bit of knitting :: bit of shopping

Ahhh now, I’ll let you in on a secret.  I’m completely besotted with knitting at the moment.  Thanks to the Tangled Yarn and Ravelry, I have been accumulating stash and patterns like there’s no tomorrow.  I have PILES of wool near every comfy sitting spot in the house, and of course, knitting in the take-along bag.  On the needles are crowns and dolls and a sweater for Julian and more handwarmers for Abby and handwarmers for Carolann and lace and a poncho for Abby.  I’m longing to start a cardie for me - but am resisting the pull - and settling instead for this …

… knitted in this, that is.  It’s my first play with kettle dyed Malabrigo merino and it’s so very beautiful and soft.  It’s very hard to photograph my quickly-knitting-up-shawl ’cause it’s on a circular needle and just looks - well, lumpy.  So it will be a few more days.

But I have buttons for it.

See?  The sales assistant was a BIT dismissive about buttons for my shawl.  In fact, she was a tad incredulous and then a tad patronising.  Hmph!  She’s just lacking in imagination.

Or maybe we had ticked her off because Abby had bought just 20cm of a gorgeous Australian mohair.  And I was going to buy some glorious brown wool for a skirt - and then put it back.  I did, however, buy $36 worth of buttons.  I don’t really know how - sounds ridiculous, but I did.

Abby has already put her mohair to good use - some for the ghostly girl …

… and some for her.

And I bought patterns - Vogue patterns on sale for $12 each!  Goodness!  I haven’t bought a Vogue pattern in YEARS ’cause they are so expensive.  I have hopes that there will be some dressmaking on the weekend.  Hopefully.

I also bought this …

… so’s I could adapt this …

… into a sleeping bag.  I have searched and searched and searched - I wanted a sleeping bag that had a lovely simple bag bottom with a plain yoke for buttoning.  Perfect … now I have to head back to the wool store to buy more wool. :-)  And I bought it from Harry - who was singing James Blunt in the back of the store whilst reshelving children’s books and then had a fascinating conversation with me at the counter about babies’ skeletons - do you know, they don’t grow knee caps until they are between 2 and 5 years old.  Harry is studying radiology and he loves babies.  I pointed him out to Abby - discretely of course - I said, “Abby when you are older and searching for a nice fellow to bring home - bring a Harry.  He sings, likes babies, knows about knitting, can recommend a good novel and is studying radiology.”  Honestly, what more could you want :-0