Monday, December 31, 2007

Good Deals

If you've ever looked for yarn at thrift shops then you've probably seen the BIG BAG OF ACRYLIC:



There is an astonishing 17 skeins of acrylic stuffed in that bag -- not the quality kind. But this is why I turn the bags over and take a good look:



Hidden at the bottom is a 100 g skein of sock yarn, enough for a pair of socks, and two skeins of Lamb's Pride worsted.

I paid $5 for the bag. The three skeins I'm keeping would've added up to $29 if purchased at the LYS. Good deal!

Of course it's only a good deal if I'll actually use the yarn. Lately it seems all I find at thrift shops is acrylic, so I steady myself when I find wool and seriously think about how it could be used. Don't buy it just because it's there! I have no problem walking away from nice yarn at the Goodwill if it doesn't seem like something I'd use, and hopefully it makes another knitter really happy.

What to do with all the acrylic? My mom gets first dibs for her school's craft projects and the rest is given to a priest who collects yarn for a prison knitting program.

Bonus: The sock yarn* matches my sweet kitty Sophie. :)



*my guess is Trekking, let me know if you recognize it as something else

Friday, December 28, 2007

A Very Zimmermann Christmas

Santa was incredibly generous with the knitting content this year:



The DVDs are Cardigan Details, Knitting Around, and A Knitting Glossary. I already know Knitting Glossary is fantastic (borrowed the video edition from the library a few times) but I haven't seen the other two yet, I expect I'm in for a major treat.

Right now I'm finishing up a pair of socks for myself, and my next project will be something from a Zimmermann book -- I'm inspired!

Thursday, December 20, 2007

Look, I knit washclo...zzzzzzzzzz

I felt uninspired and dull this year, so this is the default 2007 Christmas gift for family members:



(Lame, I know.) The orange and black washcloths are for Dad, he's happy with anything in OSU colors.

I'm making colorful soap as well, so they'll all be sure to have a clean and scrubby 2008. Some of them are receiving homemade strawberry jelly, which is one of my family's favorite things. Hey, they can eat jelly, get sticky, and use their new soap and cloths to wash up.

I'll post a photo of the special present I knit for Mom later -- after I open my new camera on Christmas. :)