Thursday, May 10, 2007

More yarn - oops


In spite of my stash-busting intentions, I did purchase some extra yarn from Webs last week. But inexpensive cone yarn isn't easy to find and when you can get 1 pound (or more) cones for $5, what IS a girl to do?

The four cones lined up on the window sill are a silk/wool blend. I love the slubby texture of this yarn and it is the perfect weight to go through my knitting machine. I envision a Eunny Lang-ish Fair Isle cardigan. I particularly love the Venezia sweater in the winter 2006 issue of Interweave knits. I'll probably use a different Fair Isle pattern, one that comes on the punch cards for the knitting machine, but will use the color transitions in Venezia as inspiration for my design. This project is going on my summer project list, for that time when our homeschooling schedule is lighter and there is more time to set up my machine and spend the longer stretches of time complicated projects like this entail.

The cones on the chair have different fiber content. The navy blue is 100% silk and very fine. I would probably have to combine it with another yarn or ply it with itself to make it thick enough use in my machine. Perhaps this yarn would be a good one on which to learn how to Navajo ply on a spindle.

The larger cone of white is an over-twisted 100% wool. I'll probably end up plying this with itself or something else as well, to compensate for the excessive twisting or the knitted fabric will bias. I also think it would be a great yarn to dye. At $5 a cone, it's certainly inexpensive enough for experimentation.

The other cream color yarn is 100% wool, which would work in my knitting machine or for hand knitting. I don't have plans for this yarn yet, other than to marinate in the ol' stash for awhile until inspiration strikes. Perhaps a Swallowtail Shawl? (Have I mentioned how much I like Interweave Knits magazine lately? Oh, yeah, I did!)

How on earth I'm ever going to find time to use all this yarn and the rest of my stash is beyond me! Although I've worked hard to radically diminish my stash since last fall, temptations continue to plague me. (Sigh) Hello, my name is Lorraine and I'm a yarn-a-holic.

P.S. Shepherd's Harvest is the day after tomorrow! More stash expansion forecasted, with a 60% chance of over-spending. Heaven help me!

5 comments:

Guinifer said...

Well, I am not taking any of the blame for this!!! I have not linked Webs in a very long time! hmmph.

Where is Shepherd's Harvest?

livnletlrn said...

Oh, my heart is going pitter-pat, just looking at those big beautiful cones of inexpensive yarny joy.

But I just yesterday told a friend that my stash is somewhat irritating right now and I need to use some of it up before I buy more, so I'm SOL and need to just be satisfied with drooling over your shopping spree.

Enjoy! :-)

Sheepish Annie said...

Hey, a knitters gotta do what a knitters gotta do, right? You had to have it!

Meanwhile, when you master navajo plying, please, please post!!!! Sheepie can't navajo ply! Sheepie is sad about this! Help a Weepy Sheepie! (who may have taken a little too much NyQuil tonight...)

Rani said...

Go balistic at the fair! Wish I could go . . . I can't wait to see those sweaters you're envisioning. Yummy yummy yarn!!

Shirley Goodwin said...

Crikey, wish I could buy cones of wool or silk for $5!!!!!