Purple Haul

I just participated in a purple swap.  My haul?  Two hanks of Malabrigo yarn in a luscious medium purple color, along with other goodies.  I think I might make a neck warmer out of it. 

I finished my ZigBag Z by ColorJoy.   I just need to line it, buy handles, and do some fine finishing. 

I am disappointed in what used to be one of my favorite places to buy fine fabric, Haberman's in Royal Oak, Michigan.  I went there specifically looking for a jazzy liner fabric which will do justice to the ZigBag Z.  Nothing.  They had nothing.  I walked away with a solid purple color, but once I got it home I knew I wouldn't use it for the bag.  This bag deserves a bright, satin print.  Haberman's has plenty of fabric for weddings and proms, and lots of home dec fabric, but their apparel section seems to have suffered.  I may go back to shop for buttons, though, as that section seems to have increased in size. 

While in that neck of the woods, I stopped in Ewe-Nique Knits, also in Royal Oak.  The store is separated into two sections, each across from the other with their own entrances.  It's a small store, located in downtown Royal Oak in an old church building on the lower level.  Their selection is minimal, but the staff was quite friendly.  They carry some colors of Noro Kuryeon I had never seen before.  I especially appreciated the many swatches in various yarns they had hanging here and there.  I think every yarn shop should do this.  One side of the store has spinning wheels.  It's decorated nicely, and it's quite cozy, but their selection isn't worth the drive out for me.  I was optimistic, and overpaid the parking meter $1.50, but I only spent 15 minutes there. 

Speaking of purple, I started a new cardigan in a lovely medium purple yarn, Cashsilk, my new love.  I am really into this pattern, called Spring Forward by Janet Szabo.  I just wish I had more time to knit.  It's more intricate than the Must Have Cardigan I have laying around somewhere, but I am having an easier time of it.  I am mad at my Must Have Cardigan.  I went through a lot of trouble mirroring cables, making the ribbing match the cables, changing the pattern, and generally spending way more time on it than I would have liked.  When I miscrossed a cable and became discouraged, I put it down, and haven't picked it up since.  I can't fix a cable by unraveling and knitting back up.  It looks gross. 

That was over three years ago.  Remember what happened to the last cardigan  I threw down two years ago?   Yes.  It involved scissors.

Comments

[Jane]

I haven't been to the Royal Oak store but there's a nice shop in Rochester - Skeins on Main - that's just south of University/Walton on the east side of the street. If you ever get out to Lake Orion to Heritage Spinning & Weaving (which is a nice knit shop despite the name), give me a heads up. I'm less than a mile from there.

[minnie]

love the purple malabrigo, and can't wait to see the finished bag...

[Joan]

I am in a total purple phase too. The malabrigo is stunning!! Enjoy.