Acquisitions

The other day I was headed to get my car washed and discovered that the Ben Franklin Habitat (ha, Franklin Habit-at, haha) store was plastered in "going out of business" signs.  You know I absolutely need nothing from a Ben Franklin type of a store, even if it's hugely on sale, and in fact I've been working hard to unload crap at the Goodwill, but of course curiosity got the better of me.  Because I don't read the papers much, I never know what's going on around me -- it's better that way, trust me -- so I have no idea how long this has been going on, but probably not too long, because though there were some completely empty aisles (I suspect certain departments such as the fabric was job-lotted out somewhere), there was still a lot of stuff left, and the discounts were only 20% off for 99% of it, with a sign that said 40% off books, but there weren't enough left to even bother looking.  And it was not hugely busy, either, just FYI.

Anyhoo, I was tempted to pick up some Cascade 220 superwash in various reds, (they had quite a few) and had some in my hands, but decided that at 20% off, they weren't worth it and put them back. I've always felt 220 Superwash is overpriced, (though it is a nice superwash, I'm just not that big a superwash girl)  and even at 20% off... well, meh.  Instead, I bought regular Cascade 220 in a great brick heather kind of a color.  

Great color, less expensive than the superwash, and though it's not machine washable and maybe a teeny tad less soft, still it'll be nicer and more fun to knit, I think.  Of course it's destined to be another Red Scarf, but that heathery color is going to be so fab I might want to keep it myself.  I am so bad like that.

When Diane H. was visiting a couple months ago, we shopped in Montpelier, and I fell in love with the shop model of this:

This picture does NOTHING for this wrap, I'll tell you.  The shop model is done narrower, with only two buttons, and in a tan color that is 

♪ a-MAZE ♪-innnnng!! ♫.  

 And the yarn is so soft and elegant and drapey, I'm tellin' ya - it's gorgeous!  I tried it on and it looked tres chic and elegant, but I decided I wanted to make it a bit longer (also the narrow version) and omit the buttons, wearing it with a black shawl pin that I also bought at the time.  I had to order the yarn, and it arrived just in time for my birthday (what luck!), and also just in time for the arrival of this stunning wooden shawl stick from My Margene.

I can't wait to wear this.  But of course I'll have to knit it first. Not sure when that will occur, but every time I walk by the yarn, I yearn to knit it, so that's got to be a good sign. The pattern, by the way, can be purchased here.

When I was in Utah last spring, you may remember I bought this wonderful turquoise necklace.  I've been searching ever since for the right earrings to go with, and I was almost ready to give up.  I couldn't find the right disk-shaped pieces of turquoise, the right casual feel, in any turquoise earrings.  Then one night I decided to see what I could find on Etsy.

Hot damn. The color is not quite the same, but they wear very well together.  The only thing that would make these better is if they had matching, but not too matchy, little pieces of those red coral chips dangling off of them.  

I luv these so much I'm hardly even annoyed at all by the liberal use of the twee word "luv" in all of the seller's notes and stuff.

Comments

[Ingrid]

o.k. what is it? a wrap, a shawl or ?
Am very intrigued with it, where can I find the pattern?

[Joansie]

LOL, you must really like that pattern as you admired it when I was with you at KYarns. I have that pattern also and it is qued on my list of things to knit. Not much of a sale at Creative Habitat. You can buy the yarn online at Webs and get a better discount (with minimum purchase, but then that is not hard to do). I went to the sale 3 days after it started and I was not impressed at all.

[gayle]

Is that ribbing I see? And are you practicing your Continental in preparation?
Beautiful wrap!

[AnnaMarie]

Love the pattern, who's is it? Luv me *g*

[Carole]

You have some great new acquisitions. I said acquisitions. Must be a librarian thing.

[margene]

The earrings look perfect! Don't you luv serendipitous shopping finds?

[Carrie]

I bet if you really wanted the coral drops, you could email the seller that picture and ask her to add them to your earrings. (I don't think they need them, myself.)

[marianne]

Gorgeous find and score on those earrings! I always luv your taste in adornments.
I've never seen a Ben Franklin store, I don't think they live in our neck of the woods and apparently they won't in yours either.
Fabulous shawl/wrap thingie, those cables are just yummy! ditto for the colour of the llama/silk!

[Cheryl S.]

Mmmmm - Llama silk? I'm sure that will be wonderful.
I think the Cascade 220 I'm using for the red scarf is working up wonderfully, and feels nice.

[Cookie]

Lovely earrings. I agree with Carrie, btw.

The closest Ben Franklin is an hour away. Yeah, never been there. /sigh

I can't wait to see how that pattern knits up.

[Vicki]

Our Ben Franklin went out at least a year ago. I hardly ever went. I don't think they ever had Cascade. But I could be wrong because, you know, I hardly ever went.

I can't believe you posted that wrap with no pattern info - no name, no link, no NOTHIN'. Where's the LUV???

[elizabeth a airhart]

i am just happy to be here tonight

[knitnana]

Oh Norma! That's too funny! I have that very pattern in a different colorway of that very yarn - and purchased at a Middlebury VT yarn shop!!! My big sister was visiting family summer before last, and went into the store, showed the owner my blog and together they picked out that pattern and the llama silk in a rosey terra cotta. Now my sis will be delighted to hear that I am compelled to make this since you will be, too! (I'm including the link to my Xmas post http://knitnana.blogspot.com/2007/12/my-big-family-christmas.html)

[knitnana]

Oops! It must have been the same shop - my post reads "Montpelier!"
lolol
Now that is too weird - I live in Virginia.

[Jan]

I'll bet that wrap is a stunner a little narrower. Is a narrow version included in the pattern or will that be a personal modification?
And the earrings...!! I just lost a turquoise earring that *matched* my necklace on Saturday night. I think I'll head over to Etsy to see if I can find some others that might complement the necklace as well as the originals. Thanks for the reminder...I always forget about Etsy for jewelry.