so many yarn stores... so little time

I am not a member of the LJ group NoYarnForAYear, nor of the group KnitFromYourStash. Nope. I am a card-carrying member of the MHASFEYSIS (Must Have a Skein From Every Yarn Store I See) group. I'm not proud of it, but I accept that I am powerless over the lure of the Local Yarn Store. One skein of pretty yarn can just about make my whole week...or month...

Consequently, my sister has been taking me around to all the LYS in her area. She understands that yarn reduces pain and helps me heal from my surgery... I think I have been to six yarn stores while here. I've needed it. It's my extra-strength Tylenol w Codeine. And besides, I'm celebrating my belated birthday, right?

Yesterday I bought two little balls of yarn called "Star" for making socks. It has elastic in it so the socks stay up. Each ball of yarn was only $6. The other day I got a beautiful skein of Kid Seta (silk and mohair) in a sunset gold. And I think I may have told you that I found a little round whicker basket of Habu yarns in the second store we went to... Habu is more expensive, but I did allow myself to buy a tiny skein of thier nubby silk yarn for a very narrow scarf. Jules also gave me more birthday presents last night: the Light Up Knitting needles!! Size 9 and they are purple! I love them and they look like a light saber! And some stationery that she had an artist friend of hers design especially for me!

I am just about finished with the top-down raglan black T-neck with 3/4 sleeves that I'm making for her. I have 3 inches on the end of one sleeve to do and then it will be done! That’s a good thing because I'm leaving tomorrow! I used Debbie Bliss Cashmerino Aran because the MagKnits (www.magknits.com) pattern called for an Aran Weight yarn, but really, you could use any yarn with this pattern. It’s super easy. It took me a longtime because my sister is tall and willowy, so I had to add 4 inches to the torso length. Now it looks fabulous on her.

My sister is an artist and she has a show up in a cafe gallery right now. So we are going to go there to view her show. After that, I'll be flying home.
Oh, and I bought Cooking Mama Wii as a hostess gift for her and her boyfriend yesterday. It's just as fun as the DS version! I'll miss that Wii. Wii baseball, and Wii bowling.... I wonder if they'll ever come out with Wii knitting????

a cold and sullen winter

Tomorrow is going to be a Big Snow Storm for the whole state. I’ve already stated my intention of staying home from work if the storm is particularly fierce and, in preparation, have been to the yarn store to pick up just one more skein of yarn. It would be very difficult if – in the middle of a Big Snow Storm – I ran out of yarn and I had to wait until Saturday to get it.

I put down my green linen shrug momentarily to start the little Anthropologie-inspired sweater and am now almost finished knitting it. I would be finished, except that I can never leave a good pattern alone and have now decided to make it longer and give it ¾-length sleeves. Its very beautiful, and I think I’ll make another one in Coral. I so wish I could show you a photo…but I probably won’t get my computer fixed until April at least.

It is cold. But why do I call it sullen? Because it hangs around slouchingly with its hands in its pockets and Just. Will. Not. Leave. Even though it's obvious by now that Winter is not at all interested in any kind of fruitful relationship. Winter, take your sullen self off and let Spring make its offers now.