Silver Threads And Golden Needles Can Definitely Mend This Heart Of Mine!

A little play on words.  I do not have a broken heart but a visit to Silver Threads And Golden Needles in Franklin, NC can pretty much sooth the savage breast in me.  I have waited a whole year for this visit.  Silver Threads And Golden Needles (I just love saying/writing that) is definitely one of my top 10 LYS.  I have taken you on a field trip in the past but this time was definitely different.  We usually go on Thursday because Thursday is the social knitting group.  I have salivated watching the women knit and talk together and this year I thought I might join.  Just a couple days before my much anticipated experience, I got an email saying the knitting group would be off site for Thursday.  So, Dick and I went on Wednesday for our Silver Threads And Golden Needles/Caffe Rel trip,

Everything was pretty much like I remembered it.  Stacks and stacks of yummy yarn, great knitted ideas but there was no body in the store.  

Well, not exactly nobody.  This lovely young woman was working.  I believe Laura was her name (if that's not really your name, I apologize.  I'm pretty bad with names.)  You might think I was disappointed that the store was empty.  You would be wrong.  I missed seeing Amy and Virginia the owners and the knitting group, but it was a dream come true to have a yarn shop all to myself. I had my own private guide to every skein, ball and cake in the place.  

I bought this gorgeous Alchemy yarn for this beautiful garment last year.  Laura asked me if I'd finished and I had to fess up, "No, but I love it.  It is in the knitting queue."  It was kitted in beautiful teal colors and I almost bought it again, I liked it so much.  But I slapped myself (metaphorically) and said, "Jan! What are you doing!?!?!?!?!"  I'm proud to say I didn't buy it.  

I love this.  They wound 2 different skeins of sock yarn together to get these fabulous color combinations.  What a great idea!  The skeins were almost too beautiful to pass up, but I did.  I said to myself, "Self, you really can't buy everything you love."  You really could tell I haven't followed that advice by looking at the Stash Studio.  

Just look at those breathtaking pillows.  I was already to buy the one on the left when I remembered my experience with the Rainbow Cardigan.  If you don't already know about it, read January 2015 of Knitting: A Love Story.  It is a heartbreaking tale but true.  Something told me this pillow would be the Rainbow Cardigan all over again.  

This is the weaving section.  I love the look of weaving, but it gives me a backache just looking at the loom.  I have all of the respect in the world for weavers.  God bless them.  They are made of stronger stock that I.  

Isn't that just the best picture ever?!?!?! The shawls are just waiting patiently for the knitters to come back.  

​I bet you're thinking maybe, just maybe I got out of Silver Threads And Golden Needles without buying something.  You would be oh, so wrong.  I must admit that I didn't get everything I wanted, but I did get some pretty fabulous stuff.  

This is a display of Interlacement one of my very favorite yarns.  The pinkish one, second from the right is the one I couldn't live without.

This is what I'm going to make with it.  It is called Twisted and is a top/poncho Laura says is flattering on everybody.  I must admit it wasn't the picture on the pattern or the yarn that sold me.  It was the knitted sample showing exactly how beautiful this yarn is and how unique this top is.  I'll say it again, I am a sucker for a knitted sample.  As soon as I saw this being modeled by Lydia's cousin, I had to have it.

This is the Interlacement.  Now look me in the eye and tell me you could resist this after seeing the knitted sample.  

I have been waiting until I came to Silver Threads and Golden Needles to buy this next fiber.

This is Noro's Rainbow Roll and it really isn't yarn.  It is roving fiber that you knit with.  I actually bought two colors.

I have a plan.  I want to make an Entrelac, felted bag in the new Noro magazine.  I have been dying to knit with this since the first time I saw it in a magazine.  

I always come away from Silver Threads and Golden Needles with at least one set of buttons. . . 

and something Amy and Virginia had waiting by the cash register for me to buy.  This year it was these interesting blocking pins.  I can't wait to use them.

You might think I was let down and disappointed that Amy an Virginia weren't there and the social knitters weren't there.  You would be wrong.  Laura (I hope that's correct.  Let me know if it isn't) was a wonderful guide who took me on a private tour of a Fiber Wonderland.  I enjoyed the time I spent with Laura in one of my favorite LYS.  I will treasure my unique experience.  I did miss seeing Amy and Virginia but I know I will see them next year.  Linda is retiring and I am trying to talk her into a Yarn Tour in northwest North Carolina.  I could show her my favorite hang outs and we could discover some of our own.  

If you want to expand your fiber horizons, just head to Franklin, NC and visit Silver Threads And Golden Needles.  Oh, by the way, Amy and Virginia, I was taken care of very well.  The proof is in my receipt.  See you ladies next year.