new (to me) yarn store

Well I went to the yarn store on Friday. It was a bit of a drive but well worth the trip. It is tucked I a corner, and apparently a popular hang out spot. There would three ladies there hanging out and knitting. Very friendly with a good selection. We got into a sock conversation, and it was very interesting. I have always been a die hard top down sock maker. Why? Because that is how I learned, that is the patter I learned on and have mostly memorized, and that is the one I know well enough to modify to whatever whim I have that day. Now though, I am very tempted to try the toe up. And I have never turned down a challenge, have I? it is appealing to think I could still do it on 4 needles (not five) still do the same style of heal ( I don’t know what it is called, but it has a square with a flap), and never have to worry about running out of yarn… hmmm, must give this more thought…

This is what I walked out with… 2 balls of phildar auteuil yarn in iris, 2 balls of koigu kersti yarn (in painters palette?) (I can’t get enough of shades of pink this summer, I feel like such a girly girl, and love it), and 2 sets of bamboo needles, which I have discovered I love btw, although I am a little afraid of breaking them.



When my hubby got home he brought me a package. He had stopped at the post office box and come home with this (sorry, my camera won’t make the green as mint as it should be, but here it is)…



I have never understood why people describe yarn as yummy. I always thought, what? Yarn is soft, shiny, pretty, colorful, fine, but yummy? Well, now I get it… just let me say YUMMY, YUMMY, and YUMMY!!! (I told DH this was defiantly freezer yarn) It is Lorna’s Laces shepherd sock yarn and the color is mint chocolate stripe (my favorite). So now I need to figure out if it really going to be socks, or something else. I had originally intended it for socks, but then when it got here and I actually hand it in my hands… I think I have decided that socks just aren’t good enough for it. You only wear socks like, once a week, and this deserves something more special and would use more often. Might need to simmer in my stash for a while until it decided what it needs to be…

This weekend I also found this. One pair of socks every month, what could be better? And if I don't love the pattern, or don't have time that month, it can just sit in my stash until I do. I love socks, and cant’ get enough yarn or patterns, so I think this was designed for me. I’m really excited, but I’ll tell you how it goes when I have my first package, and try it out. And the best part is opal yarn! Yea!

I have finished the back of my Sigma tank top, now just need to finish decrease and straps in front. I’m having this niggling worry that it will be too big (I have lost some weight since I started it.) we’ll see, if it doesn’t work for me, I have a friend I think it would work for, and I think she would really appreciate it.