Just a few more yarn photos.

After perusing the Market for Something Special But I Don’t Know What For Exactly, I fell head-over-heels for RainCity Fiber Arts’s colors!  Specifically, this rich mix of greens (okay, I admit I had green on my mind that day) – which I bought in two fiber types (Skagit Sock 100% SW BFL and Vashon Sock 50% SW Merino/50% Silk).  And this explosion of saltwater greens & blues (in Vashon Sock).  I bought 2 skeins of each – 6 total for 2624 yards of gorgeous-ness!  So many possibilities! (note:  SW = Super Wash and BFL = Blue-Faced Leicester – which is a sheep)

In the Market world of colored and multi-colored yarn, the booth of Toots Le Blanc & Co. shone like a bright, cool star – all those lovely neutral yarns in wools and blends (mohairs, angoras, alpacas…).  Ranging from near-white to charcoal.  Whispering to be knit up into cables and laces.  Oh, what could I do with some lovely neutral yarn?!  Suddenly, I had a vision of myself at the Oregon Coast this summer in the bracing chill wind with a woolen neck-shoulder-y garment knit in shell colors in some kind of cable that resembles shells.  It was, I confess, rather a vague vision.  But the yarn part was clear!  Sooooo, here is the Blue-Faced Leicester/Alpaca/Angora  in Fawn (the lighter yarn) and 50/50 Jacob Alpaca in Light Rose Grey.  Mmmm. 

Since I was planning a garment that would cuddle in close on my neck, I wanted to be sure the yarn would not be scratchy – so I spent a long time holding up different yarn skeins under my chin and staring off into space.  I kind of kept waiting to be told to please vacate the booth!  But she is way too nice for that!  I love yarn people!  She even told me the correct way to pronounce Leicester when I asked. “Lester” which is much simple and nicer-sounding than “lice-eye-sester” – which is how I was pronouncing it for some unaccountable reason.

And as for the lovely gift from my super-special husband?  These designer glass circular needles.  So, beautiful!  Have a size 5 and a size 9 – and I love them!  Now, I have a very useful size 7.  They are made by Sheila & Michael Ernst.

Here are websites for the companies & individuals I have mentioned. 

Stephanie Pearl-McPhee’s blog: http://www.yarnharlot.ca/blog/

Franklin Habit’s blog: http://the-panopticon.blogspot.com/

Sheila & Michael Ernst (glass needles): http://www.glasspens.com/

Toots Le Blanc & Co. (yarn): http://www.tootsleblanc.com/

Rain City Fiber Arts (yarn): http://www.raincityfiberarts.com/

Abstract Fiber (yarn & mawata): http://www.abstractfiber.com/

Dicentra Designs (mawata): http://home.earthlink.net/~dicentra/

Ilisha Helfman (Jazzknitting): http://www.followthethread.com/

Blue Moon Fiber Arts (yarn, mawata, patterns): http://www.bluemoonfiberarts.com/newmoon/