When faced with two options, take both?

Here's an interesting one. I purchased Elann's Silken Kydd a few days ago, for my holiday party stole. And then I couldn't bear to wait for it to arrive, so I bought the Kidsilk Haze as well. I'm a good ways into the Kidsilk stole... and then I read this interesting blog post from Sable Stasher. It really does sound like both yarns are identical. Hmmm. Two balls of Kidsilk Haze, care of my LYS, cost 30 bucks. Two balls of Silken Kydd cost me 13 dollars, including shipping.

I do love supporting my local yarn shops, and I'm supposed to be destashing anyways- but I have to say it's getting harder for me to justify paying more than twice the price simply to buy local. Maybe once I'm out of credit card debt, I'll be more willing? In the meantime I'm a failed budgeter, having bought essentially the same thing twice. BUT! This means I can make *two* stoles- and the next one will be of a completely different pattern. I wear black shawl things or sweaters just about all the time, so it will hardly go to waste.

I have a great deal of ambivalence about this pricing thing. I will spend a significant amount of money on certain things, due to their quality and workmanship, or because they fit perfectly (always a challenge on my frame), or because it's unique and I know I'll never have the opportunity again. I also will spend extra on things that really do seem to be better off for me and the world at large- I aim to buy local, I try to support independent artisans and especially local ones (or ones from New England, for sentimental reasons). But when faced with identical alternatives, how do you scoff at the option that saves money? Rowan hardly needs my help- and both yarns are imported from Italy. Supporting a LYS is wonderful, but so is supporting one's pocketbook.

What a quandary. I really want to knit with both, to determine how "essentially similar" they are to the hand as well as to the mind. After all, the Kidsilk Haze is a dream to work with- I hope the Silken Kydd is just as soft and delicious.

A day of knitting adventures, and a bit more family fun

Today was an overall great knitting sort of day. I didn't knit on the metro, since it was standing room only, but I did get to read more Anne of Windy Poplars for the Anne-a-long. I emailed the local lunch knitters at l'Enfant Plaza, only to hear they were going on a field trip to a local yarn shop and a craft store by Eastern Market instead of knitting in their office. I can make up an hour of time at work, I thought to myself, and I joined them! We checked out Ipso Crafto first, which has the makings of a really cute craft shop. I loved their little fabric selection (at prices half of what I'm used to seeing at G Street... and tons of PINKS). I also checked out a cross stitch book which may get me back into that craft, and may have to go back for it, since I can't locate it online. We then went to Stitch DC- a location I haven't been to, yet. And I've been having this hankering for black kidsilk haze, to knit a shawl for my holiday party. As surely I've said before. Let's ignore the fact that I just bought something for this purpose yesterday- it might not be as nice as the Rowan! And anyways, 4 balls of black laceyweight mohair is surely better than two. I can make two of them! But I'm getting ahead of myself.

This evening I went to SSK after work, which is a pleasant metro ride up to Silver Spring. After my usual cabernet burger (delish) but no wine, which is less usual, I hunkered down for some serious chatting and knitting. I worked on Hanami and definitely got caught up on local knitting gossip. I also met a girl who I had already corresponded with on Ravelry, so that was overall delightful.

I got home after eleven, which is a bit absurd, and decided to finally just choose a shawl to wear to this party. I selected Wisp, in the end. It just looked so simple, so fast- and I really want to knit River, as well, but maybe I'll make that with the other two skeins of black mohair... AFTER the holiday party. This is one beautiful version of River, for reference.

Having finally selected a pattern, days after starting to think about it, I figured I'd cast on. And then I thought it would be silly to stop without knitting the garter ridges. And then the first lace row. And then the first five rows of the pattern, just to get to the eyelet row. And boy oh boy am I hooked. 40 minutes of knitting or so, and I have over two solid inches of knitting. This is what I'm talking about! I should have this finished in no time, and be able to get right back to Hanami and all my other pretties.

I think this has definitely been my year of lace. Although there were bobbles and cables, too, they have been supplanted in the apple of my eye by yarn overs. What can I say, I like a bit of variety in my obsessive knitting.

I do more than just knit. Want to see one of my biiiiirdies?


This was not a simple project. I do not think I'd recommend it for a beginning sewer, due to the relative difficulty of the curved seams and getting the bits to fit well. Mom's experience making bears, and her bear stuffing tools, cannot be underestimated! Mom and I sewed quite a bit while I was in Raleigh, though I freely admit I spent a good bit of time hunkered over Hanami. Especially after midnight, with the gentle accompaniment of a podcast and the otherwise still and quiet house. I love visiting my parents, in large part because my mom is a night owl most of the time, but I can usually sneak a few hours of solitude into every day. And that's the best kind of vacation- the kind that allows lots of fun and family and a bit of reflection.

I also really want to take photos of the tablecloth and napkins I made, but they are not yet trimmed and edged and therefore are far from done. I also need to get cracking on a waistcoat for the boy. And yet, somehow, all I see in my immediate future is Kidsilk Haze, in the Wicked colorway, which just makes it all the more delicious. Switching from metal needles to my Denise needles made all the difference, by the way- it's so easy to see the black fuzzy yarn on gray needles!

One other vacation photo for the road. This shows certain things, such as my Air Force nurse sister looks nothing like me (we are opposites in every way). Also that I may need to invest in larger sweater sizes if I don't get down to business with some exercise soon. Thank goodness I don't knit sweaters quite this unflattering- and now I know not to wear it for family photos again!


I look more like my grandmother every day- though I hope I'm not yet desirous of a girdle. She lived a long and happy life, and was a force to be reckoned with. She also was a completely obsessed knitter, who could polish off a baby sweater between naps on the couch and Hershey Kisses in a day or two. I will always regret not taking up my needles before her death- but I hope she somehow knows that I finally shaped up and took up a useful craft. I came to it a bit late- but I'm making up for lost time!