw many years ago that I just had to make for myself that really got me motivated to learn how to knit for myself.  It was a beautiful blanket I saw someone using that was made of grey ragg, which is a type of yarn that has a color thread twisted with a white one.  It was so pretty and it stuck with me.

I learned to knit on some super cheap yarn I picked up at Michael's, the same stuff I had learned how to crochet on.  Horrible, scratchy, awful stuff.  But, knowing how to knit meant I could make my blanket.  I researched how much yarn I would need, what kind, what the color combination was called.  I went to Zellers, which had a great yarn selection, found huge balls of Bernat in a perfect grey ragg and bought three of them, more than enough to make a good-sized blanket.

I thought I should probably practice a bit first, get my technique down, my tension evened out.  So I started making scarves and other bits and pieces.  I got entirely sidetracked.  Now I am in a fit of sock knitting.  In going through my stash the other day to find my beginner sock yarn, guess what I found?

Yep, that grey ragg, the very yarn that first motivated me to start knitting in the first place. Still unused, still waiting.

Yarn like groceries

What?!

Ok, lemme explain.

When I go get groceries, it is usually because we are just about at the point of having to drink ketchup.  My fridge is either brimming, where I have to open the door, throw something in and close the door really fast to prevent it from falling out, or it's completely empty.  So, when we go grocery shopping, I come home with all this loveliness.  Wonderful, crisp, fresh produce.  Delicious cuts of meat.  Spices, sauces, marinades, dressings.

That being the case, I usually want to just sit down on the floor and eat everything all at once.  I have bought enough for several meals, but I want to just consume it all because it all looks so yummy.

I have found I am exactly the same with my yarn.  I go to the store and buy yarn for a new project that may be down the line and I immediately want to abandon everything else I have on the go and start knitting with all the new yarns at once.  This is physically impossible, I know.  It doesn't stop me from wanting it nonetheless.

This is my current dilemma.  I learned how to knit socks and I promptly want to only knit socks with all the delicious new yarns I bought expressly for that purpose.  But I also have hat patterns that I want to try now that I can knit with dpns.  I have the perfect yarn for that tucked in my stash, of course.  And then there is the neon blanket to make.  Plus, there are the other projects and orders I have going.

Sigh.

I have settled on four.  The neon blanket won out because it is just a brainless pattern I can just zone out on, the pair of short heel row socks I had already started, the linen stitch scarf I started for myself and the giant gypsy shawl I am making for my sister.

Think that's enough for now?

The danger of Michael's

This is entirely my sister's fault.  Ok, not completely.  But mostly.

I haven't shopped at Michael's in ages.  This is primarily based on the fact that I have developed a severe case of yarn snobbery and don't buy acrylic anymore.  However, after the sock success, I felt the need to grab some cheap yarn to practice on.  Back to the basics, I guess you could call it.  I didn't want to waste yummy yarn on my clumsy sock learning process.  One day I will be proficient enough to spend $30 on luxury sock yarn, but I need to practice first.

Doesn't it just figure?  The yarn I had fallen in love with for my first pair of socks - Bernat Sox - has been discontinued by the company.  This stuff was great - super soft and squishy, warm and lovely.  Nope, gone.  I'm glad I grabbed three from wherever I bought them.

Off I went to Michael's to find something to work with.  First round resulted in a couple balls of Patons Kroy Sock Yarn in Clover Colors and Lion Brand Sock Ease in a blend of pinks (no surprise there), but overall I found their sock yarn selection a bit limp. I suppose I have been a bit spoiled by the Needle Emporium having an entire room of sock yarn.

The problem came when I walked into the larger Michael's store in our area which has a substantially larger yarn selection that the other one, and walked right into a whole new line of Caron Simply Soft in the most gorgeous neon shades.  I'm an 80's baby; how could I resist this?  So besides my sock yarn, I walked out with five neon colors of the Simply Soft to make me a fun blanket.

Then doesn't my sister message me a few days later and say, oh hey, Michael's has a big sale on yarn.  Everything on sale and coupons and everything.

Aw, man.

Off I went again, husband in tow to help me exercise some measure of control.  I had plans to grab black for the neon blanket as a contast color, and while I was there I decided to check out if they had restocked their sock yarn.  They hadn't, but I realized I had missed an entire line of yarn I hadn't realized was a sock weight.  It's by Loops and Threads, had stunning colors, was incredibly soft, had a ridiculous yardage of 678 yards (can you say knee highs?) and was only $3!!

This is the denim, which I bought two of, and the purple.  I also got a color called Mauve which was entirely misnamed because it is a garnet red.  Who names this stuff? A neon blue and purple Caron Simply Soft were added to the blanket colors as well, which now consists of pink, yellow, green, coral, orange, blue, purple and black.

Oh the potential.....It's a good thing hubby came along.