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Christmas Stash

I have the best sister ever and I know so because this is what I got to open on Christmas morning:


Yessireebob, that thar is four (FOUR!) skeins of Blue Moon Fiber Arts Socks that friggin' Rock. Like the ingrate that I can be, I was a bit disappointed in the Downpour colorway.


I even blamed BMFA for sending her the wrong colorway. But we have email proof that I myself picked out that dull, rainy day skein. I don't know what I was thinking. When you see the little circle, with all the color strands represented, I kinda, maybe, sorta can see what intrigued me, but with that colorway looking just like the dreary woods outside my dining room window, I'm thinking it may take the red hot heat of summer to kindle any desire to knit with it.

I apologized up and down for the poop I was about it. It's in my nature to say exactly how I feel. Though I totally know how awfully rude that is to the gift giver, I just wasn't in control of that all important facility known as "thinking before one speaks." A nice pair of socks, though, will help gloss over this faux pas, don't you think?

That isn't the only stash enhancement that was happening around Chez Yarn. I have some Christmas money which was supposed to cover long-coveted things such as a Flickr pro account (done!), a larger set of sock blockers (not done), a dpn needle case (not done), size 0 circs (done!), and Cat Bordhi's New Pathways for Sock Knitters (not done). On my path to self-fullfillment, some yarn got in the way. But before I get into the yarn, I want to talk about my disappointment with needle cases.

I was almost sure I'd find a simple dpn case on Etsy or at one of the LYSs in my area. However, on Etsy, all of the pretty little cases found in fabulous fabrics had seriously elaborate closures. I'm in and out of my case very often so it needs to open and close quickly. The cases I saw had belt loop closures that would frustrate me to no end. That meant I had to hit the brick and mortars and the cases I saw at the two LYSs I visited just didn't come in styles that were functional. I guess maybe I'm spoiled because the case I have now I made myself years ago, to my own specifications, and well functionality speaking, it's perfect.



I made this case during the lean years so the fabric and trimmings were what I could scrounge up. I never did sew up a closure so I've been using a rubber band all these years. Aside from these little quirks, the case is exactly what it should be except that there isn't enough room to house my ever exanding number of size 0 through size 2 sock needles.

Yes, I could just whip up another one. The problem is I generally loathe sewing. In fact it's not the sewing I loathe so much as all the all the steps one needs to do before one puts the fabric under the whirring point of one's sewing machine. I have no patience for the designing, measuring, and cutting. (Well, strike that last one, since getting a rotary cutter a few years ago, I totally love the cutting part.)

Add to this loathing the perfection issue. Since I now have better resources I totally feel obligated to make something perfect and that means finding the most perfect fabric and the most perfect trimmings and the most perfect design. This perfectionism stacked up against my loathing of the task breeds discontent. And so what did I do with some of my Christmas money instead? Well, to get back to a happier place, I purchased the ultimate yarn crack:



Who knew the Fabric Place in Woburn, MA had Malabrigo?? My recent obsession with sock knitting has meant far fewer visits to this store since they don't carry the type of yarn I prefer. One thing they have had in the past were decent needle cases but not on this Friday night. I found nothing of interest. The only cases I could find included needles and these were tucked away in an awkward corner facing the fabric section. The Malabrigo also wasn't in a section I usually focus on. I walked right by it at least once. But once I saw it, I was hard pressed to only walk away with these three skeins. Yummy.

That's not the only damage I did, but I've got to move on today.

Happy New Year, blogland

Comments

pickayarn said…
Awesome Christmas yarn stash!!!
Unknown said…
Nice loot! I think that downpour will make nice socks in a more intricate pattern. I bet you end up liking it more than you think.

And that malabrigo lace is so lovely!