a filled bag and pumpkin coloured corn
Plan: Finish borders on tumbler quilt
Reality: 2 1/2 hour morning tea with a lovely friend followed by trek to fabric superstore.
Outcome: 43 pairs of bamboo knitting needles for $2 (that’s right dear readers - 0.04 cents per pair), some soft lilac gingham for a eleanor style apron (sense and sensibility here I come) and the most amazing bit (yeah, like 43 pairs of bamboo knitting needles for $2 wasn’t amazing enough!) - beautiful pumpkin coloured yarn spun from CORN HUSKS!
What a day! So here’s the needles …
… it was extraordinary - I visited my not-so-local-but-nearest-one-Spotlight to find me some lilac gingham and discovered that they had completely refitted the shop. Instead of looking like a chaotic mess of goods no one really cares about, everything was beautifully arranged in custom built shelves and displays. I was truly moved! It was so precise and lovely, I just had to browse and when I found yarn made from corn husks, that was just too wonderful to pass up.
You see, here in Australia, we have many vandals - oops, I mean farmers - that persist in growing cotton. That’s right! Growing cotton in the most arid continent on the planet. That just boils my goat! So when I see something like 100% corn husk being sensibly spun into a beautiful yarn, it is my moral duty to support such an endeavour.
Now I only bought one ball ’cause I wasn’t sure what I would do with it, so I sat thee down this evening to indulge in a little Poirot and knitted another washcloth. I love knitting washcloths - they are my cup of tea - small, quick, no shaping, and one can be a little creative! And it’s made from a corn husk - that’s just so cool!
I gave it a simple seed stitch border, and then knitted a cow into the body - moo! Hopefully tomorrow when I block it, the cow will be a little more obvious. I still have yarn left - maybe a smaller washer with a pumpkin?
For more on the joy that is corn husk yarn, there’s a cheerful review over at knitter’s review . I found everything she said to be reasonably accurate - except that I was incapable of piercing the tape with my blunt bamboo needle - and I’m usually really good at splitting the yarn. Nor did I find that it twisted regularly - mine stayed flat 90% of the time. Oh and mine was only $4 per ball as opposed to $8 but there may have been a size difference. It is light and easy and forms smooth, even stitches and has much more stretch than cotton and much less stodginess. I shall buy some more and make a crew necked top for summer - and I’m wondering how durable it would be for crocheting up some string bags? Only one way to find out!
Now all I have to discover is how to make my casting on look as beautifully neat and smooth and firm as my casting off.
See - hubbly-jubbly casting off …
hanky-manky casting on …
If you know a better way, do drop me a line!
p.s. I forgot! The needles - there were thousands of pairs of knitting needles in a bin near the front door - most of them were ugly glittery plastic things or drab gray metal, but in amongst were these lovely bamboo needles in all sizes. A shop assistant handed me a plastic bag and said “Fill a bag love for $2! Everything here’s going to the bin this afternoon so you might as well take what you want!”
Good golly miss molly! I began stuffing those bamboo needles into my designated bag - no one else was showing any interest. Initially it was all very thrilling, but after 15 minutes rummaging and a 2/3s full bag, it seemed almost grotesquely greedy. So I paid my $2 and left the rest for someone else who will hopefully be just as excited to see bamboo knitting needles as I - at least, I hope they got there before the store threw them in the bin! So wasteful!
What will I do with 43 pairs of knitting needles. Hmmmm … don’t know. Julian asked his standard question when something new comes into the house - “Are they beautiful and or useful?” ”Certainly!” I robustly retorted! ”All 43 pairs?” he queried.
Perhaps there will be some lovely fillled knitting needle cases finding their way into stockings this Christmas.
22 August, 2008 at 2:23 pm
WOW!!! What a deal on the needles. Who wouldn’t love to find that deal. It is to bad all those needles went in the trash. What a waste.
22 August, 2008 at 2:26 pm
That is amazing! A knitters dream come true! That’s too bad they were throwing them away. They could have donated them. Your washcloth is lovely. Pretty colors.
22 August, 2008 at 2:31 pm
43 pairs of knitting needles! What a hoot! I would have been just as excited as you and I hardly knit! But I would have been buying them anyway for all the friends I have who do and just so I would have one in each size in case I decided to knit something! I love the idea of corn yarn! Great idea. Will have to see if I can purchase some.
Have a Blessed Day,
Diane
22 August, 2008 at 4:08 pm
Wow! You are so great! Tell me, if you like to sell me some of the knitting needles! That yarn looks so cute.
22 August, 2008 at 4:26 pm
Hee hee! I love this story! Makes me happy just thinking of stumbling on this kind of luck. It will become The Tale of the Forty-three Pairs of Knitting Needles. Such pretty yarn too. Oh happy day!
22 August, 2008 at 5:23 pm
That’s a great deal on the needles! What a bargain! And Julians remark made me LOL! That sounds like something Charles would say!!! Our poor sweeties :-)
22 August, 2008 at 9:58 pm
I am coming out of lurking to say how much I love your blog. I live very near a lot of the shops that you mention. I discovered the joy of the revamped superstore last week abd have been back twice since.
Anyway, I just wanted to say how much I enjoy your blog and your creativity.
Emma
23 August, 2008 at 5:20 am
Oh my, funny, funny and more funny. Back in the day (before knitting became so popular) I would go to the thrift stores and they would have scads and scads of needles for 10 cents a pair and I would snap them all up fast to make sure that no one would steal my deal…but you take the cake!! What a score! And what a darling cow!
23 August, 2008 at 7:25 am
Lucky duck on the needles and corn husk yarn!
Isn’t it wonderful when things don’t go to plan?
smiles,
heidi
24 August, 2008 at 6:35 pm
WOW, what a bargin, i paid a small fortune for some bamboo needles, i can’t believe the lady was going to throw them away. Lucky you ! Lovely yarn too, i always knit into the back of my first row which gives a neater edge.
Sarah x
25 August, 2008 at 4:20 am
Lily!
I haven’t been able to visit you for days until now. Been hectic at my end.
WOW — you are such a talented lady. You are also a knitter. Never knew that about you! :) I love the colors.
Your tumbler quilt is coming along so nicely. I love the whimsical look of it.
Congrats on the sucess of your first patchwork class. I am sure you are just a darling teacher!
Take care!
25 August, 2008 at 10:22 pm
Ok that is just so cute. I love the cow in it!
28 August, 2008 at 9:14 am
I can’t believe you found a Spotlight that looked loved!! What a treat that would of been. 43 pairs of needles - there is no way I could of left them there either. I will have to look out for some of that yarn, it is gorgeous.
1 September, 2008 at 6:51 pm
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22 September, 2008 at 9:19 pm
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