Every Saturday my mom, two sisters and niece go out to lunch and then hit the malls. EVERY Saturday! One of my most favorite things to do in this whole wide world is go to lunch with the girls. However, I absolutely hate to shop. Yes, I know. This is a sacrilege to all womankind. I can't help it. Malls make me nauseous, make my head hurt, and give me claustrophobia. Just thinking about all the noise, lights, and crowds gives me the heebie geebies.
That said I love to go to yarn stores! The calming effect of all those glorious yarns, comfy sofas and chairs in which to sit and look at the newest magazines, and lovely people who talk in nice voices about knitting, and I have gone to paradise. My heaven is going to have cobblestone streets lined with yarn boutiques and cafes.
So, while Mom, sis1, sis2 and dear niece fought the crowds at the Clinique counter in Dillards, I went on a yarn trek. I actually found a yarn store I had never visited, called An Unraveled Sheep, located in Sandy, Utah. This was a small store in a strip mall (I can handle strip malls as I can escape to the outdoors very easily). The yarn arrangement was quite fun! All the novelty yarns were arranged by color and placed in wire bins hanging along one wall. All those skeins/balls of eyelash, boucle, thick and thin, silk ribbons, etc. all bunched together in pinks, greens, and yellows were major eye candy. I wish I had brought my camera so that I could share the joy with you.
Knitter's Magazine's Summer 2005 issue was on the table, and I picked it up to give it a very quick browse. You know, I let my subscription to Knitter's expire and have not renewed 'cuz it has been so disappointing and uninspiring lately. However, I found several items I want to knit from this issue and picked up some yarns for Elsebeth Lavold's Latigo vest and Katherine Hunt's Whispering Rose vest.
My next stop was The Wool Cabin where I found some Brown Sheep Cotton Fleece to knit the Spring Forward Cardigan by Janet Szabo. I have wanted to knit this for quite a while, and now have the perfect yarn to give it a go.
My last stop was my favorite yarn store: Black Sheep Wool Company in Salt Lake. After fondling so many new, fun yarns, I came home with Frog Tree Pima/Silk to knit the Italian Tee Shirt by Crystal Palace. The pattern is free online here.
Have a peek at my newest stash enhancements:
Yummy stuff! I am sure I had a much more pleasant day perusing yarn stores at my leisure than I would have had chasing the sales racks at the mall!
I leave you with some progress on Martha. I am just about to begin the armhole shaping.
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