I think we all love the really amazing stuff like qiviut, bison, cashmere... but not all of us can afford sweater quantities of these amazing and luxurious fibers. Maybe we can spring for a skein, or two, or even three depending on the yarn and the budget. But then what to knit with it? Recently there's been a move toward cowls as a perfect accessory, and it's a move I strongly support. Cowls are extremely flexible. They can be as deep or as shallow as you want. Make a super deep cowl, and it can be pulled up over your head, snood-like, to protect you from the cold.
A smaller, more shallow one is a perfect neck warmer and a cute accessory to boot. I work outside a lot and chickens have a way of getting a hold of things like scarves. But a cowl I can pop on and be toasty warm and the knitting is safe! It was an easy choice to add a cowl pattern to this book since they are also one of the many perfect circular projects. I chose to knit three as samples, all can be found on page 124 of Teach Yourself Visually Circular Knitting - the first is very simple, knit in stockinette stitch in Valley Yarns Northfield which is a really nice yarn, a blend of merino, alpaca and silk - YUM! The second is knit in Blue Moon Fiber Arts Geisha, made of kid mohair, silk and a tiny bit of nylon. Geisha is a fantastic yarn for lacy, open things and the cowl I designed is a reflection of that, with a feather and fan pattern knit in a loose gauge. The last cowl is knit in Buffalo Gold Moon. I adore this yarn. Actually there is not much that Ron hands me when I am near his yarn that I don't adore. But I really love Moon, especially for this project. It is luxurious, warm, and shows the cabled stitch pattern to perfection. It has this lovely sheen that conveys amazing richness. Love it.
And you, winner, will as well, when two skeins of Moon and a copy of
Teach Yourself Visually Circular Knitting
arrive and you're able to knit up a cowl of your very own!
Today's question - What is your little luxury treat? It can be yarn, or not. When you feel a little splurgy, or a little down, what do you treat yourself to to perk up? Answer below to be entered to win this rare treat of a yarn!
89 comments:
I do tend to save my money for yarn but the other thing I treat myself too is icecream cake.
A trip up to Webs with a stop at Herrell's for Burnt Butter and Sugar ice cream!
When I need a quick fix, chocolate(the good kind here)works wonders. Also, spending time on good knitting/spinning or other fiber-related blogs and websites helps takes my mind off any troubles and gives me ideas for new projects at the same time.
yarn and a bag of chips.
My quick fix pick me up would be chocolate or a fancy cup of coffee. Besides yarn, my other luxury would be treating myself to a massage every now and again.
For me it's a cup of coffee and surfing my favorite yarn shops online, where I end up buying something.
My little luxury is a decadent dessert from my favorite bakery. If I go for something bigger, its yarn - especially a silk or cashmere blend.
Yarn and knitting books!
I like to splurge on an almond croissant at Coffee Roasters. Yum!
When I need a lift I'll buy something impulsively. It could be yarn, a pattern book, coffee pot, rug for the bathroom, toys for the dogs, clothes. All of the above have been purchased recently except for the coffee pot but that could happen any day.
I try to save a little money to buy a little luxury fiber to spin each year. One day I hope to spin Paco Vicuña. I have some camel that I can't wait to spin up.
Tanya
When I need a quick pick me up I love to grab a nice bowl of greek yogart and mix in some frozen berries, better than ice cream to me.If its yarn or fiber that I choose to spoil myself with it must have some cashmere or silk in it.
Definitely yarn is my primary go-to splurge to pick myself up or to reward or celebrate something. Second would be a peppermint mocha from Starbucks!
Melissa, you gotta know yarn is always a treat. Then come a good frappucino or cheesecake, but since those are limited it is the yarn that gets me nearly all the time. The best treat of yarn is one where I take a road trip, be it short or long and find a new LYS that I have not visited before.
Love the Buffalo Gold yarn and for Christmas, the hubby got me some qiviut. Delicious.
If I need a little pick me up I tend to splurge on goats milk soap, a great lotion or some new makeup... and there is always some dark chocolate.
Definitely a book for my Kindle I otherwise wouldn't buy because of its price. Together with a cup of coffee it's my piece of luxury :-)
I definitely splurge on yarn when I need a little pick me up. Something with cashmere or silk or yak. Usually fingering or sport weight.
Depends on my mood - sometimes it's yarn (like a sweater's worth), sometimes it's a skein of something fun/expensive, sometimes it's food, sometimes its just letting myself sit and knit for an hour without feeling like I should be doing 10 other things.
A pedicure! I can still knit while I'm getting a pedicure!
This a loaded question....I probably treat myself way too much! I love a swiss chocolate almond sundae!
A little splurge would be good chocolate, or ice cream. A bigger splurge ... well, good yarn raises my spirits! Some Socks That Rock, for instance, or anything soft and squishy.
Really good coffee and/or a massage!! Can't beat either one!
Being a simple person, a trip to "my" Starbucks with my netbook and my knitting is heaven!
