How much is that doggie in the window?

It wagged it's tail and looked at me with those sad puppy dog eyes, and I just couldn't resist. All it wanted was a nice home to go to... Okay, you know we're talking about yarn here, right? Of course, this isn't the first time I've been sucked into buying something I hadn't planned on. You know how they just jump out at you and beg to be added to your already substantial collection of yarns on the wait-list. How did this happen to me? Well, I took a little trip to the not-so-local yarn store (the closest to me is 1/2 an hour away) with the purpose in mind of buying a set of double-pointed needles to make some mittens out of some acrylic yarn my aunt passed to me. Of course, you have to look around a bit at the selection of yarns. I mean, why take such a long drive just for a few needles, right? You have to bundle the kids up and pack them in the car, and why go through all that trouble just for a couple of lousy needles? I'm sure you can see where this is heading. Well, I have to be honest here and say that I don't really like much of the yarns sold in that shop anyway. It's a brand here in France called Phildar, and much of it is quite synthetic. It often looks okay on the ball, but when you knit it up... So, I wandered through their goodies and found a couple of fun yarns that had to come home with us. I've got this pattern my mother-in-law gave me for making a little cross-your-heart vest for my daughter (who is 3 1/2). And, right there in this store was a great little angora/lambswool blend that would be perfect for it. I had my eye on the fuschia, but there was no convincing my daughter of it (even if she is usually a huge fan of anything pink). She chose the aqua blue, and I must say it'll liven up her wardrobe. The other yarn I got was just so much fun that I had to get it. It's just a little multicolored synthetic boucle thing that I plan to use with some mittens. Afterall, I've got tons of this acrylic stuff my aunt gave me that I just don't know what else to do with, since I'm not much of an acrylic kind of gal. So, these are the latest acquisitions, and I'm not even all that ashamed of myself.

Oh, and wouldn't you know, they didn't even have those double-point needles in the size I needed. I settled for a circular and I'm hoping that'll do. The lady said I could always bring them back in exchange for the double-point when they come in. I'm sure she knows that even if I have to get the others, I won't be giving these back, because, "you just never know when you'll need those needles later." We all think it, and she makes her living off that sort of thing.

Pictures to follow...