Thump! A Hit of Color in Winter

I'm quite sure that if I was shopping for sock yarn in August, this is not the colorway I would select. But that's the point, isn't it? It's February. Around here, February's colors are white, gray, and sand. My frequent preference for muted tones, blues and greens and so on, was not doing it, not lifting me out of February. And the blanket, which is coming nicely, is a pale yellow/off-white that isn't doing it either.

Still, see the heart?


It's a subtle effect, I admit. I'm finding the second repeat much easier because now I can see, and therefore "get", the pattern, instead of counting and knitting on faith alone (which will get you there, but you don't enjoy the ride as much).

I almost didn't go yarn shopping tonight, I didn't feel like it. Fortunately, I recognized that as a sign that the malaise was getting worse, and went anyway.

Have you knit with Lorna's Laces before? Have you touched it? I may be the only knitter around who hasn't, but my goodness, this feels nice. It's superwash, too. I can't wait to see how it knits up. I looked it up just now and there are so many colors that, if I like it, I may never use another sock yarn (assuming that I want to make socks again, which is not a certainty).

And yes, it's bright. That was the point, after all.


Colorway: Lorikeet, or as I shall call it, Banish February. Bought at Wild and Woolly in Lexington. Now I need to choose a pattern! But it can be pet yarn for a day or two while I decide. It's sitting nicely beside me now, I think it's reasonably well-behaved.

One place I can't avoid when in Lexington is Rancatore's. I just have to see if they have my favorite flavor in stock, which they don't always.

Oh, look, they did!


The other place I have to go in Lexington (except Tuesdays, when it's closed) is Wilson Farm. I mooned over the tulips and roses and other flowers, and thought about buying some hyacinths but in the end just sniffed and moved on. Here's what did come home with me, though:


Sufficient, yes? And that's not even showing the milk and potatoes, which don't really fit the color theme (but which I needed all the same).

Look at the color!


Up top, between the two Bartlett pears, is a red pear, bought just because it was good-looking. (I put it in the same paper bag as the other pears, to ripen. I hope they get along.) Clementines, a plum, star fruit, bananas, and some of the makings of The Salsa ... it does my heart good just looking at it all.

We now return you to your regularly scheduled February (already in progress), but with a lighter step.

After buying the yarn, I carried it into Wilson's with me, so I could keep looking at it. Is that normal?