My luxury treat is a facial at the spa!
esea on Ravelry
My pick me up is visiting my LYS and chatting with the older ladies who give excellent advice and give me a different perspective on life. All the while I'm knitting, feeling yarn, and drooling over shiney smooth needles. If my budget allows I sometimes buy some pretty sock yarn.
I recently treated myself to a nice lunch out at the crepe place (cute french waiters, yummy food)....I'd locked myself out of my house again, and was killing time before husband got home, so it was a two birds/one stone sort of thing (and cheaper than getting the locksmith).
massages are nice too....
My special treat is choclate from Spain. Or hot cocoa with marshmellows.
A book from a long list of TBRs or something related to knitting. Choosing and planting a Japanese maple might also work!
I love 'discovering' that perfect little item, be it a bit of yarn or something else, that seems to "call" me right to it. Often, I don't even look at the price. Hard to explain, but if you do understand, then you know what I mean.
I am sitting here this morning watching it snow AGAIN. HELLO, it is May 18th!!! So, I am in need of a pick me up right away! First thing is to light the yummy "mountain lodge" candle, get the fire going in the fireplace, start the water for a pot of french press, lay out my yarn so I can pick a perfect bright color for a pair of "Duffers".
Ahhhhh, life is good!
Oh yeah, and a big sticky yummy maple bar to go with...
If there was ever a time for me to win something...well, this is it... My treats? I love me some electronics gear, yarn, coffee, yarn, knitting gadgets and, well, yarn.
I splurge on fancy food. Or alcohol. I LOVE getting several different kinds of cheese and a baguette and nomming the heck out of it.
sushi!
Decadent luxury for me is an empty house, a dreary day, my Kindle set to "Enable Audio ", knitting needles and my current knitting project and I'm set to go. Reading and knitting at the same time. Decadent luxury...Hey you little piece of dark chocolate Dove Candy...now how did I know you would complete the picture????
Andrea W
My little luxury splurge is a pedicure!
My splurge item is definitely yarn or a coffee treat. With yarn it has to have cashmere and is often in sweater quantities. With coffee it isn't the money, it is the calories....the more chocolate and caramel and larger the cup the better! Thanks for the opportunity to win!
Well, anything to do with softness and color will create a leak in my budget. so knitting yarns are a dangerous thing to be near! Love the fine, natural fibers, especially angora, alpaca, quiviot, or buffalo!
Books about fibers also create the leak in the budget that creates some endorphins.
Usually I splurge on a nice bottle of wine. If not, dinner with my fiancee, and if not, a massage or pedicure :)
Begin with a pedicure. Then a trip to the LYS to find the perfect pattern and yarn. Next stop by a bakery and select something with chocolate. Finally it is time to go home and begin your new knitting project and your chocolate treat! Some day I need to actually do this!!
My little luxury treats are saving up for a special yarn (silk?) and drinking my tea with a glug of flavored creamer. Yeah, I'm pretty easy to please...
Shopping my favorite online yarn stores usually perks me up; unless the yarn budget is in the negative numbers. ;) Then I just find some knitting & coffee time. :)
nestinidyll@yahoo.com
My only splurge..the love of my life is to get some yarn I have been dying to have..Being on a limited income I have to be careful..but I love my yarn...It makes me happy...Ruth G.
There is a local business called Honest Chocolates that has the most divine handmade goodies. My luxury treat is to stop in and buy myself $5 worth (about five pieces) and eat them all myself! Their Mac Mochas are my favorite....
Like most knitters I splurge on yarn when I need a little pick me up and a good bar of chocolate to eat after knitting.
Right now my splurge is needles that are good and very nice. Yarn and of course chocolate are very close though. ;-)
I love getting a manicure and pedicure. It's just so relaxing and I've nearly gone to sleep while in the chair!
Oh, and chocolate is always a treat, even if it's not a "splurge" item!
My splurgy treat is yarn but not just any type of yarn. It's sock yarn. I have enough to knit several dozen pairs but when I've saved up some cash and I'm feeling down I go buy another ball or two. My mom's about to kill me with my yarn stash. :)
A quick trip to The Cheesecake Factory for a slice of their cheesecake will help just about anything. Yarn or a new knitting book run a close second.
My budget no longer allows for the one skein of luxury yarn- even as a splurge. What I do now for a splurge is purchse patterns on line when I need a little something extra. It's not very costly, makes me feel happy, gets my knitting mojo going because I try to match the pattern with yarn in my stash, and supports a designer. It's a win-win and guilt free!
A new skein or two (or more!) of yarn is a common pick me up for me, as is a stop at the local tea lounge for afternoon tea. I always bring my knitting with me. It is a perfect pairing:-)
Barbara
Magazines. I am a sucker for magazines. Especially knitting or trashy celebrity gossip.
I love to splurge on a nice wool yarn in quantities for a cabled cardigan. Also, I like buying knitting books--either, patterns or informational. Nothing makes me happier than getting nice yarn or new books. Of course, there is always ice cream too! I try not to eat a lot of sweets but when I want something special it is usually some ice cream.
I like to buy myself puzzle books! I'm good at puzzles, so they feel like a really cool and attainable challenge, and it's rare for me to work through one and not be able to solve it (even if it takes hours).
