Tuesday, March 15, 2011

The lure of a yarn crawl ...

can be over-powering for a Yarn addict like myself. Only buy from two stores I say to myself. Unless I see something I really need of course. But don't buy from every store, I repeat over and over.

And can I stick to that plan?

Well the 2nd annual North Shore Yarn Crawl was this past weekend. A beautiful weekend it was too. All of my knitting and crocheting friends were looking forward to it ... well the enthusiastic yarn shoppers like myself were anyways. A few stronger women stated, "I'm not going this year because I want to save the money for ... " Well that's her mantra, the StitchingNut is going. The crawl is only once a year after all. Right?

So the first store I go to is in Marblehead, MA ... called Yarn Over Marblehead. A very cute little store with a very nice proprietor. Of course she had something I wanted. NORO Silk Garden. And just the project on display that I also had the pattern already at home for. AND she was offering a 20% discount for buying during the yarn crawl. Just how could I say, "no thank you"? ...

Actually, I'm glad I didn't because I not only cast on the next morning for the Sursa Shawl Wrap by Cornelia Tuttle Hamilton from Noro: Cornelia Tuttle Hamilton Book 2. But but I also cast off on Sunday while sitting at Seed Stitch Fine Yarn before the end of the crawl.

See ...
But I didn't stop there. After making my 1st purchase I then went over to Seed Stitch Fine Yarn in Salem where the organizer of the crawl resides and of course I made a second purchase.[Everbody knows how much I love Courtney & SSFY right? I practically live here!] Yes, it's 16 balls of Rowan All Season Cotton but I clearly intend to knit myself a Summer sweater.

I even cast-on by Saturday night while the Yarn Crawl was still in progress. I figure I better justify all this yarn purchasing since I have an embarrassing amount of yarn in my Stash already. And I did finish Sursa on Sunday ... and I'm truly planning to finish this sweater before the warm weather arrives. I think. I am loving it so far ... so I intend to keep on knitting on it. Honestly, would I lie??

But only if the allure of my other purchases don't overwhelm me ...

From a new store Creative Yarns in Beverly (they just opened 2 days before and have a lot of potential) a supply of knitting markers. (yes, I always NEED 'em) and then to



Yarn in the Farms in Beverly where I found the most luscious yarn called Everlasting by Dream in Color. I also learned a couple of really interesting cast-on tips from the Farms which I have committed to memory and will definitely use. A very fascinating little store!

I promise to use it ... for an interesting shawl maybe. The Springtime Bandit comes to mind in fact. **Here's a picture on Ravelry of the Bandit done in this same yarn, different color.**

The next stop was at the famous Coveted Yarn in Gloucester. Of course I found a yarn that just couldn't be left behind. And while I waited in the parking lot to keep from being overcome from the yarn fumes in the over-abundantly stocked store for my other two "yarn-addict" friends, I met other knitters and crocheters. Such a cheery lot! Always willing to part with their money for more yarn. I certainly can't blame them considering my find of lovely Heather Schaeffer Yarn in the colorway called Eleanor Roosevelt ...

Does it help to know that I got it on discount too?

Of course we had to stop at Cranberry Fiber Arts in S. Hamilton. And the lure of the yarn didn't stop. I was just absolutely taken over by this yarn and the pattern to go with it for a beautiful Wrap with the most gorgeous drape I've ever felt ...


Oooooo, am I going to have the stamina to complete such a large Garter Stitch project with 8 balls of lace weight Silky Alpaca????

I better if I want to justify this purchase huh?



Well last but not least, we only made it to one more store before we had to call-it-a-day and we all collapsed from exhaustion.


And that store was the Village Stitchery in Topsfield. Where I only purchase a sock yarn that's I've never tried, but I did learn a 3 needle bind-off trick that I can't wait to try. And I really do need to make myself some new socks for next Winter. What better time to do it than over the Summer, right?







I might be poorer, but I'm happy!

[And in 3 days I haven't even been able to remove my Yarn Crawl Shawl!!]

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

Well at least you finished something, right? Haha. I looove the colors for Everlasting and "Eleanor Roosevelt," very pretty. =]

Pooch said...

Of course you had to purchase the yarns since you had patterns in mind...or possibilities in mind. I'm thinking you must be a speed knitter!

:)

Coveted Yarn said...

Rhonda, thanks for coming out! That Eleanor Roosevelt was discontinued so I had to have that specially dyed since it is one of our favorites. If the crawlers had half as much fun as we did this past weekend they're probably still smiling. I don't understand how we are famous but I think you're sweet to say it.

Money will come and go but every moment you are happy should be treasured.