Every Stitch A Pleasure

Even though my job still consumes too much time for extended projects, I made something that isn't a sock!


It was the yarn that inspired me. When our family crossed the ferry from Orcas Island back over to the mainland, instead of heading south to Seattle, we headed north to Bellingham. First on our list: food. As luck would have it, "food" was on the same street as The Wool Station -- in fact, we had to park right in front of it! (Rats!)

The Wool Station is attached to Russi Sales, Inc., which distributes yarns under the name Yarns Northwest. It's a little confusing, and I'm not sure I got it right despite the keen question-asking skills I developed as a journalist. But the owner was very proud to show me her Diana Collection yarns, which she commissions from a mill in Italy.

It was the silk and merino blend that I suddenly found myself unable to live without -- specifically, color 09: not quite purple, not quite blue, not quite periwinkle, not quite wedgewood, but right in the middle in a lilac-y sort of way. Anyone have a better descriptor?

What I can say without hesitation is that this yarn is scrumptiously amazing! I picked up a single skein and tried my trick of walking around the shop with it until I could talk myself out of buying it. I failed miserably: I bought 4 skeins!

Because of the silk, it's a trick to photograph, and the color varies wildly from shot to shot depending on the location of the light. This next one is direct light.

I have to say that I loved every single stitch of this shawl. Seriously. Every couple of rows I would say out loud to whoever was around -- and to the empty room when necessary -- "I LOVE this yarn!"

Out of grief and a serious need for comfort, I cast on the day after my home was burglarized. It was fantastic therapy! I loved the yarn so much that I never bored of the 2-row, simple lace pattern. I continued well beyond the 55-inch length recommended by the pattern. On US 9's and with so much pleasure in every stitch, the yarn seemed to fly. I stitched until every last scrap of this gorgeous, luxurious yarn possible had been used and finished on Valentine's Day.

The name of the pattern? Simple Lace Shawl. It's a shop pattern from The Wool Station. But I've since seen this yarn on the Seattle LYS circuit, and it looks like the pattern accompanies the yarn to other stores, as well.

My mom was with me on the trip to Bellingham. She bought a skein of the very same yarn. Just one skein. After all my raving, I'm sure she's wishing she bought more!