My Ten (Twelve) Favorite Yarns

This topic is like dangling a sizzling burger in front of the dieting knitter. 

I have been to the Yarn and Fiber Company on the way back from Vermont.  Only a HiyaHiya circ and a pattern left the store in my trembling, yarn-starved hands.

I have scanned each LoopyEwe update.  I have purchased naught.  All those yarn-dangling emails from Royal, Classic Elite, etc?  Deleted without consummation. 

Now, Carole asks us to slaver over our 10 favorite yarns.  Yeah.  I can do that.  But please keep in mind that my goal this year was to end the year with less yarn than I had on January 1st.  (I have knit ~700 yards so far.  Do you REALIZE how LITTLE that allows me to buy?)

1. Joseph Galler Pashmina cashmere - I knit a gift scarf using this yarn.  It was indescribable running through my fingers for a lace pattern.  It's desert island yarn.

2.  Smatterings sock yarn - I love what Judy does with color.  Her yarns are 400+ yards of pleasure.

3.  Woolen Rabbit lacewt - Any laceweight will do.  A hug in yarn form.  Color, texture, YUM.

4.  Briar Rose Sea Pearl - I owe you a picture of Swallowtail, finished.  This is exquisite yarn.  Her colors are subtle, and the changes are equally soft.

5.  any silk from Spirit Trail - Jennifer knows how to coax depth from silk.  Rhinebeck is torture trying to limit what I buy at her booth.

6.  Habu lace -  silk, stainless steel, wools, alpaca.  Totally unique and exquisite, just like Takako.

7.  Sweet Georgia - More beauty in color and texture.  Riptide.  Nighshade.  Plum.  Oh my.

8.  Karabella Boise -  Mr. E got a scarf in red.  I have two skeins in blue (sale yarn!).  I should not save them, should I?

9.  Cascade 220 - Lovely, reliable, workhorse, hard wearing.  Perfect.

10.  Foxfire cormo/silk/alpaca - soft, beautifully graduated colors, a pleasure to run through your fingers.

11.  Beaverslide wool/mohair blend -  Oops.  I can't stop now.  Another exquisite workhorse in sumptuous colors.

12.  Starmore Hebridean yarn - Last one.  Truly.  Scritchy to knit, but the FO is warm, light, well-defined, and more than the sum of its yarn parts.  Isn't that what it is all about?

I didn't list the qivuit.  Or the Blue Sky alpaca.  Or the Colourmart stuff.  We are such lucky knitters.  

The Maroon Bells in Aspen were hidden in mist.  The near view was enough to make the small hike uphill worth the effort.  This is just off the Elk Camp lift.  It is one of my favorite spots.  I feel so small and so fortunate when I gaze out here.

Comments

[margene]

Last year was a successful year for knitting from stash. Often I look at a wall of yarn in the LYS and think what I have at home looks much the same. My problem is the unique dyers like Kim, Judy, Spirit Trail and Foxfire...and then there is that Beaverslide. Hopefully this year I'll be as successful (or more so).
You know I love that mountain view, which is almost as beautiful as mine. ;-)

[Lynn]

Lemme think, so far this year I've used up...oh, at least 5,000 yards of yarn (well, once I finish the third of three wool throws this week). And I've bought exactly 800 yards of yarn so far. I am SUCH a good girl.

(My secret? Weaving. You know you want to, Laurie!)

[Manise]

Great list. I see many of my favs up there. I second Margene about our unique dyers. How can you say "no" say no to those?

[Anne]

Gorgeous photo! You guys should come up and ski near Blue Lake by Taos. Just sayin...

I am so not going to any of your links. You cannot make me.

[Judy]

Thanks for both! You know that is one of my favorite places.

[carolyn]

beautiful picture to end that post, dude.

[Cheryl S.]

So many wonderful yarns... so little time.

[gayle]

Luckily, this time of year, yarn lust is subverted by seed catalog lust. Must go drool on the tomato pages again...

[Kim]

and hugging you is what I like best! My oh my you and Mr E go to some of the most wonderful places!

[Carole]

Great list and some new yarns for me. I'm knitting a sweater with Beaverslide now and it's wonderful to work with except for all the knots.

[Kathy]

Great list! I also love handspun, RYC cashmerino, and most Noro yarns.

[Barbara M.]

Just knit the IvyVines cowl in Karabella Boise, gorgeous deep red and I love it! I wear it all the time..... what will I do when it actually gets warm?

[Hillary]

I hear you on the yarn diet. i'm getting a little twitchy too but a few things have escaped from deep down in the stash do far and I think that's a good thing. I love your list. There are more than a few on there that I'd like to try.

[Teyani]

applauding your list!
and yes, I agree, that I had made a similar goal, but mine was about my spinning fiber (to make more of it into yarn)
I kinda fell down and (ahem, cough cough) bought some stuff at Madrona Fiber Arts.

[Danielle]

Good to hear that you like the Karabella Boise. Some may have jumped into my bag during a recent trip to School Products. Damn pushy yarn, that Boise.