Yellowbird Yarn Room

It was fate. Fate, I tell you.

 

I saw Tahki's new yarn, Boulder, for the first time back in April and fell in love, laughing all the way.  This is one giant ball of yarn!  I've seen smaller pillows!  It is fantastic and fluffy and fun, and everyone who sees it has the same initial reaction as myself.

It is just so irresistible!

Now, upon consulting the label you will find that the recommended needle size is 35.  Yes, that's right.  35.  This is not a size that I have been able to acquire, in wood, through my usual sources.

Enter Joan Braun.

Joan came into River City several weeks ago during Open Knit to talk to me about some needles she had seen online.  They were square, and the site boasted about the benefits of square needles over round for easing strain.   

She was intrigued.  She said she knows her way around a woodworking shop (her sons make beautiful pens, by the way) and we had a very interesting discussion on the technicalities involved in acquiring proper gauge.  As the discussion evolved, I found that Joan was interested in making needles for the shop.   Including the size 35 that I would need in stock as soon as Boulder became available. 

I also found that she knew my husband and his family.  Oh, those six degrees... 

Another visit later, Joan showed me what she'd been working on and I was giddy!  I officially had my own set of size 35 straights, we had another very interesting discussion about proper gauge, and we compared a few more notes.  

 
Joan's square needles.  I love 'em!

Last week, just a day after the nice UPS man left a box of Boulder on my doorstep, Joan sent me an email saying she'd be at Open Knit with a whole assortment of goodies.  And, boy, had she been busy!

She made straights in standard sizes, a few sets of square needles, some size 35 circulars (pictured at the top of this post), and a cute little tool for fixing dropped stitches.  She even made the bags to store them out of repurposed material!

I could go on all day, but then it would take that long for this page to load.  If you would like to know more, contact me or come on in during Open Knit where you may just find me working on my Boulder scarf (which will be on display at River City between times).

 

And the Yellowbird was happy.

What have you been full of?

My weeks have been very full.

Full of working on long-stagnant household projects thanks to parents visiting here.

 
It took a few years, but I love my bathroom!

Full of holiday events while visiting parents there.

 
Did you see this guy in your parade?

And full of propping up the bum foot everywhere.

 
I might want to hold on to this boot.  Knowing me, I'll probably need it again someday.

I have been working diligently all the while on my Clapotis, and it's almost done!  I should be able to block it out Monday so that it will be ready just in time for my annual fancy-date-night with the husband.  Yay!

Now, I will be honest and admit that Clapotis was not my ideal pattern for this yarn.  My ideal pattern would have been a more delicate lace.  Something more complicated and feminine (don't those two words go hand in hand?). 

But that by no means diminishes my love for this project.  It is still lovely and airy (a simple femininity?) and I cannot wait to see how blocking finishes the final fabric! 

And, having never worked with anything finer than a sport weight yarn for an entire project, I would absolutely recommend this pattern as the perfect primer for working with a lace weight.  (I never once felt like throwing it across the room!)  Just remember that if it's mohair you will need a very delicate hand and a great deal of patience with the dropped stitches.

So there you have it.  That's what I've been full of.  How 'bout you?