Of course, last night being the utterly bloggable moment that it was, I forgot my camera. I am teh dumB.
Well, I am blonde!
I am also now the proud owner of not one, but 2 sets of these babies:
Addi Turbos! One set of 3.25mms, for that delectable sock yarn from the Natural Dye Studio that I have in my stash, and another set of 2.5mms, cos there’s nothing quite like leaping in at the deep end.
We had been instructed to bring “scrap yarn” to get started on, which I did. Unfortunately, I hit a large problem, in the form of Jacqui and Lisa, the owners of This Is Knit. They were just so damn nice, and so enthusiastic about everything knitting related, that it blew me away. It took every ounce of self-restraint not to melt my credit card, and give myself a 2 year long knitting list, based on their recommendations.
I know that we knitters have a special bond. One that breaks down all walls and sense of shyness as soon as that stranger sitting beside you on the bus pulls out some yarn. It’s one of the reasons I love my hobby so much.
Within about 2 seconds of arriving in the door last night and introducing myself, I had a cup of blackcurrant tea in my hands, and was wittering on about the new Debbie Bliss yarns that are in. (Which are, by the way, amazing when knitted up.)
As I walked around, squishing and fondling their stock, I resisted the urge to buy the yarn I plan on making a Clapotis from this summer. I stopped myself hovering by their shop mannequin, which was draped with the Noro Butterfly cardigan (another item on my to-knit list now).
I bypassed the Tofutsies, while a waiting classmate was sucked in by their softness and lovely colourways. I grinned as she made jokes about not being able to leave it behind, despite telling herself that she was not going to buy more yarn this week.
She handed over her credit card, while I quietly added a ball of soft apple coloured baby cashmerino to my little pile on the counter. It will make a baby hat, I justified to myself, and a late present for OH’s sister.
Yeah, that’s it. Presents. Yarn can always be justified if it’s being used to make presents for other people. See, I’m not a yarn ho. I’m a kind and giving person….
I went back to the Opal again, but didn’t add another ball to the growing pile, as I remembered my small splurge on Tuesday (was that only on Tuesday? I could have sworn..) Suddenly, karma bit me on the ass for laughing at Tofutsies girl.
Two words.
Shepherd sock.
How I didn’t strip down and roll around the floor in it, I’ll never know.
It is some of the most delicious yarn ever. Ever.
Next minute, I’m sitting on a bean bag, more tea in hand, and there seems to be a shopping bag beside me. Further examination reveals the 2 addi’s, the ball of Opal, my nice creen cashmerino and 2 skeins of shepherd sock in Mountain Creek! Another poke and I find some of this:
10% discount? I’ll take it in yarn, apparently!!!
So on to the knitting.
The casting on took me more time than any cast on in my life, as the funny yarn-related stories had already started, and I kept laughing til I lost count.
Magic loop rocks my socks.
Literally.
It makes perfect sense to my brain and fingers, which dpns never did.
After a few minutes of being all thumbs, I cast on again, for my first sock, with plenty of encouragement from our noble leaders. By the time the class wrapped up, I had finished the ribbing. I broke out the needles again on the bus home, and knitted away as easily as if I had 2 straight needles. At this rate, I’ll have something actually resembling a sock and not just a sweat band by the time I break out the camera again!
No more porcupine wrestling for me.
No siree Bob.
