Michigan Yarns

When I was in Michigan, I decided to stop into a yarn store and buy something that I would forever associate with my trip there. I was hoping for something that was either hand-dyed or hand-spun in Michigan. I asked my relatives what was nearby, and my Mother and (I am unclear as to the exact relationship here, but I am going to go with...) my Second Cousin's wife Anne - who I really look at as more of an Aunt because her son Brian is my age - all got into the car and headed over there.

The store is called Yarn for Ewe and it's adorable. It is in Okemos, Michigan which is just outside East Lansing. The shop itself is really nice and large, and there is no shortage of yarn! They had a lot of Canadian yarn (which makes sense as they are so close to our neighbors to the North) like the lovely Philosopher's Wool and Koigu...but I opted for a yarn I have never used before: Lang Jawoll. (Sadly, there was no Michigan native yarn.) I got it in a nice clean, crisp white. This stumped my Mom and "Aunt" as they were drawn to the sparkled and the shiny yarns...and mainly the ones that were brightly colored. Thing is, when I am working on lace, or intricate patterns, I like to use solid yarns that are light in color...that way all of my hard work on the pattern is visible. I was torn though because I was tempted to try the Regia Bamboo they had in a lovely pink shade. Ultimately my simple side won out.

My Mother wants another pair of socks, so she picked out a lovely alpaca in a bright sunny yellow (it actually reminds me of the color of an egg yolk.) I will do a simple ribbed leg and foot with a short row heel and likely my regular old toe. She is excited. This yarn is probably an aran weight, so I will likely use #3 or #4 needles, which means they'll be fast socks! (A Summer of Socks project for sure!)

Here is a glamour shot of the yarns as they lie in repose on my desk. I am excited to try to carry the reinforcement yarn with the Lang...I hope that it makes a difference in the wear of the yarn. We'll see. At any rate, I am excited about being able to look to these socks (when they become socks) and remember my time in Michigan. I had a great time visiting with family and I will treasure the memories from the trip.