Temptations of Yarn

This is a re-post and update of my obsession with yarn.  I can't tell you how happy i get on yarn delivery days or when I get a large haul of yarn from a craft store.

Most weekends I'm harassing one or the other of my siblings to take me to a craft store.  If you want to get me a gift of late, a gift card to any Michaels/Joann Fabrics (which is soon to open at a mall near me, I will be broke)/AC Moore will be greatly appreciated! My sister made the mistake (or thoughtful gesture) of taking me to Hobby Lobby...it opened new doors and options for my crochet creations. I was in crafting heaven!

As always I left with a giant bag of yarn and other sundries from the other departments like beading, doll stands, dowels, etc.  While I liked the selection of yarns there, I think I'll stick to Michael's or my internet stores (Knitting Warehouse and Nordic Mart) for the brands that I've really become accustomed to using, but Hobby Lobby did offer some brands I hadn't seen before and gave me all sorts of ideas for new projects for myself and that might interest others. The photo below is of the haul I brought home that day:

Two of the skeins in that grouping, the lime green and white were to finish up a baby hat and sock set that I was making for someone for a baby shower. I had run out of the yarn and had to pick up some more. But then of course got sidetracked by all the other great yarns around them.  This is the Limelight Simply Soft baby hat and sock set I made and there was an additional set I had already finished in a baby coordinate yarn.

The sparkly yarn was soooo tempting and I had to restrain myself to just the 3 skeins, because they had so many different colors. That's definitely one I'll be going back to get. I had thoughts of princess dresses for my dolls or a shrug. I did make a doll dress for my ballerina doll Sasha and I STILL have that blue and I'm thinking it will make a great baby mermaid tail sleep sack/photo prop. 


Any crafting person knows that when you go into a store with a wide selection of yarns and no particular project in mind-it can be dangerous to your wallet!

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I did have a couple ideas when I went in though.  I have been noticing lots of friends and friends of friends are having babies this year.  Even people I don't know are looking for handmade gifts to give, but most of the time they don't know the sex of the baby.  So I've been trying to stock neutral colors or work on items that can be for either a boy or girl.  Sometimes a color really just strikes me and I hope that the person requesting the item really likes it as much as I do.  That's what happened with the yarns below. I just loved the vibrancy of the multicolored yarn and saw it working really well in a mitered square (two straight edges joined at a 45° angle) blanket. Then I found myself picking out some of the individual colors within to pair possible hats and socks and toys to the blanket in complimentary colors. That project will be coming in the near future, so check back. 
I hope it looks as great as it does in my head! :-}

The last two skeins in the grouping were for another project I had been thinking of making.  My rattle rabbits have been a pretty popular baby shower gift.  But this trip, after eyeing some of the more expensive and lush yarn that was offered. I decided that a lamb would be a great baby toy. The yarn I chose ...I wish you could feel that white yarn. before I had even finished the project i had a request for the finished product and it was well received and loved.  

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I'm likely to post more pics of the hauls that I bring home from the craft store or the dollar store. Oh, there is always some idea lurking when I step in to get just 1 skein or 20 and I'm not likely to stop just yet. And online shopping has just made it worse.


My next entry will be about how I got a handle on all those unopened bags over there!

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