The Haul

 For weeks before the the Knitters Fair, I kept asking myself, if I really needed to go this year.  After all, I have a room full of un-knit yarn, with enough queued projects to outlast my fingers.  Did I really need more yarn?  More patterns?  Turns out I did.

Here is the 'haul'.

 

Two sets of buttons.   Deer Antler buttons from AB Originals (sorry no website found)  for Moose Eh! 

 

And hand-carved, wooden buttons from The Woodlot, for my Chunky Asymmetrical Cardigan.

Two sweaters each just missing  buttons to claim their spot in my F.O. file.

Still wondering what I might buy at the Fair, Friday night, I had a 'sign'.  I came across a new pattern by Tanis Fibre Arts.  I loved it.  A simple, top-down, V-neck cardigan with graduated colouring.   Knit with two strands of lace weight yarn held together, the top portion is two strands of C#1, the centre portion one strand each of C#1 & 2 and the bottom third knit with two strands of C#2.  Of course, Tanis and her staff were all wearing this cardigan.  One in blue as on the pattern and one in the most gorgeous autumn tones.  But sadly,  for me to buy Tanis' yarns, the government would have to increase  CPP payments.   I purchased the pattern and went shopping.  I found this.

 

1400m of Filatura Di Crose, Centolavaggi, lace-weight wool at $10 per skein.  I purchased one extra skein, to give me enough to also knit the Geodisic Cardigan - a pattern patiently waiting in my queue.

 At the Passionknit's booth, Steven West's  Spectra caught my eye.  Worn by staff, and kitted up with one ball of Noro, one skein of Malabrigo Sock and the pattern, it was too gorgeous to resist.

 

At Shall We Knit? I spotted another gorgeous scarf on display.  Designed by one of the staff and with only one pattern remaining that a generous, ex-co-worker agreed I should have, how could I say "No?"  The picture on the pattern does not do this scarf justice.

 

It is crocheted, but in such a way that the stitch appears to be knit.  Can't wait to see if I can figure that out.

At this point, I thought I was done.  My empty purse said so.  But then I spotted  three skeins of green, Baby Alpaca Lace.

 

With the Geodisic Cardigan in mind,   I bought them faster than a long-tail cast-on. 

It wasn't until walking to the car, that I realized what I'd done.  A double whammy.  When Wilma saw the green Aplaca, she laughed and said " I have a skein of that at home you could have had."  Oh, yea!  Those d*&^%* green Alpaca lace shawls we struggled with a couple of years ago.  I do remember telling Wilma, after the shawl episode, that if I ever appeared ready to purchase lace-weight Alpaca again, to haul me away from the counter -by force, if necessary.    At about that moment in time, I remembered the extra skein of Centolavaggi I purchased for Geodisic.   Of course that was before lunch.  With tired feet and yarn-fume overdose, it's easy to forget those things.  Maybe I will love Geodisic so much I will want two.  That's my story at the moment and I'm sticking to it.

There was only one sour note to the entire day.  New Nan, like me, was captured by the lure of Steven West's Spectra on display at Passionknit’s booth.  She fondled & gazed, and gazed & fondled as knitters often do. Should I? Shouldn't I?  Do I have enough stash yarn?  Should I buy just pattern, or the kit?  Lost in thought with all those knitterly questions, she was caught off-guard when approached by store staff  who said 
 " I know what you are doing.  You are memorizing the pattern.  Move along."   Nan, was at once, both flabbergasted, flummoxed.  But one would have to think she must have also been flattered.  Imagine being brilliant enough to memorize a Steven West design in a few, fleeting moments?  Knitters speak with their pocket books.  Not a wise comment, Passionknit.

Otherwise, a wonderful day to feed the  knitterly addiction.