I don’t need more yarn. Seriously, I know this better than anyone. And yet, Yarn Crawl has been on my calendar for months, because, it’s an occasion! I can’t skip a once-a-year occasion! So today I hit up Wildfiber and Compatto. Almost $200 later, I have four new skeins of yarn, one new book, and an adorable ceramic cat dish.
Twisted Owl yarn and ceramic cat dish from Wildfiber
The full haul from Compatto: Stephen West’s new book, one skein of Baah’s Aspen, and two skeins of Illimani.
$200 is nothing to sneeze at, so I really should stop now, but I can’t quit until I hit my fave store, The Knitting Tree, which I hope to visit tomorrow. But then that’s it, I swear.
The SoCal Yarn Crawl was a couple of weeks ago, and while I had a grand time in just one day (March 27), I spent a FORTUNE and am totally not allowed to buy yarn again for awhile. And seriously, I only visited four stores!
My first stop was Compatto, which is very near me and yet, I’d never been to it. It’s a compact store with plenty of light, and some wonderful yarns, but I must say, it’s a little expensive for my budget, and will have to remain a special occasion store for me. Most especially, I can’t allow myself to be in the vicinity of their amazing selection of Red Barn Yarn Llama Sparkle. Holy geez, I want to be buried with this yarn! Soft and sparkly and hand-dyed–simply gorgeous. And easily the most I’ve ever spent on a single skein of yarn (let’s just say it was north of $40). But seriously, could you have resisted this amazing marshmallow-y awesomeness? Red Barn Yarn Llama Sparkle in Anemone
My next stop was my favorite local store, The Knitting Tree. I love this place because it’s wonderfully busy and still cozy, and the staff are totally low-pressure. Of course, once I got there, I saw the Yarnover Truck in the parking lot, so I had to stop in there first, as it was another new-to-me experience.
The Yarnover Truck
Despite the heat of the day, they had enough fans going to keep the inside quite comfortable, and I spent a lot of time looking for the perfect yarn for my Sophie’s Universe–and I found it, in Baah!’s La Jolla line. But of course, I was in yarn crawl mode, so the price, while it would’ve freaked me out any other time, did not stop me from buying four skeins in gorgeously bright colors.
Four La Jolla skeins (the bright ones) and one Anzula Cricket (the left one)
So bright and beautiful, how could I resist? I also had to get that Anzula Cricket, a super-soft cashmere/merino blend, that I know will make something nice for my sister–she loves those types of colors.
Then I headed into The Knitting Tree. I’d been in there just a week earlier, so I technically didn’t really *need* anything, but for Yarn Crawl weekend, I like to buy something from every store I visit, and what do you, they *also* carried Baah! yarns. So I picked up a lighter pink skein and a more solid green one to add to my Sophie colors.
La Jolla in pink and green.
And that was all I had time for that weekend. But once I started my Sophie (that night), I realized it was going to need some lighter colors to offer some relief from the bright. I spent that Saturday working on my taxes, but Sunday, I stopped at an LYS on my way to a party. A Major Knitwork did not have any La Jolla in the colors I was looking for, but I found some nice substitutes that I thought would mix well (and at half the price!), so I picked up these lovely off-white and light-green skeins.
Frog Tree Pediboo
Cascade Yarns Heritage Sock in soft lime
And so far, they’re working out quite nicely with the La Jolla colors. All told, I spent a bit more than $300, on just eight skeins of yarn. Yikes. No more yarn spending for awhile, for shizzle.
But to end on a high note, here’s the most recent pic of my Sophie:
Sophie’s Universe, as of 4/13/15. I’m actually a little further along now, but I have tendonitis and have had to stop crocheting and knitting for awhile.
Sophie’s Universe is a mystery crochet-along, although I’m so far behind now, it’s no longer a mystery. See for yourself!
So that was my yarn crawl weekend. I would’ve loved to have hit up a few more stores, but to be honest, I’m not sure I could’ve afforded it. 🙂
