Yes, it was that good!!  I'm going to need at least 2, maybe 3 posts to get it all in.

Episode 1:  In which our knitter is approached over her coffee and ends up with a bunch of cool yarn

Sometime back in January or early February, I was knitting at The Greener Bean and a woman came up to me to talk about yarn — specifically, her mother's yarn.  Long story short, she had her mother's stash and was wondering if I would be interested in looking it over and perhaps buying some of it.  Sure!  I gave her my contact info — and that was that until about a week ago when she called and asked if I were still interested.  Sure!  So I went to her house and all the yarn — and books, needles, patterns, etc. — of an accomplished knitter was set out in boxes.  "Look through them, set aside anything you want — and then tell me what you would be willing to pay for it."

The "looking through them" part was a rare treat in itself!  Absolutely fascinating to see what this knitter — who, according to her daughter, had "knit sweaters for everyone!" — had accumulated over the years.  I poked around among the books (some of which I own and many I had never seen) and patterns (did not really let myself get started on those, tho! as I was determined to focus on yarn) and smiled at the needles (so many old circs!).  I spent a good while looking through the yarn. 

There were the odd balls left over after projects were done, as well as the sets of matching skeins for sweaters that never got knit.  I decided on one of those sets — a glorious purple Filatura Di Crosa Primo Antarctic Wool Superwash (13 balls).  I also chose a heathered purple Canadian wool (5 large skeins).  And 2 fat skeins of Harris wool (tweedy gray) from Scotland.

The really, really cool find, tho, was 3 sweater kits from Scotland.  Each one with enough skeins of heathered wool for a sweater — with knitting instructions and a Fair Isle yoke already knit up!  One could make it a pullover or cardigan (with the yoke opening in the back or front, accordingly) and there is even a fabric clothing tag to sew in upon completion!  Fabulous!  I do not know what I will do with the kits — I would love to use the yarn, of course. And the Fair Isle yokes?  Maybe frame and display them?  They are beautifully done — and the stitches at the top are live and held on a waste yarn!  Makes me all mushy inside.