Holiday YS!

sublime, originally uploaded by fitknit.

It was a bit like Spotty, but without the rude service. My quest to visit a LYS while on our holiday took us to a quaint, little village. The advertisement had read 'largest range' so I was keen to get there.

I soon discovered how they made that claim. If you ever have need for Magnum acrylic from the 1970s shade card, let me know. Lime green worked with brown and orange. An acquired taste in most circles, particularly if you've already lived through it once.

I've never seen so much Magnum, all lovingly displayed in family groups of colour. Actually, the families were so large they had second cousins visiting. I worked my way through the crocheted poncho display and onto the covered coat hangers and boottees.

By this stage I was hoping I hadn't dragged the family all this way simply to visit the resting place of 20th century yarn. Hang on...what was that? Right up the back in wooden stalls. Yarn. Sure, there was even more Magnum (who knew this much was ever spun?) but you must stock what you can sell.

There was also Bamboo, Jet, Country and Inca. Square wooden bays with an occasional piece of chipboard on the diagonal to split the colours. Did that look classy? No, I don't believe this train stopped at Taste Station. Yet, here was yarn, in the flesh, available for a squeeze.

Too many times I've chosed based on a 2cm sample and a few clicks of the mouse. I remember my fave yarn store in Melbourne. The entrance was more a hole in the wall rather than a door way. There was a narrow staircase leading down to what I always thought was the good stuff. Beautiful yanrs spun in Italy before it was fashionable. I can still recall making myself the most gorgeous jacket from a neutral yarn with a single red ply. Short rows formed the Mandarin collar. A single, leather button held the garter stitch creation together. Every where I wore this, I was asked where had it come from, did I really make it and was it difficult. I think I'd kill to find that pattern again.

Back to the yarn store. I check out the wooden stalls and discover 25% off all yarns. Then I spot the three tiered display of Sublime. Only a few shades left but I spin that sucker like a giant, calorie free cake stand with yarn dumplings as my cupcakes.

I did want a special yarn as a holiday souvenir and I'll certainly remember buying these little beauties. Do I know what I'll make? Not yet...but then, isn't that what Ravelry is for??