Postal!

Whee! I have finally had some packages arrive in the maiill!! I've been waiting rather impatiently, excitedly and frantically for the arrival of two super-brill packages in the mail - one, the stunning fantasteric Fitted Knits by Stephanie Japel I purchased from The Book Depository, and two - my Secret Pal package!! (I know there's one on the way as she told me she posted it on 13/4 - how excitement!!) . Although the SP package is still keeping me in suspense I did receive the Book Depository package - and it's *pause for effect* FABULOUS!

I love love LOVE this book and am so thrilled with all the yummy patterns in it! I had heard about it and liked the sound of it, but the absolute clincher to making the purchase was seeing this on Leah's blog 'Between Stupid and Clever'. The two tone shrug.. Mmmmmm..

Leah has done hers in delicious Malabrigo Worsted, in Gryffindor colorus no less!! I was so inspired I deced I must make one the same, just in time for the Premier of the new book and movie!! How awesome and timely! Leah was awesome and helped me work out how many skeins I would need so I could purcahse the yarn even before the book arrived on my doorstep! I hunted down the right colours of Malabrigo at a store that would ship to Oz and started to justify to myself the amount of money I would be spending on this yarn and postage.. Unfortunately when I mentioned this brilliant plan to the Scrumptious Bum he didn't quite understand my need to purchase MORE yarn and start ANOTHER project, when I still had so many other waiting in the wings - particularly the others I have waiting with the yarn even in my stash!! So I was somewhat deterred from the big purchase, and after more discussion we came to an understanding that he was concerned for me, not nagging, he wanted to make sure I didn't get too caught up in the excitement, always looking ahead to future projects instead of enjoying the ones I'm doing now - not getting caught in a vicious habit of starting a project, making it part way through then becoming enthused abot a new project and leaving the last one for dead, thus never finishing anythign and existing in a perpetual state of guilt and obligation. I let him know that that is my greatest fear, and I don't want to be under the control of my stash, I want to be the happy knitter that uses and adores all her yarn and doesn't feel guilted into obligatory knitting by her crafty conscience. So all is well :)

I will still knit the shrug, and I intend to still knit it for the Harry Potter Premier (see my side bar - time's ticking down!!) but I shall visit my local (if somewhat under-stocked and not-so-inspiring) yarn store and see what I can find in Gryffindor colours in a worsted weight, instead of hitting the expensive stuff just now.

We did though, realise that most of my stash sitting there is from my first newbie knitterly months when I would snatch up a lovely looking yarn without any idea of what i would knit it into, and without any understanding of how much yarn is needed to knit particularly items. As a result many of my awaiting fluffy balls of colour aren't even sufficient metre-age to make anything out of! I shall have to combine them to make on project. Skoota recognised this, and ackownledged that with my now increased knowledge of knitting ins-and-outs, I have an increased sense of logic and rational at times of yarn purchase-ment :)

p.s. Worsted is the equivalent of about a 10ply, is that right?

p.p.s I also received the April Spunky Fibre Club parcel - isn't it awesome!! So bright, so vivid!

I've had to bow out of Amy's Spunky Club for now - my fibre stash is accumulating faster than I can spin it up, let alone knit from it!! But I highly recommend it to all fibre enthusiasts, even if you're not in the US. I found the postage quick, and prices very reasonable to be an Aussie participant in the Spunkiness of Fibre Clubs :)