brainylady

Hello, Listowel!

Yesterday I took my parents to a small town called Listowel so they could have lunch with some friends. We drove about an hour and a half to get there. It was an arbitrary location choice -- their friends live further on, and we picked Listowel as a meet-in-the-middle place. I took my laptop so I could get some work done while they had lunch. It was a lovely drive there through farming country -- mostly corn and barley, some cattle, and even a few sheep.

As we finally approach Listowel (pop. 5,200), a billboard catches my eye. Could this be true? I drop off my parents and arrange to pick them up a couple hours later, and I drive to the main street in search of coffee. And there I see another sign:



That’s right: there is a YARN factory outlet store in Listowel. I entered the store prepared to find just heaps of acrylic and Phentex, and there was that, but there was also loads of Kroy and Fortissima sock yarn, Sirdar yarns, some other beautiful British yarns (like Twilleys Freedom cotton), skeins of alpaca, and just miles and miles of discounted brand-name yarn. And me without any pattern specs! What to buy? And how much of it? The first purchase was a no-brainer: the last three balls of Patons Kroy in this discontinued colour:



This yarn made me think of Claudia, Carolyn, and Stefanie all at the same time. Can you see the label clearly? Look!



I also cleared them out of Patons Grace in aqua, also discontinued -- I knew there would be something in Vintage Knits I could make with Grace (a fingering-weight mercerized cotton), and I figured 15 balls would be enough for any project.



I think it will become the Short-Sleeved Ribbed Lace Sweater (I can't find a photo online to link to). I’ve never worn this colour in my life, but I think it will work with the vintage-y design. Has anyone else made this pretty little sweater? I’ve had my eye on it since I bought the book last year.

We’re going up to Stratford later today, to look at the swans in the river, eat, and see Hello, Dolly! I hope you’re doing something fun today, too.