I haven't splurged yet for luxury yarn - I want to be sure my skills are up to par first! A nice hunk of quality dark chocolate always does wonders for me. Speaking of which, I'm out...
A really nice dish of ice cream! My current fave is Stop & Shop's Waffle Cone churn style.
A quick fix depends on the time of day for me...coffee or a snack (cookie, brownie, chips) or evening Baileys on the rocks. Hehe
Or some yummy yarn I've never tried! With a fancy new pattern!
Little things can pick me up when I am feeling a bit "blue"... rent a DVD, small purchases, or lunch with a friend.
When I am feeling splurgy... a one hour full boday massage!
My little pick me up is usually a crafty magazine, but I agree with those who have said ebooks (instant gratification without needing to leave the house -- important as I am often bedbound) or ice cream!
Luxury yarn is a far less frequent splurge and when I do buy it I almost never use it, I just pet it and call it Precious ;) I feel like I have to find just the perfect pattern for it, which can be quite a challenge, and I want something where I will feel the fiber.
Mine would be ice cream!
I love time to myself...to knit, tat, take photos, read, bake...whatever takes my fancy at the time I get a few minutes to myself! Also I am diabetic so chocolate is a great luxury treat for me!
I will save up so I can buy a special yarn--anything soft, but if I really want to "feel special", it's See's marzipan dipped in dark chocolate. It's the best treat there is!!
Yarn or mcDonnalds food. :-)
I have a few things I will occasionally get to treat myself.
Silk or cashmere yarn, books, lego kits, chocolate and coffee.
I don't think I have ever done all at once though.
extra time with my husband... we have so little money and are so crazy on the weekends trying to get done the things that I cannot do on my own. What cheers me up is having some time to be with each other without attempting to do something else at the same time.
Generally I buy either yarn or beer. Yes I have issues. Why do you ask? :p
Lately, when the going gets rough, I order cookies from The Cravory. At $2 per cookie, it's definitely a splurge, but they're so yummy and always make me feel a little bit better.
Shopping!! Usually buying something a bit more expensive than I would usually buy, whether it be shoes, a purse, yarn, knitting needles, or knitting accessories.
I have a couple luxuries. One is mint cocoa on a chilly day. Another is a long, hot bath using bath bombs and assorted other fabulous products from Lush (www.lushusa.com).
Jen
My treat is to buy myself a new knitting book. I may not e able to afford the yarn to knit with at the moment, and I may not have the time to make all the projects I would like, but it's fun to plan and dream. :-)
Geez, what can I say.
My treat is knitting on my sox.
Though I do it on a regular basis, it still feels like stolen time. Stolen from what I have no idea. But knitting time is special to me I treasure every stitch of it.
Hmmmm, sounds like your newest book may have to go on my wish list.
I think cowls are the perfect accessory and necessary.
Sure keeps that cold winter wind from going down your neck.
Yarn. I'd love to be able to feel this Moon yarn to slip through my fingers on it's way to my needle.
hugs,
Gerry
Well I just passed (on Monday) an exam that I'd been studying for for over 10 weeks.
So, I just splurged on 3 skeins of Sea Silk...and yeah and there will be a lobster dinner this weekend!
My two splurges!
French Fries.
ogreger@gmail.com
Mmmmm, a treat of luxury would be some fabulous yarn (of course), time to knit with said yarn and a massage. Sometimes going to the local library and looking through the knitting magazines is a real nice treat, too. :)
Dark chocolate and lace or fingering weight yarns.
Eating out perks me up everytime. Thanks for the great give-away.
Dianna Llewellyn
2012 Wooded Lane Road
Jefferson City, MO 65101*3858
Getting a new book is my favorite splurge! When I'm feeling down, nothing cheers me up more than turning the pages of a new knitting book or a cookbook with lots of glossy pictures.
Our splurge is a dinner at a sit-down restaurant, where we have to leave a tip. It's nice to get out once in a while.
Love junk food for comfort or really any time.
Yarn - or lately, books. I don't buy a lot of books so it is a treat.
Yarn, ice cream, chocolates or a new cat toy are my usual splurges.
Love the yarn. My first project was a scarf....took many starts, but I finally finished. this year I knitted 3 cowls. They are fun to knit!
My luxury treat is usually yarn! If I feel like treating myself, at the moment, I'll go for some Wollmeise :D
On a cold winder day, when I'm out running errands, I love to stop at a busy diner type restaurant and have a bowl of chili. The chili warms my tummy and the hustle and bustle warms my heart.
Foodwise it's cheesecake!
Non-food it really has been yarn recently. I've been buying too much!
Treats?? Well yarn of course, as well as Lee Brice concerts. My favorites...... ;-)
I wish I could say it was yarn, but there's really no place to buy nice yarn near me so those impulsive splurges are usually either dark chocolate or tea.
My luxury splurge depends on my mood but it includes: yarn, fabric, books, ice ceram and chocolate!
When I need to treat myself to something, I will splurge on a Starbucks coffee.
Sock yarn! And Hostess Cup cakes!
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