The Best Ever Week

It's Friday already.  Where has the time gone!?!?  I've read (only a so-so book), golfed (my first full nine since the Wednesday after the 4th of July when I went into physical therapy for my back and knee), knit up a storm and visited three LYSs.  In addition, I got some fabulous news which I will share with you later.  First off, my visit to Black Mountain and the fabulous Black Mountain Yarn Shop.

On Wednesday, Dick and I decided to do our yearly trek to Asheville to visit our favorite galleries and eat in our favorite restaurant.  I can't say, "Visit our favorite LYSs" because there is no "our" in that but we did visit a couple of my favorite LYSs.  The first of which was the Black Mountain Yarn Shop.  This weekend (really May 7-10) is the Western North Carolina Yarn Crawl with eleven LYSs participating.  I really need Linda here as it is much more fun to crawl with a friend than alone.  I won't be participating this year as this is Dick's vacation too (sometimes I forget that) and he wants to golf.  Having only one car can be a pain sometimes.  Well, I have eight new LYSs to put on my "to visit" list for next year.  

I visited Black Mountain Yarn Shop several years ago.  This return trip reminded me how much I loved it.  Why did it take me so long to come back!?!?!  The shop is owned by a husband and wife who make you feel like you have been invited into their home for a friendly visit.  The last time I was in the shop, I was introduced to Be Sweet yarns and immediately fell in love with this unique brand of yarns.  For those of you who do not know about Be Sweet, the yarn is hand spun and dyed by women in South Africa under a job creation program that has offered opportunity in an economically depressed rural region with a 75% unemployment rate.  I have quite a collection of Be Sweet (surprise!)  

The shop is charming.  It is small and lovely.  There is a sense of peace and calm that you just don't feel in a large shop.  (In my next post I will take you to the epic yarn shop where you can find absolutely anything brand, gagget or or pattern.  Very different.)  Of course, there was a small group of women knitting and talking.  I am not even sure if it was a class or not, but they included me in their conversation in a welcoming, friendly manner.  Is there anything more welcoming that a group of knitters stitching and visiting?

The displaying of the yarn was beautiful and, of course, there were all of these beautiful garment made up for display.  You know how I am a sucker for seeing something made up, falling in love then having to buy the exact yarn.  Well, it happened here.  

The shop is organized in such a way that you really can see and appreciate all of the gorgeous fibers.  Around every corner is a treasure that just pops out at you.  Since this was my first shop, I tried not to go too crazy, but I wasn't successful.  I found some beautiful yarn that I hadn't seen before and that always gets the green light.

Black Mountain Yarn Shop is a wonderland of high end, amazing yarns.  Now let me show you the wonderful things I bought.  

I really wish I was a better photographer. (I have a book about using your iPhone and iPad as a camera, but I haven't got around to reading it.  I am just too busy knitting and working on Knitting: A Love Story.)  This was the very first thing I picked out.  It was a unique treasure that I couldn't live without.  (Just like most everything in Black Mountain Yarn Shop.)  It is a Gradient Mini Skein Set and is perfect with any wrap pattern that needs 360 yards.  Linda is taking care of our fish in our pond while we are gone and since she loves teal, this seemed to be the perfect thank you.  

I couldn't leave without one for me in pink.  Every since I became involved in my Survivor Shawls project, pink is my go to color.  It is all I can do not to leave a shop like Black Mountain Yarn Shop with an arm full of amazing, beautiful, unique pink yarns.  And believe me, I could have done it here.  Doesn't my self control amaze you?

Then I saw this scrumptious merino and cashmere sock yarn in a color called Arctic.  This had Linda written all over it, too.  This is beautiful with just a little sparkle in it.  You know I am a sucker for sparkle, so. . . 

This is mine!  I really wish Linda was with me to see all of the exquisite wonders of Black Mountain Yarn Shop.  Have I mentioned I love this place?

I bought this wonderful Be Sweet yarn to make this beautiful scarf.  It will be so yummy when I am done.  This may be my next project, I am so in love with it.

So this was my trip to the Black Mountain Yarn Shop.  I learned something (or relearned something) here.  I love small, boutique yarn shops filled with high end, exquisite yarn arranged in such a way that you see everything.  I love small yarn shops because there is a treasure around every turn.  I love small shops for the friendly, peaceful atmosphere.  I love small shops for the absence of chaos and clutter and confusion.  In short, I love the Black Mountain Yarn Shop.  Thank you to the Black Mountains Yarn Shop for starting my yarn tour off on the right foot.  I definitely will see you next year.

As for my great news. . .  I have been selected by Jocelynn Brown, who wrote my article for HomeStyle in the fall, to be part of the first Detroit News Stitch Together on May 13.  We're to bring a finished project for show-and-tell, a skein of yarn from our stash to trade, and some to knit or crochet then spend the afternoon having fun.  I can't wait to spend the afternoon with 15 other people who worship at the alter of fiber.  More to come.