December 10, 2007

I rock at buying stuff

The WEBS excursion weekend-before-last was a roaring success, as expected. I spent a total of $8 of my own money (thank you former coworkers!), and I bought very little completely unnecessary yarn.

All the other yarn was purchased with a specific upcoming project planned, so I get to feel smug AND financially responsible AND have a lot of pretty new yarn. Which is awesome.

Queensland3
Queensland Collection, Kathmandu DK (2 balls)

Kristy asked if I got any tweed…and of course I did. It was half price! And tweed!

This particular tweed is awfully pretty and soft, and I’m kind of wishing I bought a lot of it. In many different colors. But I only got two balls, with two specific Christmas projects in mind.

One project is almost done already, and I’d love to show it off, but it’s a secret. Well, less secret since I had to ask the recipient to measure her own head yesterday, but I’m still pretending she’ll be surprised.

Because no one would ever guess why a knitter would ask about their head measurements. Shut up.

Shibui1
Shibui Knits Sock (2 skeins). Couldn’t resist.

LottaBlue1
Debbie Bliss Alpaca Silk Aran (3 balls)

Destined to be a matching hat for my cabled scarf. Pictured here with some of my most recent Knitpicks yarn, the aforementioned cabled scarf and the Waving Lace sock I cast on last week. You can just see the Debbie Bliss in the upper left-hand corner. And yes, they are all basically the same color (but, uh, different textures and fibers and plies, so really not all that similar, right???).

Okay, it’s possible I’m somewhat obsessed.

Rounding out the WEBS extravaganza were a few not-terribly-exciting-but-perfect-for-gift-knitting balls of Regia sock yarn and a Dale of Norway pattern booklet for a completely impractical but quite lovely and knittable shawl. Plus, the back issue of KnitScene that includes the Central Park hoodie pattern.

I’m very, very pleased.

As if that wasn’t awesome enough, I’m also the proud owner of The Cutest Hat in the World. I did not knit this hat, nor did anyone I know, but Kelley did buy it as an early birthday gift while we were in Northampton because I was so smitten with it.

Cutesthat2

It's toasty warm, fits perfectly, doesn’t mash my hair and is entirely adorable. Thanks, lady!

And it couldn’t have come at a better time because the weather has been complete ass around here. Take today’s weather forecast: Periods of freezing drizzle...a chance of freezing rain and sleet this morning...then a chance of sleet... Rain...freezing rain with a slight chance of snow this afternoon.

Ah, New England. Sleet this morning, followed by a chance of sleet. And don't you love how the forecast covers all the bases? Sleet, freezing rain, snow AND regular rain all possible at some point. I expect they wanted to throw in "rain of toads" and "record-shattering heat wave" just to make 100% certain they didn't miss anything.

I grew up in places with civilized weather (either rain or snow, not this foul mix of both), so could someone please explain the difference between freezing rain and sleet?

I’d really like to know, because when I have my annual winter wipe out on an unshovelled, unsalted icy sidewalk, it will be very nice to know whether to blame freezing drizzle followed by freezing rain, or sleet followed by sleet. Sigh.

There is something redeeming about all this lousy weather, though.

Knitting wooly socks seemed a little silly when it was warm out. Now my toasty warm feet tell me I'm actually a SUPER GENIUS with excellent advance planning skills.

9 comments:

Olga said...

You can't have the rain of toads, we have them down here in Texas. I don't want sleet either, but I would love to have a measure of predictability. But today it was in the 40s. And tomorrow it's going to be in the 70s. I am living out of boxes, because I can't put my summer stuff away yet need my winter things too.

OK, done complaining. Cute hat!

Karen said...

Sleet . . . freezing rain . . . ice from the sky. It's all the same to me. It all is equally as sucky. Is it spring yet???

At least you have all that beautiful yarn to keep you busy when you are stuck inside because the sleet followed by freezing drizzle followed by sleet has frozen your door shut!!

Siercia said...


Here's the difference.


Not that it matters, since they're both nasty.

Deb said...

Very cute hat. Those are always the best sorts of gifts. A surprise, but still something you know you'll love. The yarn is gorgous. I love that Kathmandu, and I must own some of the Shibui. Very good shopping!

Kristy said...

I know what you mean. I knit all the time, obsessively, but now it has more urgency: I NEED this to keep WARM!

It sounds like you had a great trip to Webs. Beautiful yarn, and feeling good at the end of it :)

Macoco said...

You crack me up in so many ways. It's all crap from the sky as far as I'm concerned. I have taken to carrying a container of sidewalk salt with me so I can salt the sidewalks of the douchebags that don't maintain their sidewalks. My friend referred to me as an old lady wannabe.

That is an awesome hat.

Jenny said...

I've already bought the yarn with which I am going to make a replica of that gorgeous hat.

Yeah, and I remember getting a Big Wheel for Christmas when I was 7, and getting to ride it that day on our driveway in pants and a t-shirt. Ah, the west coast, how I miss you so on days of sleet and freezing rain...

Tomorrow? We're gonna knit? and bake? and drink? and knit? and bake? and drink? It's gonna be awesome.

Anonymous said...

Happy, Happy Birthday!!!!!!! I wish you a year full of pretty yarn, cozy socks, and little frogging.

Rebecca said...

Love your hat! and all your new yarn.