Yarnstores, Italian Style

Going on vacations requires a lot of planning. Even when you try not to plan, you end up planning. The eating, the where to sleep, the what to see, the what the heck is that building over there?, demands some planning. Adding a baby, and a car to the mix, requires a wedding planner like demeanor, frost in the face of flames. One might think that with all of this planning, I might have forgotten about yarn. I did. That is, I did until I missed an opportunity to visit a cashmere goat farm. It would have been beautiful, goats for the baby and husband, cashmere for me. I not quite over it. That small planning failure ensured yarn vigilance for the rest of the trip. I managed to hit up five yarn stores. Here's the line up.


I put an example of each yarn in this bowl just to take photos, but I'm thinking of leaving it out on the dinner table. We'll see how long it takes the man of the house to notice that the fruit has been replaced. He has a very high tolerance for fiber. I'm guessing it will take a week or so. Looking at this lovely bowl of yarn has given me many ideas. I've already dreamed up new lives for all of my lovelies. Here, I'll show you.


This is a softy cabled cashmere tam, possible "Rose Red" or "Gretel".



This is a sturdy hemp and cotton shopping bag with a garter stitch bottom.



This is a breezy summer lace scarf, something vaguely nautical in a very simple lace pattern. This yarn is without a tag, but I'm sure it's navy and white cotton with two different strands in green viscose.


This is a soft wool and cashmere sweater with 3/4 length sleeves and a leaf motif, possibly "Eastlake", possibly "Climbing Vines Pullover".



This is an alpaca and wool blend. It's a little shy at the moment. I think it wants to be something with aran cables.


This yarn knows exactly what it wants to be. It is a moorit sort of brown. There's a hint of red in it. The halo is saintly. It will be "Mary Jane" from the "Twist Collective" winter 2008. The yarn and the pattern are soul mates, destined to meet on my needles.