Do You Know The Way To San Jose

Really, really wish I had planned ahead and was able to attend Stitches West (a big ole nerdy convention for people who like to knit/crochet/play with yarn) in San Jose this weekend.  Because LOOK AT THIS FLOORPLAN!  All my favorites are there, including Malabrigo and Cascade, Imagiknit yarn studio from San Francisco, Maryjane's Attic from San Francisco and Jimmy Beans Wool out of Reno.  If Noro and Manos del Uruguay had a booth believe me when I say I'd crash that party so hard they'd change my name to Hey Kool-Aid!

In lieu of attending Stitches West (next year my pretties, next year) I'm working on a few tops to wear.  I really like how one in particular is coming out, and as soon as it's dry from blocking I'll post all about it.   

I wasn't too sure about the yarn, as it's 75% cotton and 25% wool and I HATE knitting with cotton, but in the end the drape and the feel of the top are worth it.  Well, so far... as I mentioned it's still blocking.  I used Cestari yarn in the colorway Spring Meadow.  It's a chameleon.  Up close there are specks of mint green and lavender but from as little as 3 feet away it looks totally grey.  When wet the whole thing is almost technicolor bright, but dry it really lightens up and flattens out.  It's so much prettier up close.

I cannot for the life of me figure out the wet smell of this... truly reminds me of going to my great-grandma's house as a kid.  She crocheted a lot, her sofas had plastic covers on them, she had a bowl of fake grapes on her totally unused dining room table.  And something in her house smelled exactly like this yarn when it's wet.  It's overwhelming and not necessarily a good smell,  it's just a grandma-house smell and I'm not sure what makes it happen.  Lanolin maybe?

I've got 4 more skeins of this to use up - one more in the Spring Meadow and 3 in heather green.  A vest may be in order.  It's probably a good thing I couldn't make it to San Jose this weekend.  I'd have come home with more yarn than I knew what to do with.