Back from Vacation!

Hey there everyone!  I know it has been a hot minute since I had anything new but that's because I was on vacation!  I currently live in Pittsburgh, PA and went up to Vermont for almost 2 weeks to visit my parents.  There was a lot of prep at home and at work to do before my trip so the blog kinda fell by the wayside.  But I'm back in the 'burgh now so hopefully it is business as usual from here on.  There's a few things I'd like to share from my vacation - some stash enhancements, some old knits, and some random yarn finds from the back of the closet.

 

I, of course, needed to hit up the local yarn store in my home town.  It is called Cacklin' Hens: A Vermont Yarn, Beads, and Gifts Emporium. They have a really great selection of yarns, beads, books, and patterns.  They only thing they don't have a great variety of (but seem to be slowly expanding) is spinning fiber.  However, I have a whole bag full of spinning fiber back at my apartment so I'm not too heart broken about it.  My goal whenever I visit a yarn store other than my go-to LYS back in Pittsburgh is to buy yarns that my LYS doesn't carry.  This way, I get to sample new brands or different weights of yarns!  This rule, however, doesn't apply when it comes to the sales section of the store because anything on sale is a great opportunity!  So, with that introduction, here are my new stash enhancements from my VT trip! 

 

 This is a local yarn from Fairy Tale Farm in Bridport, VT.  This is the color Fir and it is 60% Romney / 40% Friesian Lambswool.  It is a 2 ply sportweight with 300 yds/4 oz. 

 This is also from Fairy Tale Farm.  Color: Natural. 30% Mohair / 70% Friesian Lambswool.  Sportweight. 

 This is Knit One Crochet Too Kettle Tweed.  Colorway: Seashore (4523). 60% merino, 20% baby llama, 10% bamboo, 10% Donegal.  Fingering weight

 This is Tahki Yarns Donegal Tweed.  Colorway: Yellow 882.  100% wool.  Aran weight

 Debbie Bliss Rialto DK.  Colorways: 23028 (dark purple), 23041 (light purple).  100% superwash merino.  DK weight

 Schachenmayr Regia Pairfect.  Colorway: Fresh (7113).  75% wool, 25% nylon.  Fingering/sock weight.

 Cascade 220.  Colorway: 7812. 100% wool.  Worsted weight

One day, mom and I were going through my old craft supplies and I found a small plastic bin with "Yarn for Sweter (SIC)" written on the side.  It was, indeed, the yarn and a third of my first garment!   This was going to be a sweater vest and I was making it out of some variegated Red Heart yarn.  Ah, the nostalgia.  Here's a picture of the knitting that I was doing when I was around 12 (I'm really not sure, that's my best guess).  

I'm sure you can see it right away - my stitches are twisted!  I totally forgot that for the longest time, I knit through the back loop because I was self taught and that seemed to make the most sense to me.  Knit through the back loop, purl through the front loop.  I, obviously, eventually learned the correct way to knit, but I totally forgot about this sweater.  I'll have to unravel it and soak the yarn since it has been half a sweater front for over 10 years just chilling in the plastic bin I found it in.  I'm debating on what to use the yarn for.  I'm for sure don't have enough yarn for a sweater for me now.  I was thinking maybe a pair (or a few) of mittens so I can leave them around in case I need them.  Maybe a pair for work, one that lives in my car, etc.  However, I'm not big on the variagated colors any more so this yarn, more likely than not, will end up in my pile of acrylic for kitty/puppy blankets for the local shelter.

In the same box as my sweater were two other yarns that I took back to Pittsburgh with me because no harm in having a few extra skeins to play around with!