Infatuation

I have to admit that I have an obsession. When I see the object of my obsession, my pulse quickens and I have to take deep cleansing, yea-- even Lamaze-like, breaths to calm down. Other people feel this way when they see tropical fish, Spiderman, crystals, or even Teslar watches. I am obsessed with yarn.

There is a craft store with a large yarn department in a city I drive through on my way home from work. (Technically, it's in the city I drive through because the rest of the places are mere towns-- but I digress.) I have never been there, but it came to my attention that all yarn was 25% off this week so I decided to detour there this afternoon.

My first sign that I was falling under when I caught myself smiling after I located the large "YARN" sign behind the silk flower department. I quickly re-affixed my blase-shopper face, and hurried on.

How to explain the feeling upon first catching sight of all the rows of yarn? The feeling is akin to that of walking into a large bookstore-- it can be overwhelming trying to decide where to go first, but it's a delicious dilemma. There are so many textures to feel: the smoothness of silk, the soft fuzziness cashmere and mohair, the nap of suede (although, what does one knit with suede? A belt?), the warmth of the wool, the furry comfort of chenille. The colors are like a kaleidoscope. The russets, wines, and golds of autumn; the deep jewel tones; the bright summer blues and yellows; the yarns that are variegated so that they change from light mint green to deep emerald.

As I gathered my purchases to chest, a woman with an empty shopping cart passed by me and asked if I wanted to use it. She didn't understand that I couldn't cuddle with the yarn if it weren't in my arms.

For all that, I didn't leave with much. It is dangerous to just buy yarn on its own merits without having a use in mind because you might end up with too little and not be able to match what you have. But here it is:


Look at the sparkles in the black! Look at that red! This was all quite distracting to be sitting next to me on the drive home.

While we're on the subject of my knitting obsession, I have to give a hat update. The first picture makes it look almost done, but I want a turned-up cuff to double the thickness on my ears. (I am fragile in the cold wind.) The second picture does a better job of showing how far I am from being done.