Snobbery

Today I am committed to spending most of the day at my LYS.  The reasons for this?  First, I need to get some serious knitting done.  With the week of the traumatic job followed by the week of the pseudo vacation, plus the fact that Christmas is less than a month away, I can feel the vicious waters of panic swirling, ready to pull me under.  Second, I miss Lady L. and the folks there since I’ve been an absentee for the last few gatherings.  Third, I’m completely avoiding some other stuff that I need to get done around the house.  Works for me.

I haven’t made much progress since my last update.  I have one project at about 75% complete, one that’s around 50%, another that is at 25% and three still to cast on.  Yeah, sure…no problem.  The good news is that two of the sweaters yet to be started will be made with a bulky yarn and will hopefully be quick knits.  One of them has to be shipped up north, so I guess I can always blame the tardiness of the gift on shipping, right?  Okay, that’s not very nice, but I’m desperate here.

The project that is about 25% completed has had me dragging my feet, which is really silly because it’s by far the easiest project I’m doing – just a simple Christmas throw.  In fact, I should have been done with it by now.  Problem is, because of the household it is going to (they have little kids), I have chosen an acrylic easy-care yarn.  Why is that a problem?  Because…

I have become a complete yarn snob. 

I never thought it would happen to me, but it has.  I am addicted to natural fiber yarn.  It has ruined me for anything else.  Even on my best needles, the acrylic yarn is just sad.  Or rather it makes me sad.  Keep in mind, I bought one of those soft acrylics – not the bottom-of-the-barrel, plastic-feeling, “so scratchy you could use it as a loofah” yarn.  I’ve used this brand before and thought it was great, which is why when it went on sale, I picked up a bunch more.  But my previous project with this yarn was prior to any natural fiber experience.  I didn’t know any better then, so I could knit in blissful ignorance of the complete inferiority of acrylic yarn. 

Yes, I know that acrylic is much less expensive than natural fiber, and I also know there are things (like my throw) where acrylic just makes good sense.  Unfortunately, that knowledge doesn’t help me get motivated to spend a good four hours blazing through this throw.  I want Merino wool!  I want cotton!  I want silk!  (Insert Rolling Stones song “You can’t always get what you want...” here)

Okay, I’m done whining.  Besides, the yarn shop opens in an hour and I’m still in my jammies.  Time to roll.  I’m off to knit, knit, knit, knit, knit, knit…

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Any other yarn snobs out there, or is it just me?