Tuesday, August 14, 2007

I may have done something bad ... in a good way

The joy of having a wool shop named "Never Enough Wool" is that some people aren't quite sure what to make of it. I've had several folks call me up and ask if I accept donations. Well ... technically, no. But I do accept donations that are forwarded to a local church for use in their missions work.

And then there was the phone call from a gentleman whose wife had closed her wool shop. She had spent some time treating the inventory as stash. But now they were moving, and she really needed to down-size her stash. Hence, the cold call.

Being the nice person I am, and not really wanting to say "NO" outright ... I agreed to meet him and take a peek. I was fully prepared to say "NO" in person, which felt a mite nicer than over the phone.

Really, I was. I didn't even have any cash or cheques with me.

And then I saw the knitting machine. A Studio, which is my favorite brand. A Model 860, if you really want specifics. (This is a modular, electronic machine for those who have a passing familiarity with knitting machines.) Hardly used. With a ribber.

Along with bags and bags of wool. Nice wool. Really nice wool.

And he accepted my really low offer. Heck, I believe the machine might be worth as much as I paid for the whole kit and kaboodle.

This is my haul:


Another view:

These photos don't do justice to it. Really. All you can see is a mound of wool, in bags. And a little corner of the knitting machine. There are magazines and patterns as well. And a huge bag of needlepoint wool and fabric, some pre-printed. AND a bag of Anchor embroidery floss, as well as patterns. Nicely organized.

Unfortunately, there is some smoke smell residing in the yarn. I spent part of yesterday arranging (some) of the cotton yarn out on the deck and cycling it through laundry baskets. Sort of a giant tumbler, as it were. Doug and I brought it all in at dark, and as we prepared for bed, I spread it out in the kitchen for more airing out. See how much fun I had?!



Luckily for me, after a couple of hours in the fresh northwesterly breeze and an evening on the kitchen floor, the smell is gone. I've even rewound some of the yarn from balls into hanks again, and the smell is gone. I'm hoping that the wool and acrylic blends will be as forgiving as the cotton has been.

The yarn is destined for the shop, for a Surprise Super Summer Sale. Of course, if some of it ended up in my stash, or the daughter's, or the other daughter's ... who would know, right?!

I promise that I WILL have photos of the canoe trip through Algonquin Park, as well as of my recent knitting projects and completed items. All in good time. After all, I do have some stash diving to accomplish.

5 comments:

Christopher J. Ross said...

Hey, I just wanted to stop by here and, well... thank you for the kinds words you said. Thank you very, very much, actually. You were completely right, and the absolute worst thing I can do at a time like that is to retreat into myself. But, force of habit, you know?

Oh, and... I have to say. I knew you were cool, but a blog? That is... cool. Like, impressively so.

Nice haul, by the way!

Anonymous said...

Carol! Where, pray tell, do yo plan to put that great haul inyou shop? ROFL!
When is the "surprise" sale better not be when I am away!

Sunderland sister #2

Anonymous said...

I have no words. I am speechless. I am so jealous.

Anonymous said...

Super stash - you lucky thing! I've been through "checking for smoke smell" when we had our fire four years ago. Yarn recovers well.
P.S. Wait til you see what my daughter has knit from the DK I just bought from you.

Monique said...

Good Lord! That's a lotta yarn! How much of it have you used since? And how's it coming with your 860? I almost bought one of those a few years back, but ended up with a standard gauge, which I love.