I played hooky today. There were actually many tasks awaiting my attention at home, but I was loathe to return to them. I found myself in Poughkeepsie at the end of my morning appointments with no pressing reason to return to the construction site I call home. No one was working. The masons had arrived about the same time as a morning shower and by the time the sky cleared they were long since gone.
I took advantage of the opportunity to run several errands and eventually found myself down in Hopewell Junction, where I stopped at Yarn Central. It was nice to be there, and yes I did buy yarn, as I had been planning. I managed to do quite well and still keep within my allotted budget, I am sure partially due to the fact that they are having a sale. Despite the fact that I am overwhelmed with current projects, the stash is not overwhelming. Stash and planned sweaters that have not been started don’t bother me as long as they can be accommodated in the bounds of their allotted storage areas. It is only when things overflow their cupboards, or actually get started and are sitting on the needles that I start to feel a little overwhelmed. Offsetting the fact that I have more than enough to knit at the moment has been my recurring sense of guilt and an urge to support local yarn shops if at all possible.
The Jaggerspun Zephyr is usually used for shawls and therefore they do not stock large quantities of each color but I found these two skeins, roughly 1200 yards which may or may not be enough for a summer shell for me, depending on gauge. I am guessing 8 stitches to the inch, iffy at best, but really won’t know until I swatch. I have hope that something can be worked out though. 4 skeins of the cashmerino were ostensibly purchased for a baby sweater, although I am well aware that I have accumulated enough baby yarn for three babies and far more sweaters than I can knit. These will also make a lovely shawl or scarf.
I was looking for some summer yarns by Elizabeth Lavold, specifically Hempathy, but I found this Cotton Patiné instead. I haven’t knitted with it before but it looks promising so I picked up enough for a short-sleeved tee.
And last to be shown, but certainly not least as it was the first thing I picked up were these skeins of Rowan’s Summer Tweed:
They had the perfect quantities to make this Kaffe Fassett sweater which has been on my mind ever since I received the newest Rowan Book. I might not get to this right away but I must knit this sweater, it haunts my dreams.
I have now been to three yarn stores in Dutchess County. There are three more, that I know about at least. I hope to visit all of them in the next couple of months, but I think I have done enough yarn shopping for now.
Of the remaining stores, I have only been to one, Morehouse Farm in Rhinebeck, which is a store and a producer. I have used their yarns before and used to go to the knitting/spinning wool oriented weekends they would have each spring. I have not been for several years and don’t even know if they still hold them, my attendance dates back to before they opened the “new” store in Rock City.
I was recently informed by Alexine, of my Tuesday knitting group, that there is a new store in Red Hook, off Route 199 on Hapeman Hill Road, but she doesn’t remember the name. Now, ToRunAmok yarns used to be on Hapeman Hill Road, I wonder if it has opened again, of if this is something else. I used to shop there years ago, before the owner had to cut back, only taking special orders, because it got to be too much work to maintain a store and a full time IBM career. I always liked the nice handspun yarns and thought the owner had a good eye for color. I must get up there and check it out, but it may be a catch-as-catch can situation.
The last store is in Pawling, The Yarn and Craft Box. I have never been there. Two members of my knitting group like to go there for baby yarn. It certainly seems worth checking out, at least once. It is a bit out of the way, so it might end up waiting until my next pilgrimage down to White Plains for a day of perusing the dual Ns (Nordstrom and Neiman Marcus). Given that my shopping budget has been pretty much waylaid by construction costs that may wait awhile though, at least until my annual birthday pilgrimage on July 5th.
But back to Yarn Central. I was told that there are still some openings in the Thursday knitting group/class if I wanted to join, the other days are full. I am interested. In fact I seriously considered working frantically once I got home and barreling back down there this evening. Thursday is usually a good night for me. The possibility of meeting Gina, whose blog I love is an addeded incentive, but generally I have been itching to meet knitters for some time now, and it is about time I get out and make an effort.
However, today my DH called around 4 to say that he was done with work and would be home early for a change. Normally I might not care and would go out anyway. However, the construction has driven him to load on extra work and he has been coming home about 10 to 11 every night for the last three weeks. Frankly, I have missed him. In true Cancerian style, I decided to stay home.
The sweater itself looks simple and fun to knit. There is a cable going up the center back as well. Therein lies the problem. Even with the general forgiving nature of knits, a cable knit up the center of a balanced sweater will not go up the center of my own torqued elipse of a form. Math will be required. Not insurmountable math mind you, but probably not the kind of math that will result in mindless knitting.
