Stash acquisition and other ramblings

I think I have been very restrained in my yarn-buying in recent weeks. A couple of weeks before Christmas, I had reason to visit the LYS to buy some buttons. I ended up with 6 lovely clear sparkly flower-shaped buttons (one for use on my aunt's bag), and 5 balls of Wendy Chic. Four are bronze and one is black with bronze sparklies. I entertained the notion of making some kind of shoulder-warmer/capelet before Christmas Day but didn't have the time.

I've also been eyeing the Latifa scarf at Knitty for, oh, months on end. I love the colours and the ruffles. The trouble was, I knew of nowhere to buy the Garnestudio yarn. Then I found Scandinavian Knitting Design, I can't remember where I found the link, but they sell the whole gamut of Garnestudio yarns. I wouldn't let myself buy anything before Christmas, but this week I finally caved and bought the 4 skeins required. Excellent customer service and very nice people!

Of course the pattern also calls for Koigu. Get Knitted are the only supplier I know of in the UK, and they don't have the shade specified. I'd seen adverts for Knit Happens so headed there and they have a wonderful range of Koigu (and plenty of other stuff). The price, even including airmail shipping, was around what I'd have paid in the UK - if I could get it in the first place! Now happily waiting for it to arrive. The Silketweed has already arrived and is lovely. I'll take a picture with the Koigu when it appears. I think I'll start the scarf after I'm done with the Noro one, and also work on the number of hats I have on my to-do list :-) I'm aiming for 2, maybe 3, WIPs at any one time, one large and one or two small. That way I won't get so frustrated at not having oodles of knitting time at my disposal (that's the theory, anyway ...)

I also wanted to recommend the book I'm reading, "The Ill-Made Mute" by Christina Dart-Thornton. It's the first part of the fantasy trilogy The Bitterbynde, which I received as part of a wedding + birthday present from Lynne. I'm half way through and am enjoying it very much, thanks Lynne!