Play Date

Risa and I had a play-date today. Not for the twins and Chappy. They weren't actually invited. No, this was just for us!

I picked her up at her mother's house (Grandma was babysitting the twins), and we went into Ridgewood together.

First, we went to Majestic Yarns, where I paid an obscene amount of money on a bagful of Karabella Aurora Bulky yarn for my Olympic sweater.

No, I won't tell you how much I paid, but I will say this is the most I've ever paid for the yarn for a single sweater. But, oh, the yarn is just gorgeous. I picked a cedar green for the main color for the sweater, and a rich blue as the main accent. And for just a hint of a highlight, a gold-yellow. The actually photographed pretty accurately. I'm telling you, the yarn is stunning--both in quality, and in price (grin). (Carole? I definitely want Anti-stashalong credit for this! Because, ouch!)

After Majestic Yarns--which was nice, clean, orderly. Lots of Karabella yarn, lots of expensive yarn, nice book selection. There were people sitting all over the store, knitting away in the comfy chairs when we walked in, and that's always a good thing to see, right? Not a cheap store, by any means, but nice.

Anyway, afterward, we walked down Ridgewood Avenue, had lunch (big hamburgers and fries)), and then went into the bookstore (a small but excellent independent store), Fox's (discount clothes, and always crowded), into a bead store that neither of us knew was there, and then into Happy Tuesday, a nice little gift shop with some interesting things. But the best part? The sales person was obviously a little bored, and started chatting. It turns out she's a knitter, too, and mentioned her favorite yarn shop, just a couple miles away in Hohokus.

Well, naturally, we had to add that on our list of activities for the day! Close Knit yarns. One of those small, cozy, crowded, comfy kinds of yarn shops. Cluttered, but not in the "ew, when's the last time they cleaned in here," kind of way. Pleasant. And the yarn? Rowan. Cascade. Berocco. Some really nice yarns. And, seriously, if I hadn't just bought that bagful of expensive Aurora Bulky, a sweater's worth of Cascade 220 would have come home with me. As it is, I bought two skeins (see, Carole, more yarn!) for another Tychus in Yankees colors, for Dad this time. Well worth the small detour. Got a chuckle, too--as I was paying, the sales person was typing my info into the computer. I told her the town I live in and she said, "Is that in New Jersey?" Hmmm . . . Morris County isn't THAT far from Bergen County! Right next to each other, in fact . . .

And in the midst of all this shopping fun, we didn't lose sight of our original purpose. We both cast on for our EZasPi Anniversary Shawls. (She's doing the Shetland circular shawl in Gathering of Lace, I'm doing the Lotus Blossom Shawl.) Here's mine so far. All of 20 rows of it. I know, exciting, but you've got to start somewhere, right?

Anyway, it was a great day. Lots of fun, and the weather cooperated much more than I thought--they had been forecasting scattered showers this afternoon, and yet . . . sun. My only regret about spending the day laughing with Risa (because we did laugh quite a bit), was that I didn't get Chappy out for a walk on an unusually gorgeous January afternoon.

The sunset was stunning, too, the whole drive home. I tried to get a picture, but well, I was driving you see, on a highway. Really no way to pull over to do it properly. And of course, I didn't want to cause an accident. But still, I tried! Just doing my part in Sandy's sky-watcher club!

Comments

[Katy]

Sounds like a fabulous day...and the yarn, of course, looks yummy. Good luck with the shawl!

[Risa]

I had a blast today Deb. It was a lot of laughs and a most excellent way to spend the day. I can't wait to see that Olympic sweater take shape. Ouch indeed, but its going to be spectacular. Give Chappy a scritch for me and my apologies for keeping you occupied on a gorgeous January day.

[christine]

What a fun day! Can't wait until you reveal your Olympic sweater........

[Chris]

Oh, what a great day! Thanks for letting me stash vicariously through you. :)

[Carole]

Sounds like an awesome day. So, how many points did you earn for the anti-stash-along?

[Michelle]

Hopped over from Kim's, and am so glad I did. Wonderful weblog you have here. I hope you don't mind I'll be hopping by every now and then to say hello and check out how things are going for you and Chappy. :)

[kathy b]

Sweater is lovely. I didn't know that ribbing and blocking are not firends. Yahoo. I am ribbing my next sweater.

Love the sky shots as well.

Way to keep warm. All I want to do is sleep when Im cold like that.

[Snow]

My Lotus Blossom is one of my favorite shawls. Fun, easy knit and gorgeous yarn!