Discontinued Yarn - WHY?

Why are yarns discontinued?  I suppose that fashion trends have much to do with it.  Or lack of sales.  Perhaps a dated color way spells sure demise.  But why?  I have very favorite yarns, now listed as discontinued,  stashed away for safe keeping from marauding yarn thieves. 

Oops, pardon me.  I meant to say friends who beg.  No,  that is not right either.  Oh, dear.  Who are those people?  Let me just indicate that some personal favorite fiber based items are carefully and securely placed in out of the way nooks so that I am not responsible for any friends drooling upon my clean floors.  There - now I have described the situation perfectly!

At any rate, this swath of lovely fluffiness is, sadly, discontinued.  I love the way it works up in the most simple of garter stitch diagonal scarf-ery.

Artful Yarns (JCA, Inc.) Broadway is a bulky soft yarn composed of acrylic, mohair, polyester, metallic something and nylon.  The color change is quite lovely and the bit of metallic whatever adds just a hint of glisten down amongst the mohair wisps.  This stuff will look stunning with the little black dress thing or add elegance to plain old down home jeans.    Too bad you can't rush out and acquire it for yourself.  That whole discontinued thing is an occasional pain.

I love it.  And, after this scarf is ready for wearing there will be a scant 50 grams left over and hidden away from drooling friends. 

PS - I went by a favorite LYS today to hide out and knit in peace.  What met me when I opened the door?  Masses and masses of knitters all trying to hide out and knit in peace.  There was an undecided lack of peace.  I had to fight for a seat!  At least they were at the store and not drooling about in my personal yarn stash. 

Not The Same Old Rib Stitch

Every month, I learn a new knitting stitch or pattern.  It is all part of the Riverside Knitting Guild program for members.  This week, the new stitch is called "traveling rib."

Here it is in all of it's sloppy still on the needles glory.  Not that this photo is the best, but the columns of knit stitches actually widen and narrow - thus it appears as though the columns travel away and come back together.  In this version, we used an eight row sequence. 


All of the new stitches that I learn are going into this sampler scarf.  Or maybe it is a wall hanging.  Only time will tell.  Above and below the rib is a one inch band of linen stitch.  That was our second new stitch and rather than using it as a section of the scarf, I decided to use the linen stitch to separate all the other new stitches I am learning.


The fun thing about this traveling rib is the reverse. 

It looks like little blocks and not at all like the wrong side of anything.    See  how fine it is.  Given my distaste for any scarf that has an obvious wrong side, this traveling rib is great for any item, scarf or otherwise, where the viewing public is likely to catch a glance of the under side.


With beauty such as this, no one will ever know if the view is of the "public side" or the not public wrong side.  Gotta respect that for sure.


You might notice how the underside of those linen stitch areas are also pretty to look at.  This whole stick and string thing always has something new up its sleeve!  Well, at least new to me. 

Roses To The Rescue

It was clear from the get go that my contribution to the Riverside Knitting Guild Afghan Project would involve Victoria Avenue in the City of Riverside.  When we moved here several years ago, this wonderful swath of glory captured my attention and has not let go.  Not a week goes by that I don't find some reason to travel the beauty that is Victoria Ave.

So it was, with this stretch of cultivated environment signifying Riverside County in my thoughts, that I set out to design my square for the afghan.    The theme of the guild project this year is Celebrating Riverside County.  From orange grove to vineyards, snow capped peaks to snow capped cacti, rivers and deserts, Riverside County is  an extremely diverse area.

Read about Victoria Avenue (link is above) and you will discover why my square is named Ragged Robin - aka Victoria Ave.  Oh, sure I could have created a palm tree square - but my color is pomegranate.   Not Grecian Olive.  And my talents, such as they are, do not extend to knitting an irrigation canal into a twelve inch square.  

But I can knit this.   I am happy.    (as happy as one can be when there is no time for color correction)

Thank You Brown Sheep

Kudos and a huge shout out to Brown Sheep Company.  These generous folks donated Nature Spun yarn for the Riverside Knitting Guild Annual Afghan fundraiser.  Isn't that just the nicest thing? 

I am working on my square and so far it is looking like this -

Not much to look at right now.  However I have a vision that includes adding dimension to this texture. 

Last year, the guild members each knit squares for an Aran style afghan.   This year, owing the the five luscious colors of worsted donated by Brown Sheep, we are using a different theme.  Each volunteer knitter is to design a square that represents something from Riverside County.  Isn't that a grand plan? 

Working with a twelve inch square bordered with garter stitch, we are once again encouraged to be creative.   I chose to work with the pomegranate color because I like it.  My square will not be about pomegranates though.  I have something else in mind and it shall be a secret until it is completed and delivered for the putting together. 

There was only one false start - but by jove, I'm cruising now.  This is fun!

PS - did I say Thank You to Brown Sheep?  Really nice yarn - check it out.

No Yarn - Just Inspiration

Today I walked around the back yard.








  There was inspiration.








There was beauty.







There was hope.

There was life.

There was joy.

There was I.